Hobie Bait Tank ? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

troutking · 07-21-2013, 08:29 PM

So I got my new Hobie pro angler 14 all rigged up and ready to go for it's maiden voyage. Everything worked great EXCEPT for the bait tank.

I read online that to start pumping it requires to peddle as fast as you can to prime the pump, after 2 minutes of furious paddling, still no water was entering the bait tank.

After peddling, I tried self priming by filling up the bait tank by hand with many scoops of water, and still nothing.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and what they did to fix it? I'd love to fix the problem on my own without having to bring it back to the dealer.

Thanks!

oneyedeer · 07-21-2013, 08:33 PM

Were the battery fully charged? Thr intake tube might be too short has to be sticking out of the bottome about half an inch.....lastly it works better when you paddle in circles

troutking · 07-21-2013, 08:38 PM

The battery was on charge for 12 hours, and the tube sticks out an inch below my pro angler.

I also put the bait tank in a bucket of water for a few minutes and it wouldn't pull in water from a bucket either.

jaws197 · 07-21-2013, 08:45 PM

You might want to check the outlet inside of the tank a friend of mine got a new one that had a plastic slip on cap over the outlet. Had us both scratching our heads....

Ddwineguy · 07-22-2013, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaws197

You might want to check the outlet inside of the tank a friend of mine got a new one that had a plastic slip on cap over the outlet. Had us both scratching our heads....

Mine also came with a black cover over the outlet. It was a cap. I had to remove it to get the tank to work (obviously).

alanw · 07-21-2013, 08:47 PM

pour some water directly into the tubing and see what happens, perhaps it's wired backwards?

ctrujillo · 07-21-2013, 08:55 PM

If i remember correctly there is a longer intake tube needed for the pa.check to make shure the tube is long enough to go all the way through the scupper

HiLife619 · 07-21-2013, 08:55 PM

I had the same exact problem when I first picked up my pa14 along with my bait tank...It was running but no water was going in...I simply had to take some ocean water and dump it in there...then peddle really quick...after a few runs it works just fine once i peddle quick...there are occasions when the black cap was still on there thoo...

I think it just has to get used to having water run through the pump at first...i mean its not like they put each of these sucker to a test run and then sell it...you might run into again a few more times like I went through but it works great now!

Jfish36 · 07-21-2013, 09:46 PM

Fill a bucket with water put the intake tube in the bucket then with the gardening hose on force the water into the intake tube to help prime it. See if that work. If you have a 12 volt battery for you fish finder you can hook it up to your bait tank then with the gardening hose on force the water up the tube. It might be just a bad battery for your bait tank. Good luck.

troutking · 07-22-2013, 11:06 AM

Thanks for all the helpful responses! Especially Jfish.

I put the tube into a bucket and forced the water in with a garden hose and it worked great!

Now I have to figure out how to make it work on the water!

Off to LJ kelp for round two tomorrow

jorluivil · 07-22-2013, 11:22 AM

You don't have to peddle as fast as possible, if you can't get the pump to pick up water at your normal speed there's a bigger problem.

TJones · 07-22-2013, 04:43 PM

and turn kayak upside down to inspect the pickup tube is protruding far enough out from the scupper hole and make sure it is facing the proper direction. a few good strokes with peddle should be enough to force water up . make sure you hear that the pump is on , and if the battery is charged sufficiently it will be pretty loud with your ear inside tank . and if all fails i still have that yellow plano bait tank i will donate . with the leash to attach to kayak .

PescadorPete · 07-22-2013, 06:46 PM

Sometimes my Hobie tank just won't prime, don't know why. Even filling it with water doesn't necessarily make it work. The following method always works.

1st you need:
PVC hose bib to 1/2" fitting, 1/2" coupler and 1/2" flexible irrigation hose:

Attaches to the pump this way:

I have a plastic snap clip in the back of the tank to keep the hose in place and keep the water flowing around the tank:

Its real easy to pop the hose up out of the tank:

Two modes here. If the tank won't prime, then a little suction on the tube to draw salt water into the pump works every time. When the water starts flowing, I put the hose back under the clip.

The other mode is if junk gets caught in the pump intake and stops the water flow. If you blow into the hose, it will clear the pump intake and you're good to go.

TJones · 07-22-2013, 07:07 PM

That is well thought out . I bought a clear piece of hose from the depot. I stole the idea from josh . Not nearly as air tight. Does that create one more obstacle for macs to bump heads?

PescadorPete · 07-22-2013, 07:48 PM

Pretty low co$t, the fittings and hose are cheap @ Home Depot. I've have macks, sardines and squid in there, didn't seem to need any Band-Aids for their heads.

