204c Overnighter live bait well

TonyD

TonyD

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Happy spring everyone! I have myself a new to me 1990 204c Overnighter and I have not had a boat with a live bait well and so I am asking for your help and how it works.! :)


First, when I put water in it, the water flows out - is there supposed to be a plug that keeps the water in it? And in the pictures attached, what is this for? It appears to have something to do with the live bait well but I am not sure what. I can't turn the handle in either direction, it appears it is frozen. Does the bait well water level when filled have to be at a minimum level?livebait well.jpglivewell handle.jpgBilge with battery.jpg

And as you can see, that whole bilge area needs a real good cleaning, any good tips on the best way to do that and with what solvents?>Obviously I will want to take out the batteries but what about all the other wires and such.. can they get destroyed if soak and wet with soaps/detergents?
 
The y-valve has hoses that looks like they go to the top and bottom of the tank. When the valve works you can control the water flow out the top (tank filled) or bottom (drain the tank. The other side of the valve exits the boat below the water line. The middle fitting is water in from your bait well pump.

I would re-work this when you have time. You don't really want to be in the bilge to fill or empty the bait well. Also I doubt this tank drains very well. Install a thru hull below the water line with a valve on it and connect to the bottom of the tank fitting. The top fitting should be connected to a thru hull above the waterline slightly below the top of the bait well level. Reuse any holes for the new thru hulls. Buy a plug for the bottom of the tank to keep the water in when you want it. Tank will fill and drain out the top.

I like Roll-Off for this type of cleaning. SuperClean purple cleaner is good too but has more fumes. Grab a toilet bowl brush and have at it! Plenty of water. Take the battery out and shop vac the tray before you put the battery back in. The wires should be fine. While you are in there look at all the connectors to see if any repairs are needed. Check dates on battery and water levels too.
 
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Thanks, Hookup - I guess I can remove that valve then and just put a plug in it to hold the water. Where would the aerator inlet be on this?

Roll-off! Awesome - thank you!
 
TonyD said:
Thanks, Hookup - I guess I can remove that valve then and just put a plug in it to hold the water. Where would the aerator inlet be on this?
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You could put a plug in the bottom to keep the water from draining out but think of the top connection (metal plate drain) as a second drain to let water out so the bait well doesn't overflow the compartment.

Grady typical doesn't have a aerator pump - it has a water pump that brings fresh water into the bait well thru the middle fitting.

Aeration systems on bass boats have a recirculating pump (2nd pump).
 
Oh wait then, so confused of how this works then... let me get back to the boat and see what then pump or aerator is doing.... where does this water pump bring fresh water in from?
 
TonyD said:
Oh wait then, so confused of how this works then... let me get back to the boat and see what then pump or aerator is doing.... where does this water pump bring fresh water in from?
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My livewell system is very different than yours. It looks like GW was trying to save a pump.

They shared the washdown pump between the washdown hose and the livewell by using the y-valve.

The GW Owners manual for 1990 has all the models in one document. The 204C Overnighter shows two pumps - washdown and aerator option.

The aerator option looks to add a second pump (see boat diagram below) but I don't think you have that option installed. You need to diagram what you have in the boat and look to see if you have one or two pumps.

I'm assuming the top and bottom livewell connections are tied together and drain below the waterline. You need a plug to keep water in the livewell. It should drain out thru the top plate.


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I think the y valve splits to either the livewell or rawwater washdown. Thats how my Explorer was plumbed. I have since changed it to a dedicated livewell pump and a dedicated washdown pump. Previous owner bypassed the y-valve with a plain t-fitting.

and yes you need to plug the drain hole in the bottom or purchase a standpipe. (standpipe is what I did) made it slightly higher then the drain. The livewell pump will overflow the side drain if I forget to put it on auto.
 
you want to replace the hoses and clamps. they are def leaking. chances are they are hard as a rock and wont reclamp.
Typically an aerator only recycles with water in the livewell. Not really needed it better to just pump in fresh water. Bass fisherman used cooler aerators to keep the livewell cool due to high summer temps and lake temps being hot. The aerator is plumped thru a coiled hose that's cooled by ice.
 
wow, great stuff - I had no idea... I d have a pump, I assumed it was kind of an aerator.. It does work..well.. it makes a noise - but it doesn't pump any water - if I am reading correctly here, that is what it is supposed to do? It's pumping water in from the body is water the boa is sitting in, correct? Keeping the water in there live well fresh?

I will take the advice and change the hoses. The Y valve too!

here is the pump.... but also I don't know what these are.. It looks like for a hose to screw into? I don't know what the other one is for...

pump.jpgplug.jpgwashdown.jpg
 
Hey here! I figured this all out - the pump works well. No plug in the bottom, it seems to go inside but it works great - BYT I do want to change all the hoses and the Y valve. The valve seems to be stuck in the 1 position so if I want to run the flush hose, I can't.

What are the chances that I can find the same Y valve so that the screws match up and I don't have to fill old holes and drill new ones?

Also, the screws are saltwater corroded, what's the best way to get them loose?

Y Valve.jpg
 
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