LG 3-MD-HC pump questions

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ernestmyname

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I realize this topic has been exhausted but I have spent hours over the last several weeks searching this forum and other sources and have found nothing more than conflicting information with a majority of it being second or third hand assumptions.

What needs to be done to a LG pump before it is used for homebrew? Some say it is safe out the box. Some say the grease needs to be replaced. Some say the shaft needs to be replaced. Some say it needs to be replaced with a March pump. LOL

I'm also wondering how many of you guys are successfully recirculating the water in the BK during the boil with the LG pumps.

Please don't make this thread a March Pump VS LG thread. I have read them all.
 
I've heard a lot of good things about this pump. Just clean it and run with it. What's the worry?
 
Well, I read a couple places that the grease was not food grade and not safe to eat/drink. One website mentions that the shaft is made of some material unsafe for eating and drinking. But several threads say "it is fine. Go with it."

But all of these sources cite nothing. They just make claims. So I was just wondering what the norm is. Have I missed something, or is the norm to just use the pump as it sits stock?
 
Alright. I thought these were only available in stainless.

The grease will be in the motor. There is no grease in the pump. The impeller is coupled to the drive shaft with a magnet. The pump is sealed off from the motor.

The website states the plastic pump is only rated to 200 degrees but it is made out of ryton. March pumps are the same material but are rated to 250. This makes me think it would probably be fine at boiling temps. The LG pump may be lower because hot liquid may heat the motor and not necessarily degrade the plastic. If that's the case, good airflow around the pump would prevent this. Logical arguments aside, if it were my pump, I would always have that 200 degree rating in the back of my head.

I think the draw with these is the stainless pump head. This would nullify any heat concerns in the pump head.

My question is why not just go with a March pump? They have basically become the hobby's standard and are easy to get. It may or may not be the absolute best solution but it works. Is there a big price difference?
 
The te3 md hc have sealed bearing so you never have to oil them unlike march or chugger pumps. I got mine used here on hbt and has worked flawless. It should be ready to use out of the box, it has a carbon bushing and can run dry unlike march or chugger.
 
I'm using two LG 9-MD-MT-HC pumps with no problems running boiling wort through them. I pump out of the boil kettle, through the pump, through a CFC (not cooling) and back to the kettle to sanitize the system. The return to the kettle gets to 206º so I know that the pump can handle at least that high a temperature.

I disassembled the first pump to check the cleanliness and found no oils on the impeller shaft, so I don't think that there is a problem. The ceramic shaft and thrust washers don't present any problem, and neither does the carbon bushing in the impeller.

Both of my pumps have motors with carbon bushing bearings, so they do require lubrication periodically.
 
I just bought a brand new LG 3-MD-HC and there is grease in the pump head. The impeller spins on a stationary shaft and that is where the grease is- between the shaft and the impeller. I don't want that grease in my hoses and wort whether it's food safe or not, so I think I'm going to remove it. I'm hoping that the liquid will be enough of a lubricant. Even if I was not to remove the grease, I doubt it would stick around very long after pumping boiling wort and hot PBW solution through it.
 
I just bought a brand new LG 3-MD-HC and there is grease in the pump head. The impeller spins on a stationary shaft and that is where the grease is- between the shaft and the impeller. I don't want that grease in my hoses and wort whether it's food safe or not, so I think I'm going to remove it. I'm hoping that the liquid will be enough of a lubricant. Even if I was not to remove the grease, I doubt it would stick around very long after pumping boiling wort and hot PBW solution through it.

Hell brotha throw it in boil some water and try it...worst case you have boiling water running out of the motor from the shaft input you get electrocuted and die... best case there's no issue:rockin:

disclaimer:) been partaking the home brew this afternoon given the looks form the wify maybe just a touch to much..it's all good
 
FYI: On the Chemical Resistance PDF they list "Tomato Juice" and "Whisky/Wine" for the LG 3 -MD - HC pump. All are rated excellent except for aluminum head
 
Hell brotha throw it in boil some water and try it...worst case you have boiling water running out of the motor from the shaft input you get electrocuted and die... best case there's no issue:rockin:

disclaimer:) been partaking the home brew this afternoon given the looks form the wify maybe just a touch to much..it's all good


No, no, the shaft I'm talking about is not the motor shaft, it is a stationary ceramic shaft inside the pump head which is a completely separated from the motor shaft and electrical components. The impeller, which is driven by magnets, spins around it. Go have some more home brew :mug:
 
Here's what I'm talking about. That's kind of a lot of grease that I would not want in my brew. I'm guessing it's around 1/8 teaspoon. I'm in the process of cleaning all of it off. I'm then going to put it back together, run PBW through it to clean the pump and some new fittings, and see how it sounds.

IMG_5745s.jpg
 
wyzazz,

Did you buy your pump new? Did you take it apart before using it? Is there any grease at all in yours?
 
I purchased it new and disassembled it, removed the grease and put everything back together. Then I did a recirc with boiling oxiclean and all my new fittings, tubing and the pump for around 45mins.
 
Awesome, that's exactly what I'm doing right now. The pump is back together and I'm about to recirculate PBW through it and some random hoses I want to clean.
 
OK, after removing all of the grease, the pump is as smooth and quiet pumping water as it was before removing the grease. I think I'm going to like this thing!
 
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