I have a 1990 Pro 17 Tracker that I bought several months ago.  Because I am a "Catch and Release" proponent, I have never paid any attention to the live-well.  However, I will be meeting some buddies down at Toledo Bend in a couple of weeks and one of the guys I will be fishing with is an avid "Catch and Eat" proponent.

For this reason I decided to check out my live-well today and I have to confess that I have no idea how it is supposed to work.  There is a pump to fill the live-well (which doesn't work) and a pump to empty the live-well.  For some reason the switch to empty the live-well is located underneath the deck lid with the gas tank.

The previous boat owner had the IQ of a ratchet wrench, so I figure he installed that switch in the stern, but I can't, for the life of me, understand why, so here go some newbie questions.

1.  I am assuming that live-wells of that era did not recirculate water, but instead, constantly brought in water from the stern and then constantly returned it through another port in the stern.  That would explain why I have an intake pump and an exhaust pump.

2.  The Aerator switch on my console has settings for OFF/MAN/AUT.  In the MAN setting, I'm GUESSING this setting is used to fill the live-well.  I'm GUESSING that the AUT setting is used to constantly pump lake water both into and out of the live-well. i.e. both pumps are running simultaneously to provide a constant source of fresh water.

All I have are guesses and assumptions; and I still can't fathom why that live-well exhaust switch is located in the battery compartment.

Ant ideas and comments would be very much appreciated.

Most livewells have a an overflow that excess water flows into when the livewell pump is on. It either exits out the side of the boat or out the rear.  As for the pump you've got and the odd location of the switch?

I have no idea.

Only have one livewell? I would think that boat would have two, one between the seat's and one on the front deck.  Im assuming your livewell doesn't have a plug since you said it pumps water in and out?  Your only bet may be just to bring a cup or something and fill it up...expect fish to be dead by the end of the day.

and just to clear some thing's up for ya...Boats of that era did infact recirculate water, mine however...unfortunately does not.  Nor does it pump water out, just gotta pull the plug on it to get the water out.

On your switches...Off mean's off, Manual mean's it's constantly running, and auto mean's it switches on every couple of minutes and runs for a couple of minutes before switching back off, and just keeps cycling through that.

My live well has two holes in it. One at the top and on at the bottom.  The one at the top houses the areator intake and nozzle.  The one at the bottom may have been plumbed somewhere else in the distant past, but nowdays in only goes out the back of the boat via the pump in the well.

So, being smarter than the average bear, I've decided to build a reciculating system using the intake and exhaust pumps simultaneously.  I am setting it up so I can fill the tank and then start re-circulating the lake water.  At the end of the day, I will be able to flip a switch and drain the tank.  It's the best I can do with what I have inherited.

Hey my first boat didn't have a livewell so I took a nice sized cooler and mounted a bilge pump running in reverse inside, rigged that up to hook onto my battery and viola...a livewell.  Actually come to think about it....it worked GOOD, fish hardly never died even on long day's.

Long Mike,

You are doing what the new Trackers do.

I have updated and improved my 2003 Tracker and one of the areas I investigated was the live well.

Nothing I can do other than to make sure the pump switch is off so the pump does not burn up.

I have a special switch to empty the well via a pump.  It is located by the throttle.

When I use the livewell I sometimes constantly run the aerator for a few minutes.  It can cause an overflow so I use the bilge pump to pump out the excess water than accumulates in the boat.

Although the Tracker is a "starter" boat it is open to many renovations and I have had a blast upgrading the boat.  

So have a good time and do what you want as this is a simple boat to make changes and improvements.

OK, just a guess here...

The guy that had your boat before most likely tournament fished, and wanted to be able to pump his livewell water into his weigh bag.

maybe?

I have a 1990 Pro 17 Tracker that I bought several months ago. Because I am a "Catch and Release" proponent, I have never paid any attention to the live-well. However, I will be meeting some buddies down at Toledo Bend in a couple of weeks and one of the guys I will be fishing with is an avid "Catch and Eat" proponent.

For this reason I decided to check out my live-well today and I have to confess that I have no idea how it is supposed to work. There is a pump to fill the live-well (which doesn't work) and a pump to empty the live-well. For some reason the switch to empty the live-well is located underneath the deck lid with the gas tank.

The previous boat owner had the IQ of a ratchet wrench, so I figure he installed that switch in the stern, but I can't, for the life of me, understand why, so here go some newbie questions.

1. I am assuming that live-wells of that era did not recirculate water, but instead, constantly brought in water from the stern and then constantly returned it through another port in the stern. That would explain why I have an intake pump and an exhaust pump.

