A spot of pumping

[Rossa]

I have gone through two solar pumps. They got clogged with hops and burned out. My fault. I didn't keep an eye on them.  I generally use pellets and prefer them over whole for ease of use. I like to pump the wort around the boiler to help chill quicker so want a bigger pump that can handle the hop particles. Has anyone any experience with a brewing pump? I'm not sure if this would do it http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/public/detailv1.asp?itemcode=STA20139937

Then there is the http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/march-809hs-pl-pump-6-foot-power-cord-and-plug.html but from the states the shipping would kill me.

[Shane Phelan]

I used paint strainer bags for the first time with pellets today, they were amazing for removing all the particles.
This is a picture of what was left after I took out the bag and drained the boiler.


I would be surprised if your solar pump clogged with that amount of material remaining in the boiler.

[Rossa]

Interesting lads. Where would I get either?

[Shane Phelan]

These are the exact ones I got. I use them for making mini 3L BIAB all grain starters too.

[imark]

Interesting lads. Where would I get either?

Did you manage to find one? I used my solar pump for the same thing last weekend for the first time. It seized and is capput!

[Rossa]

Interesting lads. Where would I get either?

Did you manage to find one? I used my solar pump for the same thing last weekend for the first time. It seized and is capput!

. I got a chugger pump.

[JD]

Central heating pumps are magnetic drive impellers, so they can't burn out, are easily cleaned out, are cheap, can handle heat, and are readily available. Made from brass bodies. So why not use them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECLQr3Z1pFk

He disassembles the pump to reveal the impeller at 3m50s into the video. I'm not sure about the viability of that type of pump for brewing. It sure looks like there is a non-magnetic bearing at the end of that shaft.

[Hop Bomb]

Was over in Dempsey's today. He has a solar projects pump, as have I, although I have never used mine.

I did open it up though, and it has a direct drive impeller, i.e. the impeller is on the motor shaft as opposed to having a magnetic coupling.

This makes me highly dubious of them being food grade as the liquid can come in contact with the motor bearings which are greased.

Additionally, if something jams and the impeller can't turn, then the motor will overheat and burn out. Having seen Dempsey's in operation I wouldn't be so sure it'll last!

Ive used mine for 10 brews now & no issues or off flavours. My oldest beer thats still in stock was brewed in Jan...  I use it for pumping strike & sparge water & recircing the boiling wort through the hop back & plate chiller. You do need a hop screen on your boiler though as it will clog otherwise.  They're cheap & work well. If you dont want to drop a wedge of cash but still want to try a pump in your system Id recommend the solar pump. 

[JD]

Central heating pumps are magnetic drive impellers, so they can't burn out, are easily cleaned out, are cheap, can handle heat, and are readily available. Made from brass bodies. So why not use them?

Did a bit more checking into this. While central heating pumps are generally magnetically coupled, in my opinion they remain, in the general case, unsuitable for brewing use. The following are things to watch out for:

• Is the pump body, i.e. the bit that encloses the impeller, made of cast iron? Most central heating pumps have cast iron impeller housings with only the impellers made of brass. Iron is a no-no for brewing. Wort is acidic and will take up the iron ions. This would not be particularly good for you in general but, more importantly  , it will impart a distinctive off-flavour to every brew.
• What are the seals made of? Most central heating pumps use a seal material that is not even suitable for potable water never mind acidic solutions like wort
• What is the temperature rating? Many central heating pumps are limited to 95^oC. Boiling wort will exceed 100^oC.

So, if your central heating circulating pump fails any of the above, you might want to reconsider using it for pumping boiling wort. The Solar pumps are small and not that robust but they're cheaper. The manufacturer claims they're food safe for brewing. The March pumps are dearer but that are more robust than the Solars and designed for the job. I heard of people using Totton pumps but from what I can see on their web site, they're rated only to 85^oC so I suspect they will end up not being that robust in the longer run.

/J

[Dr Jacoby]

Interesting lads. Where would I get either?

Did you manage to find one? I used my solar pump for the same thing last weekend for the first time. It seized and is capput!

. I got a chugger pump.

Hey Rossa. Where did you source your chugger pump again?

[DEMPSEY]

I have a few solar pumps that if I don't wrench the head off them work ok,however what I do find is they are not very good at pushing liquid which has a bit of resistance in it. I use a counterflow and push the hot wort through the bottom and put the top and return it to the boil kettle. Takes a bit of messing to get it to flow.

[brenmurph]

There are 2 distinct types of chinese solar pumps. one is the normal one most people have with a direct impellar in a housing and generally described as submeersible.

The other I have is different it has a motor couplesd to a seperate pump and the pump is a piston type thing using blades as a pumping method, hard to describe but anyone here for a visit can see it in action.

it does not clog like the impellar pump
its the same size as the impellar pump
it is far more powerful than the impellar
it has 100's of hours use in my circulation mash system and still seems perfect

Was sold a food grade and capable of 100c+, so far so good. it is also the pump used for pumping cooled wort to my conical chamber.
it seems the solar pumps are fine with water or glycol but bits of hops and thick sticky cooled wort feck them up

[montofk]

Sounds good Bren... was that from ebay or somewhere online?..... would you have a link?

[brenmurph]

loads on this page http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xfood+grade+pump&_nkw=food+grade+pump&_sacat=0&_from=R40

and heres an example
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-Mini-Plastic-Gear-Pump-Self-Sucking-Water-Pump-0-100-Food-Grade-ZC-A210-/201025040428?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item2ece06b02c

The difference is they have not got an impellar its a ceramic blade system and a gearbox hence the strength, this pump does not stick with trub / hops and burn out, I found it fantastic

heres another one which is a diaphram pump
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-80PSI-100PSI-Water-Diaphragm-Self-Priming-Pump-For-Marine-RV-Boats-Caravan/251491788991?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222003%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D21398%26meid%3D6264123206389772723%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D9407%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D201025040428&rt=nc

[montofk]

Cheers Bren!... I'm about to (any day now) get a pump. Good timing.

Self sucking = self priming I take it? that'd be another plus.