228 livewell question

[luckydude]

I tend to run with the livewell valve open. I've been told not to, the livewell can fill up. It never seemed to so shrug.

Until it did. I did 28 miles in a following sea and the livewell is full of water and it seems like it somehow leaked into the bilge. Is that the following sea getting me or what?

I closed it. Grumpily. It's a nice place to bleed out fish and it's pleasant to be able to just turn on the water.

Am I going to have the same problem with the raw water wash down? I run with that one open as well.

 

[igblack87]

I always run with the live well shut on my 222. I always flex that seacock every time I go to the boat as well...I think it’s good practice.

my raw water wash down doesn’t want to go 90 degrees to the valve...not sure if it’s the angle I’m trying to push it at or what. Moves a little bit but...

 

[SeanC]

If you are transporting live bait any distance you need some water circulation to keep them alive. I’m wondering how the water is getting into the bilge from the live bait tank. Under the transom seats? Will check it out next time I’m at the boat.

 

[Halfhitch]

If you run with the livewell seacock open then you need to have the drain open if you don't want to carry a well full of water. If your well water level is controlled by a standpipe and you put a plug in instead or an item stored in there plugs the hole then theoretically the well could fill all the way to the top and if the top seam isn't sealed well then it could leak into the bilge. The best practice is if you don't have bait onboard take the stand pipe out and any plugs out of the well if you have a side drain. Left to roll around in there, they can find a way to retard the draining ability. I always run back in to port after dumping the bait with the sea cock open and the drain in the well open to start the clean-out process. It has never built up any water in the well. My well is at the stern.

 

[glacierbaze]

Sounds like you have separate pick ups for each. Washdown is a closed system, nowhere for it to leak if the sprayer nozzle is closed.

 

[wrxhoon]

I run with livewell open and stand pipe in place anytime I have live bait in. Other times I shut the seacock, sometimes I run with seacock open and stand pipe off if no livies.
The water from the livewell could overflow due to rough seas and drop in the bilge finding its way the jump seats.
I usually leave the raw water seacock open from the time I put the boat in the water until I take her back home and backwash it to rinse the salt out of the pump and hose. You can always turn the valve off where the hose plugs in. The risk is if you pop a hose either in the livewell or raw water feed the bilge will start filling up and your pump will go on . If you are running fast the rear pump may or maynot be able to keep up however you should have a high water alarm at the rear under the deck close to the livewell tank. In that case you turn the seacocks off.

 

[bFransen]

I've had the live well overflow when the plug was left in. From there, it can easily make it into the bilge if the seal isn't perfect.

I've also had my ice melted by salt water coming in.