Possibly a bypass vavle at the pump discharge will help it get rid of the bubble. Once the bubble is gone the vavle will be shut to allow normal operation
Last year I put a DIY livewell in the 2nd seat of my 14' gruman(ex wide ex deep). Room was tight so I did not put a water intake in, had to bucket water in. THis year I finally got tired of bucketing in water so I put in a water intake. Below I tried to draw what I have.
I didn't want to pop a hole in the bottom or run tubing back to the transom I wanted it right by the livewell so I went thru the side right below the water level. No one had a 90 degree thru hull so I had to use a straight one. I cut it off and screw a 90 degree elbow onto what threads where left then attached the hose to that. I think the problem is the tube has a bubble at the crown of the bend before it goes to the LW. When I turn on the pump the bubble gets sucked into the pump making it loose the prime.
My main question is. Is the tubing supposed to flow up or down hill from water intake to pump. Mine flows slightly downhill to the pump.
Possibly a bypass vavle at the pump discharge will help it get rid of the bubble. Once the bubble is gone the vavle will be shut to allow normal operation
The love for fishing is one of the best gifts you can pass along
I had a similar problem with my factory built live well. The intake was at transom. It would develop an air lock and I had to back up to clear it.
Mark 1:17 ...I will make you fishers of men
not sure about drawing,looks like u could elimanate 90 an be good.
i mint to say could u use flex tubing an not 90.
I have a wareagle with livewell on starboard side. Intake is through side of hull just like yours with pump mounted right at side of hull. It is a nightmare it times to get it to pump water. Boat rolls just a bit and it sucks air. I’m thinking we both have the same problem. To close to surface so not enough water pressure to help force water to the pump. I have thought about trying to rig a 90 on the outside but then I always think it would get broken off. In your particular setup think I’d replace that one 90 with a 45. Seems to me that would make a big difference. Bringing the intake down more level with where pipe goes into well.
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Charlie Weaver USN/ENC 1965-1979
that's probably right, its a big mess. Long story on how that happened, its hard to explain.
The thru hull was straight so I drilled the hole right next to the seat. Being straight it pointed up making the hose higher and a big air bubble in the hose. So I cut the hose adapter part and 1/2 the treads off so I could screw a elbow on that would point down. But since it was so close to the side of the seat I couldn't use a elbow with hose adapter, no room the screw it on.
Here's what I ended up with. Probably gona have to find a thru haul 90 degree to replace it all with or try to patch the hole and put in the bottom of the boat. Really don't want to make another hole in my boat.
Cray, sounds like we have same problem. I also thought about putting in a downspot in the thru haul on outside of boat but eventually would get broken off loading the boat. WIth hole so close to the surface there's no pressure just slow gravity flow of water to prime the pump. I even tried sitting on the edge of the boat to push the hole down lower but all that does is raise the pump higher. Guess I'll just keep bucketing water in until I get it working.
Seems to me like a 45* coupler would work just fine in place of that blue fitting , with a straight plastic male hose barb on the end.
I have also seen where people have made angle blocks to straighten out the thru hull, and make it parallel with the water. Might help some, although you would need a new thru hull that is long enough to go through them.
If you are having issues with clearance while assembling those parts, you can always back off that thru hull, rotate the 90 away from the seat and floor, assemble the fittings, then swing it back into place and tighten the thru hull nut.
I’m going to make another suggestion, and not being there to put hands on it’s hard to tell. How about installing a livewell pump with the thru hull pipe already installed in that same hole. One similar to this. I know they make a smaller one with smaller pump motor housing. You would just slide the bottom/sycton pipe thru hull and nut on from outside with gasket then rotate head how you needed it to discharge. If you had the clearance from seat.
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This link will take you to a picture of pump.
Proud Member of Team Geezer
Charlie Weaver USN/ENC 1965-1979