Cheap compact wort pump

lapoltba · Jan 27, 2015

augiedoggy said:
Whats the inner chamber walls that surround the magnet coil made of? This is what I'm assuming is also plastic and the wort enters this area to be used as lubricant.. it doesn't make sense to me that they would make this part of the pump out of some sort of non metallic metal and still make the lower outer pump body of plastic...

As I said, all SS. All the wetted components are SS aside from the impeller and magnet.

augiedoggy · Jan 27, 2015

lapoltba said:
As I said, all SS. All the wetted components are SS aside from the impeller and magnet.

That is good news and makes a huge difference if the pump body on the cheaper pumps is not PPE plastic..

Thanks for finding (and posting) that.
I looked for that pic and found this site which also states it is foodsafe... odd that the manufacturer wouldnt just come out and say that? and they say nothing about a foodsafe coated magnet?

My guess is whats considered foodsafe in one country doesn't necessarily meet the criteria everywhere..

http://www.solarhome.ru/catalog/product_info.php?currency=RUB&products_id=1267&language=en one interesting thing I found on the russian site is that unless the pump is being powered with at least 17v its not pumping at full capacity... I'm curious now to see what kind of flow I would get with mine at the full 24V... unless it uses some sort of boost transformer technology to turn 17v+ into the full 24v?

lapoltba · Jan 27, 2015

In my experience, the difference between food grade and non-food grade is a material certification. There isn't much difference as long as the plastic type is the same. PPS is generally safe for food use.

I am trying to find a place to order one or two to see what they look like and how they work. And no, I'm not paying USSolar a 150% markup.

augiedoggy · Jan 27, 2015

according to this us solar ebay ad the magnets are infact ceramic (coated?) and the diagram shows a white magnet?? Curious if anyone who owns one can verify this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-Hot-W...olar-Panel-Good-to-230-F-145psi-/190635868928

lapoltba · Jan 27, 2015

Honestly, at this point it really doesn't matter. If the only source for these wants to charge $138, you're still better just buying a chugger pump.

augiedoggy · Jan 27, 2015

lapoltba said:
Honestly, at this point it really doesn't matter. If the only source for these wants to charge $138, you're still better just buying a chugger pump.

well to be fair the plastic ones they are selling are in the $75 ballpark.(about $100 for the more powerful 4gpm model).. still I see your point even thats thats encroaching chugger/march territory.

KPSquared · Jan 27, 2015

This thread has come full circle like 3 times... If only people would read BEFORE posting.

augiedoggy · Jan 27, 2015

KPSquared said:
This thread has come full circle like 3 times... If only people would read BEFORE posting.

I get it.. long thread beat to death,
But where is the info in the last few posts already posted in this thread? Enlighten me please if it has been covered because before we were talking about These
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Promote-DC5...552?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19faa16cd0 pumps which are in fact made by a different manufactuer as it turns out than the topsflo ones and are in fact abs plastic with non coated magnets.....

wbarber69 · Jan 27, 2015

Well it looks like everyone else did their work. I was gonna post the bit about the td5 being foodsafe. After getting reassurance of it from the retailer. Now on to why I chose it over the chugger. It's lighter. It's quieter. It may be a bit slower but I don't mind. It's speed controllable by changing a setting knob on the back of it. And it's 12-24v. Which means I won't kill myself when I spill large amounts of water on it. and just like all my other ussolar pumps, I can mount it inline. So what if a chugger is 5 dollars more. This is the pump I wanted. And it didn't even exist in the ss model until I asked for it. I bought the first one ever made for testing and I loved it so I kept it. You don't have to buy it. But some people don't want to use a 110v pump. And this is the only thing that comes close to matching one on the 12v side.

augiedoggy · Jan 27, 2015

I just noticed that it appears the took the head casting from a chugger pump and mounted it on the pump... the mounting holes appear as if they would line right up from the pics.http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009Z1014A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

it also appearsthere are two companies in china making the same pumps or they are manufacturing for each other to sell under their own names.

here you can see the tan ones I use sold as topsflo pumps. at least they have the "FDA" approval everyone was looking for earlier in the thread. unlike the stainless TD5? (possibly because its new to the market?)

http://www.buyneto.com/?ua=ncG1vJloZrCvp2OurbXEsaernaOoe6S7zGiqraeimnxyf5JraHFt
I have to say If it where me who had the choice between these little centrifugal pumps and a chugger for less I would take the chugger... these pumps are nice but they usually have a shorter lifespanwhen turned on and off often. They have no replacement parts and the fact that they are like half the power for more money AND require an additional power supply to function = additional costs...
Dont get me wrong I love my DC pumps they work great especially with my $6 pwm speed controllers the flow is just about perfect for my setup... But I use three permanently mounted pumps while brewing and have a 4th for a spare and they were under $20 shipped a piece... not $140...It would cost me over $400 to have the same functionality and ability to brew withour removing or changing any lines or pumps like I do...
I have no real desire to upgrade except if I had wanted to whirlpool but I use a stir bar for that.

