Submersible Pump for Chiller

I am tired of using so much water and would rather just fill up a cooler with ice water and pump it through my chiller and back in order to conserve water.

What size pumps have been used? GPM? h/p?
Where did you puchase them (Lowes, HD, Harbor Freight)?
Is it efficient?

I am looking at the 1/3 hp submersible with float from Harbor Freight for $40.

Matt Up North said:

I am tired of using so much water and would rather just fill up a cooler with ice water and pump it through my chiller and back in order to conserve water.

What size pumps have been used? GPM? h/p?
Where did you puchase them (Lowes, HD, Harbor Freight)?
Is it efficient?

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I use a small submersible sump pump that I picked up at Home Dump years ago to bail my basement. It was sitting in the garage unused for three years, so the cost of adoption was right.

I think it's 1/6 HP, and is does OK (not great) with my 25' copper chiller... if I were buying a pump, though, I'd get one a little bigger.

-John

Here's the one I used for my 3/8" IC. it worked fine for 5 gallon batches.

The max head on that small one is only 59" but it should flow pretty quick once the chiller and output hose is full of water. Ebay is a good source too:

Utility pumps, 500+ GPH pond pumps, etc. I think 1/2HP is a lot of power to push water through 3/8" tubing.

I picked up one from Lowe's. It wasn't the smallest sub pump, but the one right above it.. $60.00 ish I think. Works great for summer Arkansas brews when our tap water is 80 degrees.

Just put about 4 bags of ice in an ice chest, top of with water, and go. 10 minutes later and I'm at 65F

Bobby_M said:

I think 1/2HP is a lot of power to push water through 3/8" tubing.

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I would say so too. I have a 1/2 HP dirty water pump I hook up to a 2" hose, but goes down to 1.5" when I connect the next hose to it. This empties my pool. 25000 gallons in about 7 hours. I would say that is a little over kill going through a 3/8" hose.

Hugh_Jass said:

Here's the one I used for my 3/8" IC. it worked fine for 5 gallon batches.

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+1 for this one...

Cheap and it works like a charm with either a IC or CFC for 5 gallon batches....

Duckfoot said:

+1 for this one...

Cheap and it works like a charm with either a IC or CFC for 5 gallon batches....

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I use this one. The other less expensive ones may well work fine. This one pumps a lot of water - no problems. I've only used it 3 times. About 12 minutes for 5 1/2 gallons of wort to go from boiling to pitching temps with a 25' stainless IC.

9.99 at Sears yup I am a cheap bastard and my wife agrees

its not submersible but it works great

This is one one I use.
Wholesale Pumps - Product
20lbs of ice with water and a 25 ft CF Chiller.
212 to 65 in as long as it takes for gravity to fill the carboy.