Livewell plumbing question

[kroppe]

I have an issue where my livewell takes on water through the drain pipe (standpipe), while the boat is on plane. The livewell fills to the brim, which is significantly above the water line, when the boat is on plane. I have temporarily solved the problem by plugging the standpipe.

While the boat is stationary, the livewell does not take on water, with the standpipe installed. In other words, it functions properly.

The livewell drain outlet is near the lowest point at the rear of the transom, which is theoretically slightly above the waterline while planing. This is where I think the water is being drawn into the livewell.

Seems like there is suction being created somehow, but I can't figure it out. This may have started after I added a 9.9hp kicker motor, which added about 150lbs of weight to the port side rear of the boat, but I am not positive about this. The boat is a 1997 Lund Pro Sport 1700. The livewell is on the starboard side at the rear of the boat. Any ideas on how to diagnose this would be appreciated.

[huntingmaniac45]

That a stumper?:confused: I can see it sucking water out, but not filling it up?:confused: Will be curious to know what you find out. Please post back.

[kroppe]

I called Lund, and spoke to an engineer. He pulled up the drawing of the livewell system and told me there is no valve in the drain system, which I had a question about. There is only a tube that connects the bottom of the livewell to the hole in the transom.

He also told me that in later models, the livewell drain hole has been relocated further starboard than on my model. On my boat, the livewell drain hole is exactly centered on the transom, at the lowest possible point. It is even a tad lower than the bilge drain, which surprised me. The Lund engineer's theory is that the outboard motor lower unit is close enough to the livewell hole that water is being pushed into the livewell drain. Seems logical to me. There is very little space between the drain hole and the motor, so it is easy to imagine how water could be forced forward, into the hole, while on plane.

The remaining question I have is why didn't this happen when I bought the boat? My theory to this is that I installed a new depth finder transducer in the area of the livewell drain hole, in addition to adding a 9.9hp kicker motor. The transducer, in addition to the added weight from the kicker, may have changed things enough to cause water to be forced up the livewell drain.

So my solution is to continue to block off the drain tube. It is a minor inconveniece, not worthy of re-engineering the plumbing or drilling another hole in the transom.

[Bassmad2]

Kroppe, I had the same problem, was cruising down the SCR and looked back and was like OH SH**!!! I added a check valve from ACE in the line and the problem seems to be fixed. BUT I can not drain the live wells on the river, these is too much pressure on the valve for it to open. I am thinking about puttiing a pump on the live well and putting the fitting higher up. I have a 1994 StarCraft and the darn drain is right in the middle.