That is a good point about no having AC near the brew but since I am an electric brewer that would be my least concern, plus I would use a GFCI outlet to avoid any problems...
I think if topsflo really wants to make these sell for this use they would need more competitive pricing...

wbarber69, I see your using your pump with a 12v power supply, In case you didnt notice the TD5 is a 24v pump that requires 17v (native voltage I believe from many solar panels including mine) to pump at the advertised capacity..(since the pump was originally for solar I believe its designed to boost the varying weaker voltage or buck it and create more working amps kind of like a MPPT solar charger) to use power directly from solar panels to power the pump (likely with a 555 chip). At 12v it appears it pumps closer to 3 gpm although the information is sketchy and different sites post different flow rates for the same pump. something to consider checking into if you find yourself looking for more power for things like whirl pooling.
theres a lot going on for sure in the circuitry of these pumps... hopefully that doesn't effect reliability much.

wbarber69 · Jan 27, 2015

Well they do have somewhat competitive pricing. The td5 goes for 135 while the chugger goes for around 139. Lol

And the pump runs way faster than 3gpm. Even under the restrictions I have. It's not a 24v pump it is a 17v pump and it has some kind of bs in it that maximizes the rpms for whatever voltage goes into it. I can produce 12v at 10amps so power isn't a concern. All the pertinent info can be attained at the ussolarpumps.com website. Hell it even says its food grade, for what it's worth. One day I might get a chugger pump but for right now my brewery is mobile and lightweight wins the match.

lapoltba · Jan 28, 2015

wbarber69 said:
Well they do have somewhat competitive pricing. The td5 goes for 135 while the chugger goes for around 139. Lol

And the pump runs way faster than 3gpm. Even under the restrictions I have. It's not a 24v pump it is a 17v pump and it has some kind of bs in it that maximizes the rpms for whatever voltage goes into it. I can produce 12v at 10amps so power isn't a concern. All the pertinent info can be attained at the ussolarpumps.com website. Hell it even says its food grade, for what it's worth. One day I might get a chugger pump but for right now my brewery is mobile and lightweight wins the match.

It's all relative and i'm pretty sure you were saying that "tongue in cheek". I don't really think it is competitive when you compare features and specifications. If the topsflo pump was 50-75% of the current asking price, maybe.... The fact that it is 24v (to me) is inconvenient. I am putting together an all electric setup, and like most people I will have 120VAC and 240VAC readily available. Adding another power supply just for the pumps doesn't make sense.

As said above already, there is no mention of replacement parts availability for these. Are we expected to just buy a new pump at $135 if it fails? At least he March or Chugger pumps have proven reliability and serviceability in a homebrewing application.

That being said, I may use one of the little tan pumps for recirculating hot water in my HLT at some point, but I probably won't use one of them for anything wort related.

Also, regarding this thread going around in circles... I did read a large majority of this thread and did not see any of the info I posted. I didn't see anywhere that someone posted that the pump cavity was ALL stainless and that was info I was looking for. These threads exist because we all have questions and are looking for answers. It is a place to discuss equipment and get the opinion of others. If you have the info you need and don't have anything further to contribute, no one is forcing you to be here. Yes, it would be nice to have a sticky with all the information consolidated, but unfortunately that isn't the case. The search function only goes so far and searching for minute details is sometimes difficult. Let's keep calm and keep the discussion going. It's great to have a community of knowledgeable people helping each other out. Cheers! :mug:

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

I know without actual video footage its tough to get an impression of flow rate but the last picture on my flowmeter is flow after being pulled through the 10gallon batch grain bed and three layers of filtration as well as a rims tube and being pumped 3ft back up through the top cam lock on my mashtun...
I use stock 1/2 barbed cam lock hose fittings which would add a lot of restriction for a chugger..

When sparging the same flowmeter shows 2.2gpm...
This is with the 24v tan fda pumps.

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

This pic gives a good indication of the plumbing. These are 16gallon and 13 gallon kettles.

