Hobie Livewell Issue

I got a great deal on a used 2011 from a guy that needed cash fast, and got him to throw in the livewell. I went out to Tampa Bay for a shakedown run, and couldn't get the livelwell to work. The pump came on, and I could feel it trying, but it just couldn't draw water. I came home and set it up on a milk crate with the intake and outflow in a bucket of water, and got the same result. I fashioned a siphon hose out of some plastic tubing and a small platic fitting, and when I suck the air out of the intake, the pump works fine and the water volume is great.

Is this a common problem with the livewell, or is my pump or impeller going bad? I would hate to fill up the livewell and have it conk out and kill some expensive bait.

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Jamie Roberts

try pedaling forward to help prime the pump and get water flowing. should do the trick

Paddling forward doesn't work for me. I need to find something to get the air out of the line, like the squeeze bulb on those little 2 cycle engines that primes the fuel lines.

After posting this, I did a search and found dozens of threads here and elsewhere about the Hobie Livewell. There has to be a solution. I found an inexpensive anti-siphon valve for a garden hose that solves the problem of the water draining back through the pump if you turn it off. Once I get it going, I can turn it on and off as needed without losing the prime.

This is it: http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Garde ... reId=10051

I have to get the pump primed first, then screw it on.

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Jamie Roberts

two things - make sure that the intake tube is sticking out the bottom of the scupper - and make sure that the scoop is facing forward. Next - you 'must' be peddling forward to get it to prime - once it is primed it will run for up to 8 hours on a full charge.

If you hear the pump, then it should work - but on the PA the tube needs to be longer - so if they gave you a livewell for the other model boats - the scuppers on a PA are taller therefor you need the 7" tube - just make sure those two things are right - and you gotta be moving forward - it will work.

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Jacques Bernier
http://www.hobie.com/
http://www.facebook.com/HobieCatCompany

As Jaques describes...it's always worked for me as long as I follow that procedure.

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_<>-+ copterchief