2. The Aerator switch on my console has settings for OFF/MAN/AUT. In the MAN setting, I'm GUESSING this setting is used to fill the live-well. I'm GUESSING that the AUT setting is used to constantly pump lake water both into and out of the live-well. i.e. both pumps are running simultaneously to provide a constant source of fresh water.

All I have are guesses and assumptions; and I still can't fathom why that live-well exhaust switch is located in the battery compartment.

Ant ideas and comments would be very much appreciated.

I have a 1989 Pro Team.

Livewell:

First disconnect the live well pump and see if it will run directly from the battery to see if it is a pump problem or a wiring problem. I am personally betting on a wiring problem. If the pump runs direct from the battery...start tracing wirinng.

The fuse panel and switches Tracker used in our little boats are the cheapest junk.

The first thing I would do...after checking for a blown fuse of course...is check for corrosion and loose connections on the fuse panel. Just getting under there an glancing at it aint enough either. Take the fuses out of the panel one at a time and make sure the clips are tight and that there is no oxidation behind the fuse and the clips. If all that seems good and clean...time to move to the switch. I have had two sitches fail on me. One was the switch, the other was the fault of the previous owner using the wrong spade terminal. The switchs look really confusing because they all have tabs that are not being used on them, but they are really not. I think I remember you saying you have a fluke meter...some simple continuity testing will tell you what you need to know. Do yourself a favor though...if you find a bad switch do not run off to the marina to buy a new one. Go to an Electrical supply house...( not Home Depot and REAL supply house LOL!) and buy a Leviton replacement. Leviton makes a direct replacement for the switch which is the same quality switch and half the price you will pay at a marina. ( my Leviton replacement was $6.85...the Marina wanted $14)

You have a switch under your deck lid for the pump out because those boats did not come with a pump out and it was added aftermarket.

The Off/Man/Auto switch....this is a single pole double throw switch. Off is the static position...manual is throw on and powers the pump full on, constanct run...auto is throw two and it runs the pump on a timer ( my timer is solid state/ non adjustable and is seperate from the switch. It runs the pump for 10 seconds every 30 seconds. Some of the switches have the timing mechanism built into them and that you will need to get from a marina)

After your catch is in the well the auto setting keeps supplying fresh water.

your pump out maybe set to run with this but I doubt it. I think the auto will keep adding new water like mine does. This really works best with a recirculating system...a seperate pump and jet  that pulls the water from the livewell and re oxigenates it by pumping it through the jet nozzle. If I leave my livewell on Auto all day...I do need to check the live well level now and again cause it will fill it up to the top. I fill my livewell about 1/2- 3/4 full so my auto function does not overfill it through out the day.

It is possible someone came across this on your boat and hooked the pump out to run with the auto function...but there would have to be wires running to the switch on the dash...and if they did THAT....why not just putting the freaking switch on the dash? They put it under the lid cause it was quick and easy so I doubt they went through the work to run wires upp to the auto side of your dash switch.

Does your livewell have a hose bib down in the corner???

alot of guys with these boats plug that hose bib ( the old fill and dump hose) and add the pump out because the hoses are a pain in rear.

sorry so darn long.

I plugged the livewell intake on the back of my 1989 Tracker.  Then I plugged the hole in the live well.  Now I have some badly needed storage space.  I don't keep anything longer than it takes to snap a photo and I don't fish tourneys.  Have your fish eatin' buddy bring a cooler full of ice and he should have nice fresh fish at the end of the day.  Just a suggestion.

Thanks for your input guys. I made the mods that I mentioned above. It works like a charm. When I get back from Toledo Bend, I'm going to take Steve's advice and plug the holes and use the live well for storage - at least until the next time I'm forced to fish with another "catch-and eater." It will be a much simpler conversion the next time around.

Thanks for your input guys. I made the mods that I mentioned above. It works like a charm. When I get back from Toledo Bend, I'm going to take Steve's advice and plug the holes and use the live well for storage - at least until the next time I'm forced to fish with another "catch-and eater." It will be a much simpler conversion the next time around.

good luck at Toledo Bend.

Hey Mike,

Keep that livewell working and try fishing some local charity and buddy tournaments. You don't have to win to have a good time and meet some good fishermen. I am strictly catch and release also, but I fish a few C&R tourneys each year. You can't participate without a livewell. They are always a lot of fun and can help a good cause. Just a thought.

Ronnie

Thanks Ronnie, I have planned on keeping the LW working.  It's just a matter of removing a couple of corks.