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

BTW this is the other NON foodgrade stainless headed pump that DOES NOT have a coated magnet and also a plastic lined magnet channel... I have the all plastic version of this very same pump (The pump I no longer use) I knew this existed and had mistaken the topsflo as being the same because some of the topsflo pumps use the exact same molded plastic body.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-S...005&rk=5&rkt=6&mehot=pp&sd=190635868928&rt=nc

nealm · Jan 28, 2015

Auggie,
where do we find these $20 24v FDA compliant tan pumps. A search on ebay reveals a lot of them but none state they are made of FDA compliant materials or that they are food grade. Inquiring minds want to know.

With regard to the expensive ($70) Topsflo TS5 series pumps, are they not made of ABS. They are certainly black so is some black ABS food safe or is topsflo BSing us.

Nealm

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

nealm said:
Auggie,
where do we find these $20 24v FDA compliant tan pumps. A search on ebay reveals a lot of them but none state they are made of FDA compliant materials or that they are food grade. Inquiring minds want to know.

With regard to the expensive ($70) Topsflo TS5 series pumps, are they not made of ABS. They are certainly black so is some black ABS food safe or is topsflo BSing us.

Nealm

I dont have a topsflo TS5 series pump I have a clone made by another manufactuer who states on thier site that they are ABS, (funny thing though is my pump is identical in every way on the outside to the 10w topsflo and even has the same MPPT solar power regulator in it.... HMM?)

the jury is still out until we get actual pictures of the magnet in a topsflo TD5 or TS5 series pump to see if they are in fact coated...
I assumed the tan ones are because this website http://www.buyneto.com/ had the tan version listed as fda approved while they do not have the ts5 or TD5 series they also sell listed as such...(they do state the TD5 is foodsafe though in the description because theres no lead in its construction) again... FOODSAFE likely has different standards in different countries... For example if you lived in canada You would need a prescription from your doctor to eat the amount of fortified vitamins and minerals general mills sprays onto to their cereal here in the states. and the McDonalds hamburger has more than 15% beef in them up there... Here its up to 85% "pink mush" from what the press reported recently.

all one has to do is dissassemble the tan one to see that it was clearly designed with food (drinking fountain) use in mind unlike the knock off black 10watt ts5 clone I have... which was designed for solar hot water heating as was the real ts5 series...
I also broke one of my tan ones and can tell you its NOT abs plastic. its a very dense brittle material compared to abs

Just search "FDA DC pump" on ebay or even youtube...I cant find it now but I had some references to it being made of food grade PPE or PPS plastic

wbarber69 · Jan 28, 2015

The td5 has a plastic impeller in a sealed stainless head. The magnet channel does not come into contact with the wort. It is rated for 12-24v just like all the other pumps and it does a fantastic job at 12v. It shuts off if it's dry fired. It shuts off of the temps get too hot in the motor cavity. It is a bit expensive and I have begged them to lower the price but apparently it isn't cost effective. And as far as finding parts goes. If you break a part and email them. If the pump is under warranty they will replace any parts you need at ussolarpumps.com

lapoltba · Jan 28, 2015

wbarber69 said:
The td5 has a plastic impeller in a sealed stainless head. The magnet channel does not come into contact with the wort. It is rated for 12-24v just like all the other pumps and it does a fantastic job at 12v. It shuts off if it's dry fired. It shuts off of the temps get too hot in the motor cavity. It is a bit expensive and I have begged them to lower the price but apparently it isn't cost effective. And as far as finding parts goes. If you break a part and email them. If the pump is under warranty they will replace any parts you need at ussolarpumps.com

How is the magnet sealed off from the wet side of things? I have yet to find pictures of this pump with the impeller/magnet removed. Is there a seal on the pump shaft behind the impeller?

wbarber69 · Jan 28, 2015

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422467127.771200.jpg

I'm not taking mine apart since the last time I did I broke the ceramic shaft and I intend on brewing this weekend. But here is info from the data sheet

lapoltba · Jan 28, 2015

wbarber69 said:
View attachment 252124

I'm not taking mine apart since the last time I did I broke the ceramic shaft and I intend on brewing this weekend. But here is info from the data sheet

Thanks, but that is the exact same thing I posted above...

wbarber69 · Jan 28, 2015

There is a stainless plate under the impeller that has a grommet around the shaft. So the entire impeller is surrounded by stainless.

k1ngl1ves · Jan 28, 2015

nealm said:
Auggie,
where do we find these $20 24v FDA compliant tan pumps. A search on ebay reveals a lot of them but none state they are made of FDA compliant materials or that they are food grade. Inquiring minds want to know.

