Livewell Overflow/Flooding

[Christopher Laurencio]

I was using my livewell this weekend for the third time since I purchased my PT 185 in March to test it out for my weigh in tourney next week. I had someone in the back of the boat with this time while using the livewell. I noticed my carpet was getting wet around the livewell hatch. On further inspection it appears that when the livewell is on it fills the tank way to high and or the overflow valve is to high in the tank, when someone stands on either side in the back the water spills out of the tank in that direction. The overflow valve is not clogged and I had quite a bit of water in the bildge since the livewell was on auto most of the day and kept on filling all the ay to the top.

Another problem I have is the LMB we caught knocked down the divider! Could be a big problem during a tourney.



Does the flooding problem happen to anyone else with a late model PT 175 or 185? Does anyone have the overflow tube insted of the backwall overflow outlet?



Thanks

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Ok, now I feel dumb or?

I call the dealer to ask them about this and he tells me I should not use the aierator after the initial fill-up when I am not under way with the gas motor. He said just use the recirc. feature on auto.

I thought you needed to use both to safely hold fish. Would the recirculator provide suffecint oxygen? why have auto feature on airerator then?

 

[Jeff Farrar]

Try this. Hook up a hose at home or wait until your next trip and make sure that your not filling it faster than the overflow can let it out. Just screw the aerator nozzle in and out to get it so it doesn't fill too fast. That way it will never go above the overflow unless you rock the boat too much.



Good Luck.

 

[Texas Transplant]

The dealer is trying to not have to deal with this. That's a crock of ^&%$^%. Auto, should mean that new fresh water with better oxygen is brought in frequently. Generally also means that it is cooler. Re-circulate just moves around the same old water. Does it help, of course, but it certainly won't do as much for the fish as 'fresh water' will.



Recirculate was put into a number of bass boats (not all have it of course), because more and more people wanted to keep fish healthier when they were out of the water and on trailers. Tournament fishing and the big fields, helped force quite a bunch of this.



If your livewells are overflowing into the boat, something is not right. Either too much water coming in, or not enough going out the overflow. The pumps haven't been replaced with larger ones (more GPH), have they?



Tex

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Thanks so far,

No the pumps have not been replaced, the boat is only 3 months old, Tex that's what I was thinking, I would assume it has both options for that reason you mentioned, I will try what Jeff said and see if I can adjust the volume or speed the water comes in the livewell, maybe the overflow can't keep up. He mentioned that the overflow would not work when anchored or slowly trolling!!! I asked " Wasn't the boat designed to fish, why would you have a livewell that only operates correctly when you are underway?

In any event before you guys posted I called him"the dealer" and asked him about how I read some models PT 175's & 185's have a tube that fits into the bottom drain hole instead of the rubber plug and works like a toilet tank overflow would work. He is mailing me one. But now I am thinking, does the bottom drain, just drain into the bildge?

He did mention that the boat has a low center of gravity! and therfore would not drain well! What would happen if I opted for the 90HP or 115HP, would the entire transom be under water?

Not exactly happy with this.

I would like Tracker to provide more sufficient instructions and how there design is not consistent with other Bass Fishing boats.



Good thing the rear deck is aluminum (I think?) so constant moisture will not damage it.



Anyone else with this problem?

As always the best answers are on this board!

 

[Sam Elkins]

Chris, I have a 2000 PT185. Go to the Flow-Rite site below and click on System 2. Is this what your selector switch looks like? If not, which of the systems do you have. I'm assuming it's a Flow-Rite. Maybe not in the 2004 models????



My drain line is near the top of the well and drains back out the intake. Do you have the pump out feature?
http://www.flow-rite.com/marine/

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Could be a bad timer switch...had to replace mine two weeks after I got my boat. Easy fix...they gave me the switch and did it myself. I got to where I won't take mine back to the dealer unless I absolutely have to.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Sam, I can't tell if that is the same system, It does not have the same controls. Mine are rocker switches three position. On, auto and manual. The tank has two nozzlles aerator & recirc. the drain in the bottom is plugged up during use (I assume) and the drian on the back wall is for overflow. The recirc nozlle can be pulled out which causes it to pump the water out of the tank for weigh in. You said your drain line is near the top of the well and drains back out the intake. I beleive I have four holes in the bac kof my boat.

Bildge Drain (with plug)

two holes with black plastic fittings right next to the bildge and one way up one the transom for the bildge pump. Is that how yours is?