2006 294 question

[Pirate360v]

Can someone educate me on the livewell “empty/auto/recirculate” valve. I’ve put the valve on auto and recirc and the switch on auto and it never recircs or auto pumps. I always have to use manual fill to add new water. Any advice appreciated!

[AKRISONER]

Honestly by what you are describing, it sounds like your electric switch may have failed. When I put my switch to auto, it simply puts the livewell pumps on their timer so that they periodically pump water either from the lake or from the recirc.

the actual drain switch is manually operated and truthfully has no relation to your electric toggle switch aside from diverting your water source when the pump operates.

what I’m getting at is that your electric pump switch has on/off/auto. Which can be broken down to on pumping all of the time, off and auto which is on a timer. If your pumps won’t work when on auto my assumption is that the switch/timer has gone bad.

[JR19]

Read slide #7 to see what each valve sitting does...https://www.flow-rite.com/wp-content...log-valves.pdf

Now I will add I'm not a fan of Auto because I once had my flapper to not close. The result was when the boat got on plane all the water sucked out of my live-well and a nice limit of fish was flopping around in a empty live-well. I like to keep it simple. Empty is simply drain. This is what's used to drain the live-well. Recirculate is simply closed. This is what I use anytime I'm keeping fish in my live-well.

As for the switches on the dash, they have zero to do with the function of the valve. Their only function is to add water or re-circulate water inside the live-well. Fill is simply add fresh water. Recirculate is simply taking the existing water inside the live-well and recirculating thus creating air bubbles/oxygen. Both switches have off/manual/auto. Off is simply off and manual is on and running constant as long as its in the manual selection. Auto is actually a timer. I'm not sure on the specifics in time but for an example in auto the pump will kick on for 30 seconds and then kick off. In about 2-3 minutes it will kick on again for 30 or so seconds. It will repeat this process as long as its in auto. So it does not matter if your filling or recirculating, if you put either switch in manual it will run constantly. If you put either switch in auto it will kick on/off/on/off and just keep repeating.

Here is what I personally do. When I catch my first fish I turn the selector for the valve to recirculate...this closes the valve...I turn the fill pump to manual and keep a check on the live-well water level. In around 5 minutes or so the live-well should be full. In the event it over fills there should be an overflow in the corner that excess water will run out. I do that every time but here is where I vary my next step based on water temperature.... In water that is 65 degrees or less I put the fill switch to auto and let in bring in fresh water. As previously mentioned the excess water should go out the overflow. I ALSO put the recirculate in auto. ANYTIME I start the big motor to move the boat I turn the fill switch off. I do this because it can not bring in fresh water when running down the lake so I don't want it running when it can't pick up water. As soon as I stop to fish I turn the fill switch back to auto. In really warm water like 80 or above I fill the live-well with water and do not turn on the fill switch again unless I've had fish in there 5-6 hours. In that case I will add fresh water and ALSO add a frozen milk jug of ice. I don't add store bought ice because it has chemicals. All I want to do is cool the water 2-3 degrees. Cooling it too much will shock them. I always run recirculate in Auto regardless of water temperature. Another thing I do is insulate my live-well lids and add VT-2 vents. The ice, insulation and vents may seem a little overboard to some but my fish swim away strong so it works for me. As for insulation and live-well vents I have a picture of what I done...read through this and the picture is in reply #7 http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=440978

[Les Young]

I use auto & when i move i put it on recirculate. If there's a fish in my livewell i have both aerators running no matter the time of year.

[jrh5064]

My livewells have the same issue. When I put it to "Auto", nothing happens. I've always suspected that the timer function of my toggle switches went bad.

Much like some of the gentlemen above, I'm a big fan of recirculating. I close my valves, fill with the "AUX" aerator, shut off the "AUX" aerator, add some livewell treatment, and then run my "MAIN" aerators all day long to circulate the same treated water.