Dumb Question About Livewells

My livewll pump decided to retire itself. What kind of pump is used for these. Do I need a bilge pump or are there pumps specifically for livewells? Sorry to ask dumb questions. I’m still learning.

The livewell and bilge pumps are not the same. This is Bass Pro’s http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=886&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Jim is correct of course, and it’s not a dumb question. You should be able to get one at any Marine shop and I think Wall Mart even carries them. If you have a lot of trouble finding one (which I don’t think you will) let me know.

How did it retire itself? Heres a quick diagnoses for a possible bad pump.

1. Check the fuse in the fuse panel.

2. Check the + and – leads on the pump switch to make sure the switch is closing(making the circuit) with a volt meter. Every boat owner should have a DC volt meter. You can get one at Wal-mart for under $10

3. Check the leads to the pump at the pump with a volt meter to make sure there isn’t a short between the pump and fuse box.

4. If all that checks out and you have 12 volts going to the pump, take the leads off to the pump and disassemble pump. Most pumps have three screws.

5. Remove the impeller and hook the leads back up and turn the pump on. If the shaft spins, you have a bad impeller. If you have 12 volts going to the pump and the shaft wont spin. its junk. If the impeller is bad, most boat dealers carry them. They run about $4.

Good Luck.

good point on the fuses !! If the pump was froze up and you tried to run it, it may be just a fuse. Let her thaw out and then try it again, after you check the fuse.

Last spring I thought I needed a new pump. Did what Derek said above…added a little WD-40 and it sounded better than the day I bought it! All done in 1/2 hour.

Good Luck!

There is no such thing as a dumb question only dumb answers and you will not find them on this site. Jim

ALL questions are important. Nobody knows everything so its very important to ask questions for answers you don’t know. Thats not only how you learn but the rest of us learn too. Thanks for asking. Thanks, Bill

Doesn’t seem like a dumb question to me. My boat has two livewell pumps, one of which really is a regular bilge pump.

The ‘front’ pump is a horizontal pump through the wall of the livewell that sucks in outside water and fills it. There’s a second pump inside the well with a split in the output hose to either aerate or empty the livewell. It’s an unusual setup, and there’s no drain plug (the only way to get the water out is with the back pump). I’d take a picture, but it’s under cover for the winter.

Skip Class N Fish huh?!!! Reminds me of the days back when my son Nate was in school and if the weather was nice and I got a call saying he wasn’t in school I knew exactly where he was-Foster Arends Lake catching fish. Then he bought a fishing boat [before buying a car] and he then he would be down at Red Wing fishing which was too far for me to leave work and go fetch him. lol. Guess hes kinda like me-boats cost him more than the tow vehicles do. Oh well, fishings a love a boy discovers and it never leaves him. Keep kids out of trouble too except with the school principals. lol. I never did understand why they built a school in Alma right across the road from the river or a school right next to Madison Lake and think they would be able to keep kids in school when its nice out. It would drive me nuts if I went to that school. I’ll bet Jarrad F. and his younger brother Flick could tell us some good stories about going to school in Alma. lol. Well here I go a talkin away off the subject. [still want to hear Jarrads and Flicks comments].
I agree with check the fuse first. I seem to blow one fuse about every year for my livewell. Put a new one in and its ready for for fish. Thanks, Bill