With regard to the expensive ($70) Topsflo TS5 series pumps, are they not made of ABS. They are certainly black so is some black ABS food safe or is topsflo BSing us.

Nealm

I believe this is it:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261680510587?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

$22 + free shipping. Cheapest I could find. Doesn't say "food grade", but whatever...

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

lapoltba said:
How is the magnet sealed off from the wet side of things? I have yet to find pictures of this pump with the impeller/magnet removed. Is there a seal on the pump shaft behind the impeller?

I have yet to see one centrifugal style pump like this where the liquid isnt used for lubrication.... there is a ceramic shaft with a magnet mounted on it... from the posted diagriam it looks pretty clear than this is just a stainless lined TS5 which in fact does let the water enter the magnet area.

lapoltba · Jan 28, 2015

augiedoggy said:
I have yet to see one centrifugal style pump like this where the liquid isnt used for lubrication.... there is a ceramic shaft with a magnet mounted on it... from the posted diagriam it looks pretty clear than this is just a stainless lined TS5 which in fact does let the water enter the magnet area.

That experience too... I find it hard to believe that they put an extra rotational seal behind the impeller complicating the assembly. Plus the bearing lubrication you mentioned.

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

k1ngl1ves said:
I believe this is it:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261680510587?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

$22 + free shipping. Cheapest I could find. Doesn't say "food grade", but whatever...

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

Notice that both the tan pumps made by this company are food grade while the black ones are not?
http://www.dgshenpeng.com/en_asp/product.asp?cid=51&sortpath=0,51,

BTW thats who makes the $15 -$25 topsflo knock offs that are made of abs and technically are not foodgrade...(model P4511 is this pump here being sold incorrectly as foodgrade, notice the swirl mark molded into the top which is the manufactuers logo..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-DC-Ho...787?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a9c7c1553

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultra-Quiet...248?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4632a50cd8

now here is the manufactures spec sheet stating the uses which do NOT include food.
http://www.dgshenpeng.com/en_asp/productshow.asp?id=808

and finally the manufactuers page on the tan pumps I use (made by topsflo as well) notice the are in fact listed as food grade.

http://topsflo.gmc.globalmarket.com...r-sale-small-electric-water-pump-3660376.html
http://www.buyneto.com/?ua=ncG1vJlo...jfGSwmaSav3B9kmxpanBllH56gpJvaGlwZGp7qcDMpQ==

Notice again the trend that this manufacturer makes thier food grade pumps Tan as well? (Some of the black ones like the TS5 state they are made of all foodgrade materials and that they are for solar water heaters but do not list the pump as foodgrade like the tan ones.)

http://topsflo.gmc.globalmarket.com/

what else I find funny is the TD4 stainless pump doesnt appear on topflos website?

in conclusion all the small tan colored dc pumps I have found to date are made for food grade use regardless of which manufacturer.

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

JustLooking said:
More accurately, nobody cares as much as he does.

At this point it's become a bizarre personal crusade that's not worth responding to.

You already responded with your false assumptions that the magnets themselves were made of stainless steel earlier in the thread..
Which would make them either non magnetic or rust prone depending on which grade of stainless was used..
and this is exactly why I'm posting all of this...

Honestly I'm kinda tired of seeing the same false assumptions made here. People ask the same unanswered questions over and over I wasted a lot of time here but I did prove without a doubt in my mind anyway that the tan pumps that this thread was created about are infact perfectly safe for food use whereas its a mixed bag with the black ones depending on which pump you buy and there are a lot non foodgrade utility pumps being passed off to homebrewers who come here and get vague answers as to whats safe and what isn't. I'm not the only one who was and is concerned by this the thread being this long is proof of that.
One member here responded, stating he can only find one example of the tan pumps on ebay and none for less than $22 so I posted a dozen of so more to show that they are in fact there.
I would find it a bit odd that soo many people here worry about brass and aluminum and the possible heavy metals and toxins that could be leeching into the beer but yet those same people could seem to care less about the materials their pumps are made from?

