Question about livewell

[bman5150]

Yesterday was the first time I used my live well since buying my Ranger. When I left the lake, I placed the live well switch to “recirculate” and trailered home. When I got home, my rear starboard dry storage compartment had some water in it. My rear port dry storage compartment was dry.

what did I do wrong? Why would water from the live well get into my starboard dry storage? I did not have the live well overflow plug in but there was quite a bit of water in the well. Do I need to lower it if I’m trailering with a full live well?

[mactlman]

no reason for water to get from livewell to box? if it does it trailering then it will do it while on the lake also? get caught in rain? try filling live well to the top with hose and look for water going into the box maybe? might have a assembly issue?

[bman5150]

I’m not sure what’s going on. I just assumed that’s where the water came from. It didn’t rain a drop while I was fishing and has never gotten wet before under even downpours. This was the first time I used the live well, so I can only assume at this point water somehow splashed into the rear starboard dry storage. I briefly inspected the storage “bin” and there isn’t any large gap that I can see.

[mactlman]

I’m not sure what’s going on. I just assumed that’s where the water came from. It didn’t rain a drop while I was fishing and has never gotten wet before under even downpours. This was the first time I used the live well, so I can only assume at this point water somehow splashed into the rear starboard dry storage. I briefly inspected the storage “bin” and there isn’t any large gap that I can see.

was the bilge dry?

[bman5150]

was the bilge dry?

It was just a tad wet but that's normal even when I don't use the livewell. When I removed the drain plug, very little water dripped out.

I did have the water level quite high in the liewell, so maybe I need to lower it a bit before trailering home. But you'd think bouncing around the lake would also make it splash around. I left the livewell switch on "auto" when I was fishing/moving around the lake.

On a related note, I was kinda bummed my Ranger didn't come with the aeration system and auto pump out. But I was pretty impressed with how it performed the other day. Drained completely and pretty quickly; also seemed to treat my lonely large saugeye pretty well with the pump on and timer on. And it didn't drain my battery nearly as much as I would have expected. If I ever fish any more tourneys, the lack of a livewell pump will be kind of a pain but otherwise the livewell system seems to work well even in base form.

The amount of water in the starboard rear compartment was equivalent to about 2 cups of water if that helps. not a ton, but enough to soak a small towel I keep in that compartment along with a few other things.

I also had the livewell overflow open (not plugged). I usually keep a plug in it when I'm not using the well. Someone on here actually told me about the plug - if you use the plug + turn the livewell switch on recirculate before you launch, my livewell stays dry the entire time.

[mactlman]

So you don’t have a second knob below your live well cable controls it says recirculate – pump out?

[P413]

I asked almost the same question in March and really didn't get any responses: https://www.bbcboards.net/showthread...light=livewell

I ended up using a flashlight in the livewell, then closed livewell lid closest to the storage compartment getting water, shine the light toward the storage compartment. With the garage completely dark, open the storage lid and I could see light getting through the livewell lid, there as a small gap. That was the only way I could see how the water was getting into the compartment. I had that issue for both my storage compartments.

To fix the problem, I ended up placing two adhesive rubber strips under the deck lids to close the gap and now no more water gets into my storage areas.
I used 1/16th inch thick strips but depending on your gap size, you may need more.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1

IMG_1425.jpg

[mactlman]

I asked almost the same question in March and really didn't get any responses: https://www.bbcboards.net/showthread...light=livewell

I ended up using a flashlight in the livewell, then closed livewell lid closest to the storage compartment getting water, shine the light toward the storage compartment. With the garage completely dark, open the storage lid and I could see light getting through the livewell lid, there as a small gap. That was the only way I could see how the water was getting into the compartment. I had that issue for both my storage compartments.

To fix the problem, I ended up placing two adhesive rubber strips under the deck lids to close the gap and now no more water gets into my storage areas.
I used 1/16th inch thick strips but depending on your gap size, you may need more.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1

IMG_1425.jpg

another ranger flaw maybe? will check mine out soon and see if I can "see the light"

[P413]

Could be or perhaps the lids need to be locked down to suck the lids tight to close the "gap". However, I never lock my compartment or livewell lids when in the boat fishing or trailering home. This was a simple fix that stopped water from getting into the storage compartments from the livewell without requiring me to lock the lids down.

[mactlman]

Could be or perhaps the lids need to be locked down to suck the lids tight to close the "gap". However, I never lock my compartment or livewell lids when in the boat fishing or trailering home. This was a simple fix that stopped water from getting into the storage compartments from the livewell without requiring me to lock the lids down.

thanks for posting the fix --maybe having the storage lid pull down tighter might help some also

[bman5150]

The starboard dry storage compartment never has a drop of water in it even in downpours, and I do always keep the lids in the locked position. I think @p413 is dead on and had a great way to troubleshoot it. I’ll be doing just that tonight. Thx for the tip!

I did feel around up in the livewell area wall where it meets the floor/top cap. I can feel silicone in some areas but not in other areas along that wall adjacent to the dry storage. So, I have a feeling that’s my issue. Great suggestion too for the fix. Will confirm with the flashlight test and probably apply the same fix solution. Thx!

[mactlman]

The starboard dry storage compartment never has a drop of water in it even in downpours, and I do always keep the lids in the locked position. I think @p413 is dead on and had a great way to troubleshoot it. I’ll be doing just that tonight. Thx for the tip!

I did feel around up in the livewell area wall where it meets the floor/top cap. I can feel silicone in some areas but not in other areas along that wall adjacent to the dry storage. So, I have a feeling that’s my issue. Great suggestion too for the fix. Will confirm with the flashlight test and probably apply the same fix solution. Thx!

he is talking on top of the cap from compartment top compartment and you are thinking it is leaking over under the top cap from area to area?? who is your closes ranger dealership? know or dixie? i would get it looked at maybe and see if something is wrong on top cap install IF it leaks under the top cap from compartment to other compartment

[bman5150]

I verified thru the light test that no gap exists between the top cap and the compartment wall that separates the livewell and the storage compartment. So, I’m back to being a little stumped. Who knows…maybe my buddy accidentally dropped his water bottle in the compartment! Next time I transport fish with my livewell, I’ll just lower the water level to half and see if it happens again. It’s rare I even use the well since I rarely take fish home to clean. And I really don’t fish tourneys either.

[mactlman]

I verified thru the light test that no gap exists between the top cap and the compartment wall that separates the livewell and the storage compartment. So, I’m back to being a little stumped. Who knows…maybe my buddy accidentally dropped his water bottle in the compartment! Next time I transport fish with my livewell, I’ll just lower the water level to half and see if it happens again. It’s rare I even use the well since I rarely take fish home to clean. And I really don’t fish tourneys either.