Hobie Bait Tank ?

[troutking]

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]

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]

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]

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....

[alanw]

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

[ctrujillo]

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]

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]

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.

[salty pirate]

1. make sure the pick up tube is facing the right way.
2. check the o-ring for the pick up tube.

[wbrewski]

I have never had a problem, first get a check valve from the online store and a tube to fit the end of the check valve turn the pump on and suck on the tube untill water starts then you are all set for the day.

[Ddwineguy]

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).

[tagyak]

Originally Posted by salty pirate

1. make sure the pick up tube is facing the right way.
2. check the o-ring for the pick up tube.

i had this issue the first time that i took my tank out. it was the most frustrating thing to happen. especially having spent all that good money for a piece of Sh@#.

i went back to the shop where i bought it from and they told me the "secret". it turned out that i had the tube facing the wrong way. there is a slight curvature in the tube; the curve should be facing towards the water. as you peddle, the water will be forced up the curve and this is how it is self priming.
so if the tube that you have is the longer one made for the PA then check and make sure that the tube is facing the correct way.

[Raskal311]

"Secret"? seems like common sense to me

[troutking]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.