aerator problems

[Bantaras]

I have a small home built pontoon boat (not made by me) that I am installing a livewell on.
My problem is that the transom is above the water line a bit. The aerator pumps that I have bought (yes, I have tried 2 or 3) are designed to go through the transom, with the intake being in the water.

Now, I didn't think this would be much of a problem. I planned to mount the aerator on the transom, then drop a length of hose or pvc about 6" down into the water. However after testing this I found that the pump would not pick up the water vertically. Not even the six inches up to the pump.

I started out with the cheapest (of course) the Mayfair 500 (500 gallons per hour) and it just wouldn't do anything unless submersed in the water.

http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/w...atalogId=10051

I then switched to the 750 model, thinking that it would bring more power at 750 gph. Still the same result. Third, I tired the Attwood 750 aerator

http://www.castwater.com/index4.cfm?...me&recstart=3#
and I still had the same problem. It just won't pick up the water from the 6" down vertically from the pump.

Once the pumps are submerged, they shoot out the water fine all the way through the six feet of hose to my livewell. I can't think of any solutions except for mounting a pump that would drag in the water under my transom. I sure don't wanna do this cause I would prolly lose the aerator on the first patch of brush I ran over in shallow water.

can anyone offer a solution?

[smedley]

Could you put an elbow fitting on the intake and a small length of tube so the water being drawn in wouldn't create a vacuum? I don't know if that would work or not but it might be worth a try...smedley

BTW...welcome to the forum

[Ferdi]

Got to get water into the pump to prime it Scott. I have a Poor Boy livewell and I just drop the pump overboard to fill the livewell and into the livewell to empty it. Sooooooooo you got to mount the pump low so gravity kicks in to prime things. Ferdi aka Fred

[Bantaras]

Yeah, I put on a small plastic elbow with a bit of garden hose dropping down.

...btw the Crappie are starting to bite again (after the hurricane mucked up the water for many following months) in Lake Okeechobee, a stones throw from my house

[Jerry Blake]

I don't know of any livewell pump that will work above the water line. The impeller can't create enough vacuum pumping air to draw the water up to the pump.

You could put a check valve in the tube you have going into the water so that the pump would maintain its prime. You'll have to drain the pump in cold weather though to keep it from freezing and cracking. Having the pump "portable" so you can just drop it over when you want to fill the livewell - like mentioned previously - would probably be the easiest solution.

Another solution might be a "High Speed Pick-up". You could make one using a piece of 3/4" galvanized pipe mounted vertically that extends below the surface of the water a few inches when you are underway. At the end of the pipe would be a 90-degree elbow facing forward and the other end would have tubing going to your livewell with a valve to turn off when you don't want water coming in. The force of the water going into the elbow would push water up the pipe and into your livewell once you reached a certain speed. You could also have the pipe mounted so that it could be raised up out of the water when not in use instead of a valve to turn it off.

Hope this helps!

[Mopar Matt]

A wash down pump will cure your troubles. They are high lift, powerful and reliable. Here is one at Bass Pro:

Wash Down Pump

[Bantaras]

A wash down pump will cure your troubles. They are high lift, powerful and reliable. Here is one at Bass Pro:

Wash Down Pump

yikes $124.99.

ok, does it have a pick up hose connection? I don't wanna submerge the entire pump like say a bilge type pump.

many thanks

[Mopar Matt]

yikes $124.99.

ok, does it have a pick up hose connection? I don't wanna submerge the entire pump like say a bilge type pump.

many thanks

Yes, they have intake and outlet ports. They are mostly used on larger boats for cleanup. Another simple solution is to mount your pump on the back of the pontoon log. I have an 18' Bass Buggy and the livewell pump is mounted in a bracket on the back of the log. Then the pump is always in the water and just pumps water up into the livewell.

Forgive the crude drawing, but it is a long walk to the shop and it's raining outside or I would have just taken a pic.

[Bantaras]

Another simple solution is to mount your pump on the back of the pontoon log. I have an 18' Bass Buggy and the livewell pump is mounted in a bracket on the back of the log. Then the pump is always in the water and just pumps water up into the livewell.

I thought of that, but putting holes in my pontoons makes me shudder.

btw, is that shurflo pump powerful enough to be dry mounted in my steering console, with the intake hose going back about 6 feet ?

[Mopar Matt]

I thought of that, but putting holes in my pontoons makes me shudder.

btw, is that shurflo pump powerful enough to be dry mounted in my steering console, with the intake hose going back about 6 feet ?

No need for holes, just have someone weld it in place. Most any machine shop can weld aluminum. I believe the wash pump could pull the water that far.