Livewell Plumbing

[T Man]

Along with the various lighting I am adding to my boat as we speak, I would like to upgrade my livewell/baitwell. Right now I have a small bilge pump in a rubbermaid container below the deck of my boat found on the projects page. This gives me good aeration, but leaves a lot to be desired. 1) I have to manually fill the well with a bucket or the like. 2) The pump in the well takes up space, and allows a place for smaller fish to hide.

I am trying to get an idea of how to plumb a livewell in the simplest way using 1 pump. I have an idea of what I want to do, but no matter how I cut it, I am coming back to a problem of either draining it, pumping it, or keeping the water aerated.

I had considered using a pump in the transom with a high speed pickup. This would constantly fill my well with fresh water, and reduce the amount of aeration I would need to do. It would fill through a stack that would prevent drain back when the pump was turned on. I would have an overflow tube in the side of the baitwell that would prevent it from getting above a certain point. This setup would give a constant fresh water feed with no recirculation. When I wanted to drain it, I would just pull the stack off and let everything drain back down out of the pump. The only worry I have with this setup is that stale water at the bottom has no way of being picked up as the fill and overflow holes would be roughly the same height. There would also be an on/off valve in the fill plumbing so I could use the well as storage during duck season, or whenever I didnt want there to be water in it. What does the tinboats braintrust think? Will I probably be alright keeping the water fairly well circulated and oxygenated with this setup?

 

[redbug]

I doubt the water will drain back through the pump I would run a separate line to fill the well with a spay bar to add aeration the drain stack will work fine you can use the over flow to run your fill line into

 

[T Man]

redbug » 26 minutes ago[/url]"]I doubt the water will drain back through the pump I would run a separate line to fill the well with a spay bar to add aeration the drain stack will work fine you can use the over flow to run your fill line into

2 Things.

1) Are you sure the water wont run back through the pump? Every bilge pump I have run will drain the water left in the hose back through into the bilge when it is shut off.

2) 1 pump. My wiring chase is already quite full as it is and I would have to add a second fuse panel under my console. Not impossible, but a pita.

 

[redbug]

the one pump is all you need use a through hull livewell pump to fill so that wont change
as for draining through the pump I wouldn't do that.
If it does drain back through the pump... you run the risk of having something drain back and damage the pump
I have had fish regurgitate crawfish and bait fish
the spray bar will add the O2 that the fish need and is easy to make

 

[Bugpac]

+ 1. Make a seperate drain. Tie your overflow and bottom drain together.

 

[T Man]

My problem with a bottom drain is this: I already have a thru hull in the front of my boat where my current livewell pumpout comes through. A bottom drain plug would be below this hole. A side overflow would be above it and would drain effectively.

 

[earl60446]

T Man » Today, 03:08[/url]"] A side overflow would be above it and would drain effectively.

How will it drain effectively (to empty the livewell) if it is not at the bottom of the livewell? It will work as an overflow only. You show it near the top.

Tim

 

[RStewart]

www.flow-rite.com. They have a livewell builders guide that lets you design your system. They do have a valve you can purchase for about $50 that will let you use one pump to fill, recirculate, & pump out.

 

[earl60446]

Here is what is on my boat, I think it is about as simple and cheap as you can get. Cons are that it does not have a timer for the pump - fill action. Plus if those hoses fail, it is gonna be a big problem.
Tim

 

[WVfishnfool]

Flow-Rite is the answer. Go to their web-site and look at the different installation styles. All the major bass boat builder(Ranger, Triton, Stratos, Skeeter, etc.) use their products. As far as livewell hoses if you use the pvc reinforced you won't have any problems. I've used this hose on many installations as well as replacing the old cheap corrugated crap that some builders use on bilge pumps. This stuff is top notch. Here's a link to Cabela's it's what I buy. https://www.cabelas.com/product/Premium-BilgeLivewell-Hose/699563.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dlivewell%2Bhose%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D15%26y%3D7&Ntt=livewell+hose&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Also forgot to mention that Flow-Rite has a spray nozzle that you hook a second hose up and run to a thru hull fitting so when your livewell pump is running and you're in the recirculation setting, you merely reach inside and pull the nozzle forward and it shuts off the spray to the livewell and forces the water to the pump out hose there by emptying your livewelll.

 

[DrNip]

I ordered from Flow-rite and they sent me the wrong part. They sent me an elbow instead of a spray nozzle. They were very friendly and apologized for the mistake and sent the right one out. Next thing you know I have a USPS slip in my mail stating I had a package and owed $.51. Got to the post office just to find out they didn't put enough postage on the ding dang package! Geez. Great people though and very friendly.