My quest for a pump

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sarsnik

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I want a pump. I want to be different though and find something besides a march pump to use for brewing, for no particular reason.

I was prompted to do this by seeing a marine pump today in the harbor freight store. After reading a number of threads, it apparently isn't a good alternative. I've been looking online though and saw this pump on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HPSSNU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It's slightly cheaper than the march, has a higher GPH, is submersible and thus presumably safer to use around water. It also is variable speed, so I am thinking maybe two pumps can be simultaneously set to the same rate to make for an easy fly sparge.

I also found little high temp pumps. I want to make a desktop brewstand now, for 1L batches!


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HHW0FU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Any idea if this would work?
 
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The reason people use the March 809 and similar pumps (Little Giant 3-MD-HC is another one) is because they are food safe and can operate at high temperatures.

I am not sure about that pump you linked. The highest operating temp listed in the description is 212F which is probably not high enough. And, it doesn't say anything about food safe operation, or even what materials the pump is constructed from.

I did find a good deal on a pump on ebay a while back, which I have used for several batches. It was a Gorman-Rupp 1/2" pump with magnetic drive, and used food safe parts for everything the wort would be in contact with. I think I got it for around $45, but I haven't seen them being sold in quite a while. And, it's not perfect. It has barbed connectors on the pump head so I am forced to sit there with a screwdriver hooking stuff up every time I brew with it.
 
The first one is a 3 phase pump and is priced the same as a chugger. I'd rather have the chugger myself. Unless you have 3 phase power you cant use it.

The 2nd one might work . It is FDA approved meaning food product safe and handles high temp. It would probably do fine as a sparge pump. You'll need a DC power source though.
 
I also was looking at hot water recirculating pumps such as this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JGH2F6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It has a max operating temp of 230F and I would think they are safe enough for food since its used in household hot water systems. These also have variable pumping speeds and can also be retrofitted with an 'aquastat' to sense water temp.
 
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Well the little ones were more of a joke than anything. I have a dream of making a miniature brewing system. Electric maybe. Then it would be powered by that pump :rockin:

I'm seriously thinking that a cheap water recirculator for hot water systems would be a possible replacement. I just don't know what sort of fittings could be used for it. I also am only assuming that it is food safe.
 
Only use plastic pumps made of polysulfone. Metal pumps with Stainless Steel. Mechanical seals will contaminate your wort . Ampco makes pure food grade pumps FDA Approved but they get very expensive. March pumps are Polysulfone which is one of the few food rated plastics. I personally, as a brewer and only use Stainless mag drive pumps. I have been in the pump business for 15 years..feel free to call me ...800-810-1053 MIKE
 
Only use plastic pumps made of polysulfone. Metal pumps with Stainless Steel. Mechanical seals will contaminate your wort . Ampco makes pure food grade pumps FDA Approved but they get very expensive. March pumps are Polysulfone which is one of the few food rated plastics. I personally, as a brewer and only use Stainless mag drive pumps. I have been in the pump business for 15 years..feel free to call me ...800-810-1053 MIKE


I worked in breweries for a real long time and never once saw a mag drive pump until I got into home brewing. Viton seals, stainless volutes and stainless impellers are the norm in Cherry Burrell and APV pump heads which are pretty much the industry standards.
 
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