New Replacement for March Pump

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Did you buy it from ebay:usapumps or directly from chuggerpumps.com? I am very close to getting one of these myself and was going to get it on ebay since it was a little cheaper but he does not have any listed right now.
 
Brewmoor said:
Has anyone considered this Pump? I have been looking into the materials used on this pump and it should be fine for brewing. Pretty cheap alternative.

http://www.dtpetsupplies.com/catalog/Water-Pumps-Power-Heads/External-Aquarium-Pumps/0-To-800-gph-External-Pumps/Pan-World-40-PX-Compact-Magnetic-Drive-Pump/
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I doubt you will find anyone here that has used that pump because the maximum media temperature is 140 degrees F. The 40 PX version is really only good for use as an aquarium pump.

Pan World 40 PX Compact Magnetic Drive Pump Specifications
 
pickles said:
This link is for a PX pump, there is no F in the model number.
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Thanks for pointing that out Nate. I think he will be dissapointed to find out that his "cheap pump" is a non "F" version and only goes to 140*F. I bet the "F" version is quite a bit more expensive than the regular version. I hope he doesn't expect to get the "F' version of this pump for $125. I guess he didn't read his own post.
 
Just make sure you buy the "F" version if you plan on using it in your new commercial brewery. I wouldn't use of a pump rated for 140* at temperatures of 175* and above for commercial brewing. I would speak to your lawyer partner. I sure wouldn't want to expose my new company to that type of liability. Not in this litigation happy society.
 
Brewmoor said:
Wow Thanks for all the help. I guess I should have consulted my lawyer before researching materials and contacting the company.

This is the same **** that happened with little giant pumps. All you haters said it won't work and blah blah blah. Look now. Everyone wants a little giant. I am just offering an alternative company. I know what the link is showing. I was just using it as a reference. If you read the rest of my post you would have seen that I was researching the materials and contacting the company. Just like every other pump manufacturer including march and little giant, they have different heads. The guy I wrote to said the price difference is slight. Though in his broken chinglish. I am waiting back on a qoute from them to purchase direct.

Don't worry I am done with this conversation. I will not post back what I find. It is clear you are not interested in new products and alternatives to your craft. I will keep the results to myself.
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Look bud, you opened your own can of worms by posting the link to a product that is only rated to 140 degrees, then telling me I didn't read my own post when I called you on it. I really don't give a rats ass what you do, but if I were in your shoes I would dot my i's and cross my t's when making something for public consumption.
 
Finally hooked up the chugger pump, this Is my first pump so I don't have much to compare it to. First try I pumped straight up 4.5 feet and it averaged about 20sec a gallon. I then tried pumping 3feet straight up and it was about 19 seconds a gallon. Not a noticeable difference. It's 1/2 vinyl reinforced hi temp hose, can't imagine it would be any different then a silcone hose.
 
Junkaboy said:
/this

I spent 2 weeks researching this f***ing pumps, and the little giant seems superior to everything else in its price.

I am actually getting 2 of the 1/6th HP one
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I am interested in the 1/6th HP Little Giant Pumps but your link is for 1/12 HP pumps. Did you accidentally put up the wrong link? Do you have the link for the 1/6th HP pumps?
 
I think this might have been discussed in some other threads but, what about using a non-magnetic drive pump. I have run into some nice pumps with suitable materials for beer and high temps. They are not magnetic drive heads though. They are centrifugal. So if you don't mind voiding a warranty you could put a speed control on it to get slower flow. One pump I saw the company made a speed controller so It might not void the warranty.

I am having a hard time finding a pump with 3/4" inlet and 3/4" outlet. (at reasonable prices)
 
Brewmoor said:
I think this might have been discussed in some other threads but, what about using a non-magnetic drive pump. I have run into some nice pumps with suitable materials for beer and high temps. They are not magnetic drive heads though. They are centrifugal. So if you don't mind voiding a warranty you could put a speed control on it to get slower flow. One pump I saw the company made a speed controller so It might not void the warranty.

I am having a hard time finding a pump with 3/4" inlet and 3/4" outlet. (at reasonable prices)
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The best way to control the flow with a non-mag drive pump is to plumb up a bypass of some kind. IOW, you divert the excess back to the source. I would not recommend using a non-mag drive centrifugal pump as it would be very difficult to clean or sanitize adequately due to the seals on the impeller shaft. IMO, the 1/12 hp LG pumps are more than adequate for home brewing level use. Most of the time, the pumps are only run at a fraction of their maximum flow rate. I do run mine wide open when doing the recirc chilling and it's fast enough for that purpose. The rest of the time it's throttled back substantially when used for the RIMS circulation.
 
I just saw this one on drillspot. They claim it is sealless. Noryl is a stable material at boiling temps, but all they give for specs is gravity up to 1.5 I can not find any other info about them.
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Brewmoor I use the same pumps made by Teel, the pumps have been running since 1995.
The Noryl version is rated for only 140° F max fluid temp, the stainless 230° F.
My Noryl version as tested by me has problems above 185° F and 7' lift.
A great pump for low temp applications.
Wetting the pump has never been a problem, completely sealed (not wash down rated).
These pumps are for liquid only, if you need a mash pump Teel makes a nice one.
I got the bronze version only.
My SS version used for hot wort pumping
WortPump-1-1.jpg


Noryl version used for water only

100_5636-1.jpg


Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
Thanks ClaudiusB,

Any chance you have a model number for the stainless version. I think I will try and go that route. I have been searching for the right pump for weeks now and keep hitting road blocks.
 
Any chance you have a model number for the stainless version. I think I will try and go that route. I have been searching for the right pump for weeks now and keep hitting road blocks.
Click to expand...

