# Livewell KILLING my battery



## WranglerJoe (Jul 10, 2021)

So. Hardly ever use live bait but the last few times I have, I noticed the livewell is slaying my house battery to the point where running the motor will hardly charge. I’m talkin like starting the day at 13v and a few hours of fishing and I look and the battery reads 8v or less. No good. I need help figuring it out. Bad ground maybe? Should my LW pump be killing my battery like this? Pump is an 800 rule. Only electronics I’m running while fishing are Garmin and the LW. Any ideas appreciated thanks


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Disconnect to determine if this is the problem.


----------



## WranglerJoe (Jul 10, 2021)

DuckNut said:


> Disconnect to determine if this is the problem.


Good idea. I will try this. But I should note, never had this problem until I ran the livewell pump for extended periods of time


----------



## southerncannuck (Jun 27, 2016)

What condition/age is your battery? Does it power anything else besides the pump?


----------



## WranglerJoe (Jul 10, 2021)

southerncannuck said:


> What condition/age is your battery? Does it power anything else besides the pump?


I already went through 1 battery this is the 2nd one. It powers the rest of the boat, but have never had any issues till now, and everything is independently switched and fused


----------



## southerncannuck (Jun 27, 2016)

That pump shouldn’t draw over 3 amps.


----------



## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

clean terminals and ck the splice between the pump and supply line


----------



## MikeChamp12 (May 17, 2021)

When I was live bait fishing I ran a livewell switch to my pump. I think I had 1000gph or something like that. I could keep bait live for a few nights and didn’t worry about my battery. The boat only had one battery and It never sounded weak cranking after being on overnight. I don’t think this is a fix to your problem but rather a suggestion.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Have a digital multi meter? Should have a 10amp measurement capability on most. See what it draws. Example. Pump draws 1 amp. If your battery is 100amp/hr it should run 1 amp pump 100 hrs and end up around 10volts. If pump draws 2 amps then battery should last 50 hrs. Or just disconnect pump. Maybe take battery in to be tested.


----------



## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I run an air pump with stone instead of livewell pump.
much more efficient at oxygenating the water, and quieter too.


----------



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Hook your live well motor to your TM battery, maybe


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

After re-reading this it sounds more like your alternator is not charging.

You should be able to run several livewells, a couple chart plotters, lights and a dc refrigerator without issue while running.

You saying this is your second battery is what alerted me to a charging issue.


----------



## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> After re-reading this it sounds more like your alternator is not charging.
> 
> You should be able to run several livewells, a couple chart plotters, lights and a dc refrigerator without issue while running.
> 
> You saying this is your second battery is what alerted me to a charging issue.


This was my first thought. Check your charging.


----------

