Live well test...I am losing water always

[GregInAtl]

I am doing a driveway test to see why I am always losing water in my wells. With the handles in the wells pushed it, and the valves on recirculate shouldn't I be able to fill them up w/ a garden hose and maintain water level?
I have a little coming out the drain on the pass side, and a good bit on the driver side...what is the deal?

[ChampioNman]

Sounds like you need to go bilge diving. If they are flow-rites you can get a rebuild kit for the valves. It may be something as simple as adjusting the cable on the valve it self.

[GregInAtl]

I dont understand the whole set up and I have asked numerous people and nothing works.
Using the manual turn lever beside the driver set, "AUTO" holds water in the wells. nothing in nothing out. Recirculate lets a little out....empty dumps it out as it should.

The switches "main" and "aux" both on the "on" position will flood the boat. "timed" never seems to turn on at all.

Mt thing is I can never pull the boat out and hold water (now I know "Auto" beside the seat will do that) but what do I do in the water to preserve the fish? I keep having fish loss in tournaments because of this system. This is WAY too complicated for what this is, all the other boats we had were far simpler and never had fish loss. I am frustrated!

help please and one who is certain they know what to do.
(btw, in old boats we'd do recirc and run down the lake and never lose a drop, in this boat you will arrive w/ empty livewells)

[blueblaze]

Mine holds water fine ,but like yours it will flood the boat with those switches on

at the same time . I dont understand mine either . Hope someone can

explain it .

[Dan21XRS]

Call Stratos in the morning and ask for a quick lesson. Then let the rest of us know what they tell you.... Dan

[craigs06]

Check out the flo-rite website, everything you need to know

[201pro]

If your pumps do not run in the timer mode, they may have blown fuses...The fuses are in black waterproof cases, under the console, behind the switch panels...

I run mine in auto with the main pumps on timer almost all of the time...I use the aux pumps just to speed up the filling process ... Never loose any water and never overflow, unless I forget to turn off the aux pumps... If you are loosing water in the recirc position then it is a bad flapper in the valve or an cable adjustment as said above...
These pumps are not difficult to use at all, once someone shows you how they work...

Auto fills from the lake when off plane and recircs when on plane...
Recirc only recirculates the water from the wells, no fresh water.
Empty open the drain valve...
The main aerator pump switch controls the pumps that will pull water from the lake on Auto and recirc on Recirc...Up is on constant, down is on the timer...
The Aux pump pulls water from the lake only...It does not do anything different whether the valve is on auto or recirc...Up is also constant and down is on timer...


If you are confused, you should see a dealer or ask someone that has the same setup to run you thru it in your boat...

[GregInAtl]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by 201pro &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote"> ........

Auto fills from the lake when off plane and recircs when on plane...
Recirc only recirculates the water from the wells, no fresh water.
Empty open the drain valve...
The main aerator pump switch controls the pumps that will pull water from the lake on Auto and recirc on Recirc...Up is on constant, down is on the timer...
The Aux pump pulls water from the lake only...It does not do anything different whether the valve is on auto or recirc...Up is also constant and down is on timer...


If you are confused, you should see a dealer or ask someone that has the same setup to run you thru it in your boat...</td></tr></table>

When I am on "recirc", my port side leaks slowly, 5 mins to be empty, and my starboard is much worse, empty in 1 minute.
My thought is recirc should let nothing in or out unless timer is on... the in only?!?!

btw, if you want to get confused look at flow-rite...OMG....I am a simple redneck!!

[201pro]

You should take a look at the valves and see if they have something stopping them from closing properly, or just the flappers are worn out...Mine does it at times on recirc if I do not get the valve turned all the way tight to recirc...

[kris brantner]

i am having problems with mine also. like everyone else i loose water with the pumps off and over flow with them on. very frusteration to have to worry about livewells when you are trying to fish. my times on all 4 of my switches do not light up with pushed up. they all work when pushed down. i will see if i can find the fuses tonite....