Brewmoor my Teel pump #ARH12, same as the Grainger pump.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3WY92?Pid=search

Grainger has three SS canned pumps on the web.


Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
So I have not seen much feedback on the Chugger pumps. How do people like them? I can't decide if I should just go with a chugger or get a march pump with a stainless head. Would there even be a difference?

Also, are you able to control the speed on either model? I have a smaller CFC and sometimes need to slow the rate of liquid into them. Does it hurt the pump if you just restrict the flow rate directly from the Brewpot?
 
Joelsyales said:
So I have not seen much feedback on the Chugger pumps. How do people like them? I can't decide if I should just go with a chugger or get a march pump with a stainless head. Would there even be a difference?

Also, are you able to control the speed on either model? I have a smaller CFC and sometimes need to slow the rate of liquid into them. Does it hurt the pump if you just restrict the flow rate directly from the Brewpot?
Click to expand...

For a magnetic pump you should have it full to the pump and have a ball valve after the pump so you can dial it back. You do not want to starve the pump and have the head seize.
 
i ended up biting the bullet and buying a chugger yesterday, i will let everyone know how it works out

cheers!
 
I am in receipt of a Chugger stainless head for my 809. I broke the intake on my previous poly head, so ordered the stainless Chugger head as a replacement.

For the price, I was expecting something built to a lower standard than the March product. My expectations were met. If I had to sum it up in a word, I would call it imprecise.

The lettering and markings on the head look rough. If any of you are ammo handloaders, you may know what .45 brass looks like after about 6 reloads. That's what the markings look like.

The exit hole is much too small in diameter. More like a 3/8" exit. And, it's eccentric to the threads. The threads are inconsistent in sharpness around the diameter of the fitting as if they, too, are eccentric.

In reality, this are likely cosmetic issues. I'm just using my pump to recirc, not for whirlpooling, so I tend to choke it down to the point that the exit hole won't matter. A layer of teflon tape may render the thread "issue" a non-issue.

If there is interest, I'll break out the camera and get some shots of the issues I'm describing. It will probably be a couple weeks before I actually pump anything with it. I'll report here when I do, if there is interest.
 
not to run back off topic too quickly... I can't provide you with the most accurate data, just my experience. I've been running 2 separate March AC-3C-MD pumps on my system for three years now. They most certainly do not have the high temp head, I think it's rated at 190F (but I could be off) the point is, I run 212F+ fluid through them every time I brew. never had a problem... outside of clogging one with whole hops the first time I brewed with them.

Remember people, industrial ratings are usually 80% of what the engineers feel comfortable with, they can probably handle much more. Three Years Running without a hitch... just saying. oh and that 630 GPH.. yeah that's nice too.
 
Same threads, 180 degrees out.

4846166347_630d9ec5d6.jpg
4846785916_7b9e5b7518.jpg


Eccentric hole

4846815184_22f238a723.jpg


Regarding the out hole: I'm please to say that I was just plain wrong about the size. The exit on my Chugger pump is 0.426, the exit on the March is 0.408.
 
Nice Pictures. They look consistent with the pump heads I just received. I have both a march pump with a stainless replacement head and a stainless chugger pump. Once I get them up and running I will post a comparison.
 
By the looks of both pumps I would bet if one used a rotary carbide bit and opened up the inlet / outlet ends besides making them concentric to the OD the pumps efficency in GPM would be increased. They look rather bad but the performance should be the same for what they are charging for them.
 
I ran mine, outlet oriented to the right, to test my "Beercan" (50 cal ammo can based RIMS in a box).

It primed up just fine, and ran unremarkabley, EXCEPT when running it wide open. Wide open, it would rattle, then squall to a stop. If I applied a slight (very slight) amount of backpressure, it would run fine. I'll put the head apart and look inside later. If there's anything worth looking at, I'll post pics. For now, I really don't feel like it since I can't think of a situation where I can't live with running the valve at 95% instead of 100%.

I need to test it with the outlet oriented up, and also with a little bit of head pressure too.

Flow was pretty impressive. I didn't time it, but I'd estimate that it pushes at least the same amount of water as my poly head. Certainly not any less (until it ceases!).

Oh, and the threads were a total non-issue. I didn't use any more teflon that I would have on the poly head, and there was no leakage.

If you're looking to upgrade, I'd say put the $50.00 somewhere else. If you break your poly head and you have to replace it, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this head.
 
BrewBeemer said:
By the looks of both pumps I would bet if one used a rotary carbide bit and opened up the inlet / outlet ends besides making them concentric to the OD the pumps efficency in GPM would be increased. They look pretty pathetic for what they are charging for them.
Click to expand...

I thought about taking mine to a buddy's and having him plunge a 1/2" endmill right down into it. Then I changed my mind, as it would be just be an academic exercise. In the end, I don't have any problem for which higher flow rate is a solution.
 
The little giant pumps rated for highly corrosive materials seem like the best bet to me. JMO. If you plan to pump cleaning solutions and the like, I would probably try to go that route. Seems like they also have models with various inlet and outlet sizes in the same price range as a march pump. And as someone else noted, they can be run dry without risk of damage (not indefinitely, but for up to 8 hrs as listed by little giant)
 
I just ordered a March pump and a replacement SS head from USA pumps today. I couldn't bring myself to order their green pump, so for $14 more, I got the March (black) one. I needed a replacement head for another pump, so I went ahead and got the SS one.
 
I finally used mine today to sous vide some ribeyes. It ran for three hours without a hitch. I did have to apply a touch of back pressure, though, as before.
 

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