Falcon3 · Jan 28, 2015

I used to be a "meh, something will kill me eventually" guy, and I used the black ABS pump. Since then, I've realized that even a slim chance that a $22 pump could save me some headache down the road, or reduce my risk of cancer from ingesting 100's of gallons of beer laced with leached chemicals, it's worth it to me. Now, a Chugger or March isn't worth it at this point. I dont understand how a sub $20 black pump can build in dry-run protection, voltage regulation, and high-temp shutoffs, yet a $140-$200 pump can't- I don't want to chance walking out of my garage to get a beer, and having my Chugger lose prime and burn itself out.

Moral of the rant: Augie is one of the only brewers on this forum that is doing tests and research on these cheaper pumps, and backing his findings with evidence- keep it up Bro- I'm with you all the way

augiedoggy · Jan 28, 2015

Here is a pic I just took of one of the pumps I dropped and snapped (parts pump now) ... anyway you can clearly see the stainless shield behind the impeller and the coated magnet as well as the ceramic shaft...
When I took apart my $30 abs topsflo knockoff (which does not have abs stamped on it like I originally thought btw but the manufactuer does state that's what's used) I found the magnet was bare and exposed to the wort... hopefully someone with the $60-70 real topsflo can inspect the internals and let us know if the magnets are in fact coated/ food grade since it will give a real indication as to whether effort was put into manufacturing the for food grade use...

Slow_Day · Jan 29, 2015

Augie,

As far as you know, are all of these tan pumps you linked to 24V compatable?

Some sellers state 12V. Some 12V-24V. Some give you the option to specify 12V or 24V. Are all of these actually the same?

Thanks for caring to get the facts straight. It is finally coming together.

JustLooking · Jan 29, 2015

Slow_Day said:
Thanks for caring to get the facts straight.

The fact is that there are very few facts when it comes to these pumps. Some people may be perfectly happy to believe information coming from sources in China. The fact is that there is no accountability for this information and China's track record is not great. There's no FDA approval. No testing to see if anything leaches out of these pumps under brewing conditions. This is true of both the tan and black pumps. How do you know there isn't some contaminant in the tan plastic? Because they said so? No US agency has tested either of them. US Solar has stated that their black ABS body pumps are food grade. Although the housings are not identical, from appearance, it looks like the magnets and body on their pumps are the same materials as the black clones. You have the choice to believe a large US distributor is doing quality control on their imported products or that information coming from China is accurate, but don't be fooled by someones claims that they know something when none of it is based on accurate testing done in the US. Are the magnets coated? Do the magnets need to be coated to prevent contamination? I don't know. US Solar says that they're food grade and there's nothing based on accountable facts to make me believe otherwise.

augiedoggy · Jan 29, 2015

Slow_Day said:
Augie,

As far as you know, are all of these tan pumps you linked to 24V compatable?

Some sellers state 12V. Some 12V-24V. Some give you the option to specify 12V or 24V. Are all of these actually the same?

Thanks for caring to get the facts straight. It is finally coming together.

the motor housing is actually slightly different between the 12 and the 24 volt models. If you tried to run the 12 Volt model on 24 volts it would overheat and burn up quicklythey are different most noticeably the 24 volt models do not have the separate plastic piece at the bottom of the motor. It's all one molded piece. Otherwise they are the same and use the same components

augiedoggy · Jan 29, 2015

JustLooking said:
The fact is that there are very few facts when it comes to these pumps. Some people may be perfectly happy to believe information coming from sources in China. The fact is that there is no accountability for this information and China's track record is not great. There's no FDA approval. No testing to see if anything leaches out of these pumps under brewing conditions. This is true of both the tan and black pumps. How do you know there isn't some contaminant in the tan plastic? Because they said so? No US agency has tested either of them. US Solar has stated that their black ABS body pumps are food grade. Although the housings are not identical, from appearance, it looks like the magnets and body on their pumps are the same materials as the black clones. You have the choice to believe a large US distributor is doing quality control on their imported products or that information coming from China is accurate, but don't be fooled by someones claims that they know something when none of it is based on accurate testing done in the US. Are the magnets coated? Do the magnets need to be coated to prevent contamination? I don't know. US Solar says that they're food grade and there's nothing based on accountable facts to make me believe otherwise.

Well Given the fact that USsolar is a distributor for topsflo which is the manufacturer of the tan pumps I use...

and you may have missed it but the little black clones of the topflo pumps are made of ABS plastic which is different and the manufacturer states that the pump can likely be used without any problems with food products but it's technically not a food grade pump. one of the reasons they stayed for this is the fact that the magnet is not coated. also only certain grades of ABS plastic are stable at temperatures above a hundred and seventy.
It almost seems like you're trying to justify to yourself that's a little $20 clones are just as safe as the other pumps despite all the indications that this is not the case. again the black ones were designed to be hot water tank heater pumps and the tan ones are designed for food grade use if you look at all the major distributors and sellers with an actual explanation.

