Share Your Innovations - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

dsafety · 01-27-2010, 11:14 AM

If you have a Hobie Livewell or any other bait tank fed from the bottom of the tank through a scupper hole, you have probably run into the problem of your bait tank draining when you turn the pump off, (or your battery dies). Here is a simple solution that problem.

You will need a quick disconnect fitting, (female hose thread to male pipe thread), a female to male threaded El fitting and a short piece of plastic hose. I used the quick disconnect fitting because I had one laying around but you could probably make this using all threaded fittings and even a solid piece of PVC pipe.

P1020502.jpg

Assemble the parts as shown in the photo above and attach the quick disconnect fitting to the output of the pump and you are done.

P1020503.jpg

If you want to make the water in the tank circulate to simulate a current for your bait to swim against, position the hose on the bottom of the tank. If you want to keep the tank from draining when the pump is turned off, twist the fitting so the hose points vertically. When in this position, the water in the tank will not drain below the top of the input or drain pipe, (whichever is lower).

Have fun.

Bob

cjthomas · 01-27-2010, 11:59 AM

I have a question about running a FF and bait tank from the same 12V battery for you innovators... Can I just switch the wiring of the bilge pump without affecting the FF?

Or.... has anybody used the computer fan speed control with success?

dsafety · 01-27-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjthomas

I have a question about running a FF and bait tank from the same 12V battery for you innovators... Can I just switch the wiring of the bilge pump without affecting the FF?

Or.... has anybody used the computer fan speed control with success?

In my experience, most people use a 6v battery to power the bait tank and a 12v for the FF. You can use a 12 for the tank but it makes the pump run much faster than needed.

You could probably put some sort of a rheostat in line to the pump motor to reduce the voltage but I have never tried that solution.

Bob

SteveK · 01-29-2010, 06:43 PM

With the 12 volt battery , the run time will be shorter than with a 6 volt
Here's a stand up bar mounted on the Trax rail

01-27-2010, 11:14 AM	#1
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	If you have a Hobie Livewell or any other bait tank fed from the bottom of the tank through a scupper hole, you have probably run into the problem of your bait tank draining when you turn the pump off, (or your battery dies). Here is a simple solution that problem. You will need a quick disconnect fitting, (female hose thread to male pipe thread), a female to male threaded El fitting and a short piece of plastic hose. I used the quick disconnect fitting because I had one laying around but you could probably make this using all threaded fittings and even a solid piece of PVC pipe. P1020502.jpg Assemble the parts as shown in the photo above and attach the quick disconnect fitting to the output of the pump and you are done. P1020503.jpg If you want to make the water in the tank circulate to simulate a current for your bait to swim against, position the hose on the bottom of the tank. If you want to keep the tank from draining when the pump is turned off, twist the fitting so the hose points vertically. When in this position, the water in the tank will not drain below the top of the input or drain pipe, (whichever is lower). Have fun. Bob Last edited by dsafety; 01-27-2010 at 12:14 PM.

01-27-2010, 11:59 AM	#2
cjthomas Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 108	question I have a question about running a FF and bait tank from the same 12V battery for you innovators... Can I just switch the wiring of the bilge pump without affecting the FF? Or.... has anybody used the computer fan speed control with success?