Water Pump - livewell

[EvinSFla]

I'd never before used my livewell. Motor was burned out and I'm not a big fisherman so its not something I used before. So here's my knuclehead question. Is the water pump simply to fill the livewell and should then be turned off? Or is it left on to circulate? Reason I'm asking is I also filled my bildge up with seawater and I suspect the water pump was the cause. I think you can suspect it's kind of embarrasing when you pull your plug and it takes around 10 minutes to drain your bildge.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Water Pump - livewell

The livewell possibly has an overflow line that runs into the bilge -- either accidentally or on purpose (either one of which is not a good idea). The pump output line may have a leak so when in operation so it pumps water into the bilge. Or the live well may have a leak which leaks into the bilge. Or, your boat may have a leak which fills the bilge. You can run the live well pump continuously if you have fish in it (provided of course the overflow is out the side of the boat and not into the bilge). Timers are available that allows the pump to run continuously or cycle on and off automatically at specific intervals (30 seconds on/three minutes off, etc.)

 

[jtexas]

Re: Water Pump - livewell

Answer to your question is yes, use it to fill the livewell, and also use it to refresh the water every once in a while - fish need oxygen. Also a good idea to have a pump-out pump to remove their waste. Upinsmoke is right - it should have an overflow somewhere - could be into the bilge; scary thought, having a pump that fills your boat with water! But I think most designs have a drain through the hull somewhere, mine's just a hole in the side of the boat.