07-21-2013, 08:29 PM	#1
troutking Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Escondido, Ca Posts: 102	Hobie Bait Tank ? So I got my new Hobie pro angler 14 all rigged up and ready to go for it's maiden voyage. Everything worked great EXCEPT for the bait tank. I read online that to start pumping it requires to peddle as fast as you can to prime the pump, after 2 minutes of furious paddling, still no water was entering the bait tank. After peddling, I tried self priming by filling up the bait tank by hand with many scoops of water, and still nothing. Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and what they did to fix it? I'd love to fix the problem on my own without having to bring it back to the dealer. Thanks!

07-21-2013, 08:47 PM	#6
alanw Made in U.S.A. Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dana Point Posts: 1,625	pour some water directly into the tubing and see what happens, perhaps it's wired backwards? __________________ Hobie PA 14 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Jackson Kraken ¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu X-Factor ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu Stealth-12 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Its not a spelling B its a fishing B ~yakjoe

07-21-2013, 09:46 PM	#9
Jfish36 Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 37	Try this Fill a bucket with water put the intake tube in the bucket then with the gardening hose on force the water into the intake tube to help prime it. See if that work. If you have a 12 volt battery for you fish finder you can hook it up to your bait tank then with the gardening hose on force the water up the tube. It might be just a bad battery for your bait tank. Good luck.

07-22-2013, 11:22 AM	#11
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	You don't have to peddle as fast as possible, if you can't get the pump to pick up water at your normal speed there's a bigger problem. __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

07-22-2013, 04:43 PM	#12
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	install tank on kayak and turn kayak upside down to inspect the pickup tube is protruding far enough out from the scupper hole and make sure it is facing the proper direction. a few good strokes with peddle should be enough to force water up . make sure you hear that the pump is on , and if the battery is charged sufficiently it will be pretty loud with your ear inside tank . and if all fails i still have that yellow plano bait tank i will donate . with the leash to attach to kayak .

07-21-2013, 08:33 PM	#2
oneyedeer Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Orange County, ca Posts: 684	Were the battery fully charged? Thr intake tube might be too short has to be sticking out of the bottome about half an inch.....lastly it works better when you paddle in circles

07-21-2013, 08:38 PM	#3
troutking Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Escondido, Ca Posts: 102	The battery was on charge for 12 hours, and the tube sticks out an inch below my pro angler. I also put the bait tank in a bucket of water for a few minutes and it wouldn't pull in water from a bucket either.

07-21-2013, 08:45 PM	#4
jaws197 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Poway, CA Posts: 148	You might want to check the outlet inside of the tank a friend of mine got a new one that had a plastic slip on cap over the outlet. Had us both scratching our heads....

07-21-2013, 08:55 PM	#7
ctrujillo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: garden grove Posts: 308	If i remember correctly there is a longer intake tube needed for the pa.check to make shure the tube is long enough to go all the way through the scupper

07-21-2013, 08:55 PM	#8
HiLife619 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: San Diego, CA USA Posts: 47	I had the same exact problem when I first picked up my pa14 along with my bait tank...It was running but no water was going in...I simply had to take some ocean water and dump it in there...then peddle really quick...after a few runs it works just fine once i peddle quick...there are occasions when the black cap was still on there thoo... I think it just has to get used to having water run through the pump at first...i mean its not like they put each of these sucker to a test run and then sell it...you might run into again a few more times like I went through but it works great now!

07-22-2013, 11:06 AM	#10
troutking Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Escondido, Ca Posts: 102	Thanks for all the helpful responses! Especially Jfish. I put the tube into a bucket and forced the water in with a garden hose and it worked great! Now I have to figure out how to make it work on the water! Off to LJ kelp for round two tomorrow

07-22-2013, 06:46 PM	#13
PescadorPete Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leucadia, CA Posts: 261	Sometimes my Hobie tank just won't prime, don't know why. Even filling it with water doesn't necessarily make it work. The following method always works. 1st you need: PVC hose bib to 1/2" fitting, 1/2" coupler and 1/2" flexible irrigation hose: Attaches to the pump this way: I have a plastic snap clip in the back of the tank to keep the hose in place and keep the water flowing around the tank: Its real easy to pop the hose up out of the tank: Two modes here. If the tank won't prime, then a little suction on the tube to draw salt water into the pump works every time. When the water starts flowing, I put the hose back under the clip. The other mode is if junk gets caught in the pump intake and stops the water flow. If you blow into the hose, it will clear the pump intake and you're good to go.

07-22-2013, 07:07 PM	#14
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	Total construction cost? That is well thought out . I bought a clear piece of hose from the depot. I stole the idea from josh . Not nearly as air tight. Does that create one more obstacle for macs to bump heads?

07-22-2013, 07:48 PM	#15
PescadorPete Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leucadia, CA Posts: 261	Pretty low co$t, the fittings and hose are cheap @ Home Depot. I've have macks, sardines and squid in there, didn't seem to need any Band-Aids for their heads.