Tracker Live Well

[Handyman663]

I think I figured out how this thing should work on my 2000 Pro Deep V16. There is an aerator pump on the side of the live well and there must be a fill pump somewhere toward the stern, but I don't know where it is located. I see the hull intake hole near the well with a black hose disappearing thru the console bulkhead and a white hose returning to the well. This hasn't worked since I bought it 4 yrs ago and I am recarpeting so this is the time to fix everything. Anyone know where the fill pump is located? BTW this is a lot more complicated than I imagined. I have no voltage at the aerator pump and the rocker switch has 7 wires.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Tracker Live Well

middle terminals on the switch should be 12v positive. Look for the red wire then chase it back to a breaker or a fuse. If I had to guess you have a livewell timer somewhere as theres no need for 7 wires at the switch unless you do have one. If the fill pump works but the aerator doesn't then look for the timer unit. Fill pump should be at the transom and aerator near the livewell

 

[Handyman663]

Re: Tracker Live Well

Thanks for the reply, Glenn. That should be helpful in chasing the electrical issue. I agree that there must be a timer hidden somewhere since the rocker switch is Man-Off-Auto. I am still in doubt as to where to specifically look for the fill pump. It is difficult to see into the stern bilge. I can see the bilge pump, but not another. It could be hiding under the bait well. I am old and easily confused, but there are 3 holes in the stern. One is the threaded bilge drain. The other two are open. Could those be drains for the live well and bait well?

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Tracker Live Well

Some livewell fill pumps are NOT located at the stern. Mine isn't. The pump you are looking at may be the only one.

 

[Handyman663]

Re: Tracker Live Well

Found it. The live well fill pump is stern mounted. There is a round access cover just ahead of the engine that allows limited access to both the bilge and live well pumps. The outlet of the live well pump immediately splits with a tee, with one branch filling the bait well and the other to the live well. That access cover is the only possible way to see the fill pump. Now I just have to find out where those electrons are going. Tracker's web site says they will send wiring diagrams, if available. I left a message requesting one. We'll see.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Tracker Live Well

Check your fuse block for burnt fuses if you haven't already.

 

[Handyman663]

Re: Tracker Live Well

Thanks, Jig. I am up to the forward deck in my re-carpeting project. How do you remove the gunwale carpet strips. Does the rubber gasket just peel out? Is it hard to put back? Fuse box is my next check regarding live well pumps. Thanks again for the best ever thread on re-vinyling your Tracker a couple years ago.

 

[Handyman663]

Re: Tracker Live Well

I am finally getting serious about getting my livewell operational. Today I found both fill and aerator pumps work when connected across a battery. The fill pump on the transom has 12v so is ok. However, the aerator pump wiring has no voltage. I found one 3A fuse burned, but swapped good ones into that spot with no results. The fuse didn't burn nor did it provide voltage. I notice that only some of the fuse locations have fuses. Should I populate all of them as a trial? Chasing electrical problems in a boat causes brain damage. Any help appreciated. Tracker ignored my request for a wiring diagram.

 

[saumon]

Re: Tracker Live Well

Hunting for electrical gremlins can be tiresome, so you're better to proceed methodicaly. In your situation, knowing that the pump itself work, I'd disconnect the pump and put 12V to the wires that goes to the pump ( with a battery or a power pack) then poke around with a test light (fuse panel, switch). You'll be able to know where there's current or not.

The exact same thing happened to me on a 1991 Tracker Pro DeepV 17. I got 12V at the fuse pannel and at one of the switch terminal but putting the switch to "On" doesn't give current to a second terminal, as it should. Turn out the switch was internally corroded and I've been able to open it to clean the little copper flaps.

 

[Handyman663]

Re: Tracker Live Well

Thanks, Sauman. That is a clever idea to work backwards with voltage applied and a VOM. As you know, it is difficult to physically track wires. They disappear into blind spots and Tracker likes brown/black coding for all of the pumps, including bilge.

 

[saumon]

Re: Tracker Live Well

If you happen to have this situation (12V to only one of the switch terminals, no matter what), then here's a way to confirm you have a bad switch: reconnect everything as it should but unscrew the switch panel from the dash, so you have access to the wiring/terminals on the backside. Take a jumper wire and stick one end to the known hot terminal you found and alternatively touch the other end to the other terminals. One will make the pump running 'cause you'll be bypassing the switch, so you'll know exactly which one is the "return" feed to the pump and may even be lucky to be able to clean it.

 

[Handyman663]

Re: Tracker Live Well

I suffered thru another non-productive day. The stern fill pump still works, but can't seem to find anything to light up the aerator. I think the switch is ok. It shows good continuity and I disassembled it and buffed the contacts, although there was no corrosion, just the slight burn marks where they meet. At least I know what each of the fuses control now. I haven't tried back feeding 12v back into the aerator supply wires because I don't know what or where to check then.

This is beginning to be important. October is usually the best bass fishing month here in Colorado. They are catch and release only, but occasionally I catch a walleye by accident. I need the livewell because so if I get two, I keep them, but if only one I release it.

I suppose if all else fails, I can just hot wire the pump thru a new switch and abandon the boat hard wiring.

 

[Handyman663]

Re: Tracker Live Well

NEVERMIND. I overlooked a missing fuse. Secondly the aerator pump only works from the bow control panel, apparently not from the rocker switch at the steering console. Tomorrow I start reassembling the freshly carpeted front deck boards. Thanks for the tips.