Priming a March with an 'autovent'

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Yorg

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Hi,
Here is a wee vid that shows the Watts vent seen/discussed here and on the Brewtroller board as a way of allowing a March (or any other flooded inlet type) pump to prime itself without human intervention.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Yergs?feature=mhum

(Oh and you don't need the electrics as they are part of a larger project scope, its a passive mechanical device, which avoids having to move hoses or turn valves to get the priming.)
 
Yes, that's where I first saw them.
Do you still feel it necessary to put them on the inlet side?
 
It's funny but when building my first rig I had some priming problems and my brother who is in the plumbing and heating business suggested an autovent. This was about 6 months before Beerthirty's post. I thought my brother was yanking my chain until I saw Beerthirty's post. I felt like an idiot after reading the post and my brother broke my chops something fierce.
 
So if you mount one of these on your rig it needs to be level correct? I have a couple on my heating system for the house. Never thought of putting them on the brew rig.
 
This is nice for someone who has priming issues. I don't have any, though, which leads me to wonder why some people have priming issues. Maybe from the way they mount the pump? I have it mounted at the bottom of the stand, outlet pointing up, just like everyone else...
 
Ah, yes, I see. Air is getting in... is water/wort coming out from anywhere? Is there some orifice above the water level (I don't know, like a tube connected to the bulkhead) that would draw air in? There's gotta be a pay of fixing the problem without buying anything.
 
I had problems with losing prime when pumping from a kettle I use to heat strike and sparge water. The kettle had a dip tube from the center to the ball valve, then 4 feet of tubing to the pump mounted about a foot below the kettle. I noticed that if I continually stirred the water in the kettle while pumping I didn't lose prime. This caused me to suspect the dip tube might be the source of the problem, so I removed it, leaving only a coupling inside the kettle attached to the nipple, and have had no more problems. My theory is that I was getting steam or air bubbles collecting inside the dip tube.
 
I'm getting ready to hard plumb my system using an autovent. I'm basically going to vent it just like a sink and use the auto vent. What I wanted to mention here is that the priming issue is not about air getting into your system, from what I understand. The issue is that as water flows it must push the air already in your pipes out and creates suction behind it. This pressure created from the flow of water must be relieved by having air come into the system. Hence, the auto vent.

Please correct me if I am wrong on this. I assume it's just like any other plumbing fixture. It must be vented properly or it will gurgle and siphon other fixtures in your home, no?
 
Dgonza9 said:
I'm getting ready to hard plumb my system using an autovent. I'm basically going to vent it just like a sink and use the auto vent. What I wanted to mention here is that the priming issue is not about air getting into your system, from what I understand. The issue is that as water flows it must push the air already in your pipes out and creates suction behind it. This pressure created from the flow of water must be relieved by having air come into the system. Hence, the auto vent.

Please correct me if I am wrong on this. I assume it's just like any other plumbing fixture. It must be vented properly or it will gurgle and siphon other fixtures in your home, no?
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't work that way with a pump. You will be sucking air into the system with a vent on the suction side of a pump. It's not like a plumbing fixture at all. Plumbing waste systems are normally gravity flow only. Pumping liquids is an entirely different thing. Do yourself a favor and simply add a bleeder valve on the output side of the pump. It's cheap to implement and easy to use.
 
Catt22 said:
No, it doesn't work that way with a pump. You will be sucking air into the system with a vent on the suction side of a pump. It's not like a plumbing fixture at all. Plumbing waste systems are normally gravity flow only. Pumping liquids is an entirely different thing. Do yourself a favor and simply add a bleeder valve on the output side of the pump. It's cheap to implement and easy to use.
Click to expand...

I've been using the bleeder, and it does work exceptionally well. But I hear the auto vent works equally well. $10 and no priming sounds good to me. Sometimes bleeding is messy, and, well I could do without it.

I watched the video again and you are indeed correct. The vent is on the outlet side. So the vent just allows trapped air to escape, thus preventing the air pressure from stopping the pump from working?

Does the auto vent simply need to be anywhere on the output side of the pump or does it have to be at the highest point you are pumping to?

Thanks. Starting to understand. Not the same as an Air admittance valve in plumbing at all.

Can anyone clarify?
 
The autovent won't work at all for this, regardless of where you position it. Yes, a bleeder valve allows you to purge the air from the pump head, intake hose etc. The ideal location for a bleeder valve is between the pump outlet and the flow control valve.
 
I just called my watts rep and was told that the
Duo-Vent.jpg
DuoVent aka Autovent is going to be discontinued.

the other option is a FV-4 unit
http://www.watts.com/pages/_products_details.asp?pid=664

I can get this FV-4 in 1/2" so it would just screw into a tee which I already have.

FV-4M1.jpg


I like the idea of auto priming and not having to worry about air in my system and for $10 its a no brainer if you ask me.

-=Jason=-
 
So where do you position this vent? Can it go just off the output valve like the bleeder valve would?

Thanks.
 
here is a quick down and dirtay MS Paint on how I plan on using my air vent.


Is this going to work for me?

5WF5f.jpg


-=Jason=-
 
my chugger pump should arrive on Tues of next week. I'll probably brew my first batch around the first 2 weeks of January or there abouts.

-=jason=-
 
Flomaster said:
here is a quick down and dirtay MS Paint on how I plan on using my air vent.


Is this going to work for me?

5WF5f.jpg


-=Jason=-
Click to expand...

I just finished plumbing my rig with the autovent. I put it just off output of the pump. Been testing it for about half an hour. So far it works flawlessly.

0215aa4b.jpg


Here's my new hard plumbing. Got tired of the mishaps with quick connects.
548cbf2a.jpg


I tested my system doing everything I'd do on a brew day. Autovent worked, well, automatically. So you should be good with your design.

Cheers!:mug:
 
Comparing this post to the one on the Randall 3.0... Yeah I know it is two different applications... however they are both using Hi-Vents, auto vents, I just replaced my hi-vent in my home heating boiler system. These vents are made by Taco, Maid-O-mist and others check Pex supply for prices also.
 
They are still available from Grainger. Seriously, for $10 I can't believe more people don't trumpet this solution. I wonder if it's a pain to clean.

Grainger has 'em.
 
well like I said I called my Watts rep at work and was told the DuoVent was going to be discontinued. the FV-4 was its equal or will do the same thing.

at work the Plumbers aka HD SUPPLY PLUMBING stocks the FV-4 in 1/8" so I'd use a 1/2x1/8" bushing in my 1/2" tee.

the vent is my cost of $5.61 and the bushing is $.79. so really how can I go wrong for less than 10$. on Grainger I'd have to pay shipping and wait for it to get to me.

I can just walk 20 steps from my desk and pay for the parts from the plumbers and be done with it.

I am buying my FV-4 today and I'll report back on how it works after I get my pump.

-=Jason=-
 
Has anyone used the autovents in their system and can offer any insight to how dirty they get during process and if they are hard to clean? I recirc PBW through my system and wasn't sure if they would have to be taken out to be cleaned or they would get clean enough in-line with the PBW recirc. Thanks!
 
Just ordered two FV-4's 1/2". I have a hard piped system and don't want to fool with bleeder valves! I'll let everyone know what they are like once I get 'em in. Thanks for all the advice HBT
 

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