is there a reason this pump won't work?

Guys I have this pump already, http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product2_6970_527_527

I know it is rated at 170* but my plan is to place it after the chiller so the temp will be cool. It is a diaphram style. Is there any reason it would not work or hurt my beer? I'm planning to use it to pump from the boil kettle through a plate chiller, then also to flow sanitizer and cleaner though the system.

Any thoughts?

I don't like the plastic housing. One accident whereby your wort isn't chilled and its going to be toast.

And its a diaphram pump. How are you going to throttle it ? You can't throttle it using backpressure because it will make 50 PSI before it slows down, if it does slow down at that pressure. Throttling pumps on the inlet side is a no no . (Cavitation and oxidation.)

And its 12V.

Its meant to provide high pressure water. You don't need more than a few PSI.

I highly recommend this pump.
http://www2.northerntool.com/product/16818_16818.htm

You can control its pumping speed with a lamp dimmer switch.

I would find out if all the materials that contact the wort are food grade. If they are, you are probably okay to use it. The description lists Santoprene and Viton, but doesn't say what the pump body is made from. Both the elastomers mentioned do come in food grade varieties, so there's a good chance these are okay.

Another question I would want answered is if you can throttle down the output to this pump like you can a centrifugal pump like the March pumps. This gives you some control over the flow rates.

And another question: how well can you clean and sanitize this if you are going to use it for post-cooled wort? Any dead spaces for wort to pool and bacteria/wild yeast to grow?

I know, always more questions and no answers... I would contact the tech service folks at the pump maker and start asking away.

Good luck.

I see more beer sells virtually the same pump I have except 110v as a wort transfer pump. Since I will be running chilled wort through it aeration is not a bad thing.

Also while I know it is rated at a certain PSI I'm fairly certain that at wide open flow it will be barely any pressure. It is only rated at 3gpm compared to the March which is 7 I think. In fact I'll try to test the flow before I attempt to hook it up.

The self priming aspect of it is one thing I like, plus I already have it. If I don't need to spend the money for a different pump great. If there is something about this pump that makes it not work for this I need to know. What I mean is will it some how ruin the wort or corrode or some other nasty.


Thanks for your input though.

Todd

Why dont you try Ebay, here is a march pump with the higher temp plastic headhttp://cgi.ebay.com/March-Pump-115V-Corrosive-and-Chemical_W0QQitemZ230091136175QQihZ013QQcategoryZ46547QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

kladue said:

Why dont you try Ebay, here is a march pump with the higher temp plastic headhttp://cgi.ebay.com/March-Pump-115V-Corrosive-and-Chemical_W0QQitemZ230091136175QQihZ013QQcategoryZ46547QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Click to expand...

I don't understand why that would be any better? Temp is not an issue, the wort will be below 70 when it is pumping.

Since i have a 115 volt sureflo pump in my system which is noisy an vibrates quite a bit, also the springs and valves might be difficult to clean and sanitize for pumping cool wort. Vane pumps are not as noisy but would be concerned where the material goes as the vanes wear down. March pump is quiet and would be self sanitizing if placed on the hot side of the wort chiller, reducing the chances that material trapped in threaded connections could infect the wort.