[jimt54656]

I have the same issues Kris with my 05'. Was told by flo rite that I probably need the rebuild kits. Bought them last year but it looks like a pain in the arse to get the valves out to work on them. Cant figure out how to get the hose clamps off...looks like I need a special tool for the job.

[kris brantner]

i JUST as in last week had my livewells worked on. my knob was stuck on recirc and wouldnt move to empty or auto. had to use a sub pump to get the water out after a tourny. i ended up breaking it off completly. my mech thought i needed a new cable but ended up being the valve next to the pump. he replaced the one completly and replaced the knob but they still both over flow. i would be fine if they would hold water with the pumps off... but i have set down after a run to find that they are empty...

[billlu168]

valves
recirc, used to keep water out of livewells or to recirc water that is already in wells.
Auto, as said before recirc when on plane new water when fishing
empty, is empty.


If water is leaking from livewells when on recirc the rubber flap on valve is not seating. Crawfish , mussels or rocks are obstructing the closing of the valve. The valve may also need adjustment or a rebuild kit.

When you back in the water at ramp a small amount of water will be forced into the livewell no matter what position the valve is in.

Switches control the pumps.
auto , a timer controlls the pump
manual , the pump comes on when in this position
as stated the pumps have fuses under the dash.
middle position nothing

When not fishing a tourment my valve is in recirc and switch is in middle position.
when I get back to ramp and I am wiping down boat ,I turn the valve to empty to drain the small amount of water in the welland return to recirc.

Tournment, when I catch my first fish, turn switch to auto so it can bring in new water when I'm fishing and turn pump to manual to fill livewell initally, when full turn switch to auto so it will be on timer.

[kris brantner]

why would the livewells overflow on recirc then?

[Todd Morgan]

We preach leaving them on Auto. Only use recirc if you're in questionable water......gas docks, waste treatment......doo doo in general.

Auto will maintain the water level.....and recirc will weep while running.

[Buccaneer]

"why would the livewells overflow on recirc then?"
It would appear the overflow drain lines would be clogged, possibly the screen has scales blocking it. Put a water hose on it and see if it flows unrestricted.

[GregInAtl]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Todd Morgan &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">We preach leaving them on Auto. Only use recirc if you're in questionable water......gas docks, waste treatment......doo doo in general.

Auto will maintain the water level.....and recirc will weep while running.</td></tr></table>

So once I catch #1 I can fill the wells and run the lake the rest of the day w/ fish, I can stay in "recirc" on the wells and "auto on the "main" pump only and if everything is working right I wont lose water and when still they will be self monitoring?!

[billlu168]

this is a three position valve. recirc is the "off" position. use it when you don't want water to enter or exit the wells. I would do what Todd says when useing the wells in tournments leave the valve in auto which is an "open " position that allows the pumping of fresh water into the well.

When I catch a fish I use the manual on switch to pump water immediately into well. When well is full I turn switch to auto so its on an timer.

If wells overflow I would say that the overflow is pluged or kinked.

[GregInAtl]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by billlu168 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">this is a three position valve. recirc is the "off" position. use it when you don't want water to enter or exit the wells. I would do what Todd says when useing the wells in tournments leave the valve in auto which is an "open " position that allows the pumping of fresh water into the well.

When I catch a fish I use the manual on switch to pump water immediately into well. When well is full I turn switch to auto so its on an timer.

If wells overflow I would say that the overflow is pluged or kinked. </td></tr></table>

Will I have to switch the "T" handle from recirc to auto everytime I run the boat? If so...I am not crazy about this, its one more thing to forget....

[Tom B]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Todd Morgan &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">We preach leaving them on Auto. Only use recirc if you're in questionable water......gas docks, waste treatment......doo doo in general.

Auto will maintain the water level.....and recirc will weep while running.</td></tr></table>

Thats exactly what I do and I never loose a fish...period. Put the valves on auto and the pumps on auto...the last couple of hours of the day I will put the pumps on manual. If the pumps run your cranking battery down...you need a new battery.