How to keep my livewell pumps from freezing up

[Dave Tully]

Hello all..haven't been here in a while and sure do miss it..thats what happens when life and work get too busy.Gotta change that!

Have run into a problem I could use some advice on.

Have a Nitro 901 and last year during the season I ran into a problem with my livewell pumps..when I used them during a tournie, I loaded up the back end with so much water that I almost couldn't plane out going back to the dock. Tried it again on a small lake and confirmed it only happens when I run the livewells. So I'm about to replace both (don't know which one is bad) but want to avoid this again. During the winter I tilt the boat up as far as it will go and set the livewells to drain. The garage gets pretty cold during the winter so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dave Tully
http://[email protected]

 

[Jim B]

Try putting a gallon of the pink rv antifreeze in the wells and running the pumps for a few seconds to get it into the system. just make sure you flush them out good in the spring. Thats what i do with mine and i have never cracked a pump.

 

[mike chip]

i agree with jim. just make sure you flush it well. as for which pump is leaking fill the live well up and plug the holes on the outside of the boat. the pressure will cause it to leak then just fix it.

 

[JAMES MOORE]

Just make sure it's the RV version, non toxic antifreeze and you'll be fine. I did it for years with my Ranger.

 

[Larry Harp]

Or you could do like me and never catch anything so you won't have a reason to put water in the livewell in the first place. ;>)



Harpo

 

[Dave Tully]

Thanks for all the tips...so, I take it, put in the RV fluid and then set the pumps to circulate right?

 

[JAMES MOORE]

That's right dave, though it will naturally gravity feed into the pumps. I always ran them for a second or two just to make sure.

 

[Texas Transplant]

Move south.



Well, someone had to say it!



Tex

 

[TrepMan]

I'm with Tex MOVE SOUTH!!!



When you replace them, don't know which ones the 901 has, but i love my new Mayfair cartridge ones. If I again leave a livewell on when I beach the boat and sand gets in the pump (yes I now have the screens on the inflow too!) just replace the cartridge and NOT the whole pump!!

 

[Steve Flattem]

I asked the same question when I had my boat winterized...I was told that anti-freeze was not needed. We are still a long ways from ice out and boat in...since the notation was covered on my receipt...the shop (not dealer) will pay, pay, pay.