live well

[motobuffy]

I rarely use it, but I can't seem to keep my XB-21's live well dry. Over the course of the day, 1 to 3 inches of water will appear. It happens even with the valve in the recirculate position and a plug installed in the drain hole. There is zero water in the bilge after a day's fishing. There is no sign of the water leaking into the bilge or out of the drain once the boat is back home, ie the plug and valve setting is watertight. The only explanation I can come up with is the water is coming in the overflow when encountering a wake. Anyone else having this issue? Is there a check valve in the drain line that has gone bad or is a trip to Lowes for a rubber stopper in my future?

[fishnfireman]

No check valve there that I know of.. It would be possible to get some water.. but I don't see 1-3"..
Pretty rare that sooner or later the 3 way valve will not leak by--
Sometimes the remote cable switch won't shut all the way and needs adjusting, or gets something stuck around the seal area or just worn out.
I've not had one yet that did not start taking on some water after a few years.
I also believe it s (possible) to force water into the flapper valve on the transom when in reverse.

[tap_tap_boom]

I rarely use it, but I can't seem to keep my XB-21's live well dry. Over the course of the day, 1 to 3 inches of water will appear. It happens even with the valve in the recirculate position and a plug installed in the drain hole. There is zero water in the bilge after a day's fishing. There is no sign of the water leaking into the bilge or out of the drain once the boat is back home, ie the plug and valve setting is watertight. The only explanation I can come up with is the water is coming in the overflow when encountering a wake. Anyone else having this issue? Is there a check valve in the drain line that has gone bad or is a trip to Lowes for a rubber stopper in my future?

I have the same issue, just thought it was normal.

[River Rocket]

I have the same issue. Never thought of the over flow.

I have replaced every part of mine and it still did it. I finally pulled out the plug at the bottom and used RTV to put a screw in boat drain plug in at the bottom. That fixed my issue.

The only thing I could find is my flapper valve was often pushed in when I would pull the boat out of the water. Even after replacing it with a new one. My assumption was the same pressure that pushes it in was pushing water past the drain. Like you, the water would hold if the boat was pulled and the drain plug left in. So I assumed it was the pressure pushing past it. I think its when the boat sits back down in the water after running.


I can't tell you how many prop test days have been screwed up by water in the live well. So frustrating to get done for the day and open up the live well and find it 1/2 full of water.

[motobuffy]

Went to Lowes and got a stopper to fit the overflow. 2 days on the lake with the stopper in place, the plug in the drain and not one drop of water.

[myron]

typically it comes from when you reverse it pushes water thru the overflow

[Fishysam]

yup home parts store, plumbing, rubber cork to fit in the overflow

[motobuffy]

5 trips so far and still no water in the livewell. In my case I am confident it was coming in the overflow.