Magnetic Impeller Pumps vs. Rubber/Shaft Driven

Mr. Mojo Rising · Oct 3, 2007

I have been researching previous posts and looking at other people's brewstands and have seen folks using various pumps. Mostly Mag Drives, but a few are using standard marine pumps with stainless housings and some are using aquarium pumps. There is a huge price difference. What are the pro's and con's from brewers with these different set ups? Will it ultimately affect the outcome of my beer or is it just warding off demon's with the Mag Drive. There are a lot of us it seems building brewstands right now and I would love to save a little money if I can.

Lil' Sparky · Oct 3, 2007

You want a few things from your pump

- food grade (doesn't leak/leach chemicals, grease, etc into the wort)
- high temp (if you're pumping from your kettle)

I've seen almost exclusively the use of magnetic drive pumps like the March pump to guarantee those things. I don't want a pump that probably won't leak any grease or cause off flavors. The March pump also has a flow rate that is almost perfect for most of our applications, fast enough but not too fast, and you can easily throttle it with a ball valve on the output. The other pumps I've seen are used for pumping ice water, etc., not for pumping hot wort.

If you find another pump that meets these needs for much cheaper, please share. I think you would have a few hundred new best friends.

Mr. Mojo Rising · Oct 3, 2007

Lil' Sparky said:
You want a few things from your pump

- food grade (doesn't leak/leach chemicals, grease, etc into the wort)
- high temp (if you're pumping from your kettle)

I've seen almost exclusively the use of magnetic drive pumps like the March pump to guarantee those things. I don't want a pump that probably won't leak any grease or cause off flavors. The March pump also has a flow rate that is almost perfect for most of our applications, fast enough but not too fast, and you can easily throttle it with a ball valve on the output. The other pumps I've seen are used for pumping ice water, etc., not for pumping hot wort.

If you find another pump that meets these needs for much cheaper, please share. I think you would have a few hundred new best friends.

I may be just musing about this but from what I have read most aquarium pumps are magnetically driven at a fraction of the cost. Now, as for high temp, for the amount of time that it would contact the pump housing, would it really make a difference in taste? Most are rated to 165F anyway. Could you connect the pump to the cool side of the chiller if it was self priming.

Cheesefood · Oct 3, 2007

I hear those shaft's are complicated pumps and no one understands them but his woman.

They say that shaft's a bad mutha....

Cheesefood · Oct 3, 2007

Mr. Mojo Rising said:
I may be just musing about this but from what I have read most aquarium pumps are magnetically driven at a fraction of the cost. Now, as for high temp, for the amount of time that it would contact the pump housing, would it really make a difference in taste? Most are rated to 165F anyway. Could you connect the pump to the cool side of the chiller if it was self priming.

If you want to build a one-tier system, you'll need a pump capable of moving hot wort.

Mr. Mojo Rising · Oct 3, 2007

Cheesefood said:
I hear those shaft's are complicated pumps and no one understands them but his woman.

They say that shaft's a bad mutha....

FREAKIN FUNNY!!! Shaft....OHHH Yeah...Shut ur mouth...:fro:

sudbuster · Oct 4, 2007

Mr. Mojo Rising said:
FREAKIN FUNNY!!! Shaft....OHHH Yeah...Shut ur mouth...:fro:

Cheese is cool, and mojo ain't risin'.......

Mr. Mojo Rising · Oct 4, 2007

OldFarmer said:
Cheese is cool, and mojo ain't risin'.......

I wasn't disrespecting Cheesefood, I was quoting the lyrics to the Shaft theme song. I seriously thought it was funny. Perfect example of how written miscommunication should have a surgeon general label.

ScubaSteve · Oct 7, 2007

Hey...I was about to write the same thing....

"Shut yo mouth"...
"I'm just talkin' bout Shaft!"

Magnetic Impeller Pumps vs. Rubber/Shaft Driven

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