Live Well Pump Installation Question...

Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
8
Installing forward and aft live wells in my Grizzly. I have a couple of questions...

1. The boat had an alum. floor kit installed when I bought and a floor in the bilge area with only a small opening around the drain. Do I have to install the live well pump thru the transom or can I go thru the side wall of the boat? This will leave me room in the bilge area for a bilge pump and eliminate having to remove the floor to run my hoses to the live well if the forward deck area

2. I purchased Mayfair pumps by Johnson... in the installation instructions it says to use wedge shims if the mounting surface has a server angle to eliminate airlocking the pump. My question is how severe of an angle dictates using the shims? The side wall has the typical angle associated with the side of a boat below the water line. This will put the pump at an angle when installed. How sensitive are they to vapor lock? The pump is a 90 degree angle style pump as opposed to a straight style...

3. I plan on using 3M 5200 around my thru hull outter nut and inner flange on the live well pump. How tight do I need to tighten the nut? I know if I tighten too tight it will squeeze out all of the 3M bedding adheasive. But my fear is if i don't tighten properly I will have leaks or break the seal in rough water.

4. What kind of prep do I need to do to the alum. hull prior to using the 3M sealant?

Thanks and good fishing!
Grizzly Preacher
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Live Well Pump Installation Question...

Some problems with putting it in the side,it will drag underway and throw a big rooster tail and if you ever rub up against anything in the water, and you will, it may get ripped off leaving a 1'' hole in your hull.

As much of a pain as it is I would pull the floor and do it right and put it at the center bottom of the transom.

As for the 3M, maybe scuff the area lightly and I usually go hand tight then a 1/4 turn with a crescent wrench, then wipe off the excess it won't leak.
 
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
8
Re: Live Well Pump Installation Question...

Thanks for the response 5150... taking the floor out will be a major undertaking that I am not really prepared to deal with right now. I have anticipated the possibility of drag, but since I am not too much worried about speed, I'm not really concerned with the drag issue. The thought of hitting it on something and breaking it off and leaving a hole in the boat scares me some and I did consider this, but I will just need to be consious of it and pray it never happens and if it does, have a plug ready to pop in there until I can get it back to shore.

My main concern was not practicality but feasibility... is the application thru the side wall just like going through the transom. the only real difference I see is the thickness of the material I am putting the pump through.

Thanks,
Grizzly Preacher
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Re: Live Well Pump Installation Question...

As for air locking (not vapor locking) of the pump, your method will likely result in that happening. The intake of the pump is going to be lower than the opposite side of the pump so the risk of trapping air in that area is quite high. Take a glass and push it upside down in a pail of water. Notice that it traps air. Same thing will happen if you mount the pump with the intake facing downware. If the intake was facing upward it would not be an issue. These pumps are not self priming so the impeller cavity must be full of water to work properly.
 
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
8
Re: Live Well Pump Installation Question...

Thanks Silvertip... the pumps are advertised as anti-air locking, but I guess that is not the same as being self priming????

Would you recommend a different pump?

Will the shims prevent the air lock?

If I do happen to get an air lock, how do you clear it and prime the pump?

This is my first boat as you may have guessed so I am learning as I go here...
 
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