Slow_Day · Jan 29, 2015

Thanks Augie. I guess I will pay a few more dollars and choose one that states 24v explicitely.

Thanks also to JL. I'm glad someone is challenging Augie, and pushing him to provide these great links and opinions. I agree that just stating that something is true, doesn't make it true. We all have to make up our minds based on the evidence.

augiedoggy · Jan 29, 2015

Slow_Day said:
Thanks Augie. I guess I will pay a few more dollars and choose one that states 24v explicitely.

Thanks also to JL. I'm glad someone is challenging Augie, and pushing him to provide these great links and opinions. I agree that just stating that something is true, doesn't make it true. We all have to make up our minds based on the evidence.

Very true... I dont expect people to just take what I've said as gospel... I was wrong about the stainless pump being stainless lined just yesterday because I made an educated assumption that apparently was wrong..... I am trying to get as much real info into this thread on these so people can make more informed decisions, that's all... and avoid or disprove the comments based on stereotyping opinions with no factual basis...

It doesnt help when people make up BS like claiming to have the very first prototype of the stainless pump and implying that they had a hand in it design... especially when they dont even know how it functions..

The black topsflo ones could be perfectly fine for food use.. I would just like to know why the strange marketing and why they avoid mentioning foodgrade in most of their literature on these...We know they were designed for solar hot water use and not food use but the marketing changed along the way.. Thats what concerns me a bit.
Greatbrew was the first to market these topsflo brand ones and they themselves state they had to go to the manufactuer and have them change the magnets after someone brought it to their attention that they were not foodgrade..(I believe they even exchanged the early ones they sold). Did topsflo change the design on all thier pumps of this style or just the ones sold to greatbrew?
It could be something as silly and simple as the fact that they couldnt get foodgrade certification because the magnets come in contact with the food even though theres no known danger, or perhaps they are foodsafe only up to a certain temp like the cheaper abs clones from shenpeng electronics which also claim themselves that its not foodgrade only because of the magnet but they know of no danger from it... in any case many of the sellers selling the cheap ones have already stated that they just assumed they were foodsafe for beer because they saw other sellers claiming the same thing.... Another member wrote a nice review praising this shepeng pumps and then had to post back to not use them because he found they werent safe...

And I find it hypocritical for someone to say everything coming out of china is questionable and these are all just as likely to be unsafe and we shouldn't trust the manufacturers documentation, but yet in the same paragraph he goes on to say since the American middleman (us solar) who buys the pumps from the Chinese manufacturer says they are food grade he believes they are? Am I the only one who sees irony in this? especially when US solar does not sell these as thier own but rather under the chinese namebrand as far as I can tell therefore they dont really assume any responsibility if they are wrong...

This is what I'm trying to help avoid,

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/review-3-3-gpm-pump-only-26-99-amazon-494876/

wbarber69 · Jan 29, 2015

Hmmm... It's kind of weird how the td5 didn't exist in its current state until I contacted the seller personally to ask why they didn't carry a foodsafe 12v pump possibly with speed control that was stronger than the 3gpm model they currently sold. It's even weirder how the guy then emailed back and forth with me a few times. Found out from the "engineers" that they had a pump that matched what I was looking for and another model with a stainless head that should match up to the screw holes. It was even weirder when I agreed to pay full price for the first one they sent him for testing. And it's even weirder that after I emailed him back video of it in use they posted it up on the product page and immediately started selling it. But hey the only proof I have is all the email correspondence back and forth and a short thread post somewhere detailing what I was doing. You just can't fathom how anyone would use any pump other than your favorite simply because it comes in another color.

augiedoggy · Jan 29, 2015

wbarber69 said:
Hmmm... It's kind of weird how the td5 didn't exist in its current state until I contacted the seller personally to ask why they didn't carry a foodsafe 12v pump possibly with speed control that was stronger than the 3gpm model they currently sold. It's even weirder how the guy then emailed back and forth with me a few times. Found out from the "engineers" that they had a pump that matched what I was looking for and another model with a stainless head that should match up to the screw holes. It was even weirder when I agreed to pay full price for the first one they sent him for testing. And it's even weirder that after I emailed him back video of it in use they posted it up on the product page and immediately started selling it. But hey the only proof I have is all the email correspondence back and forth and a short thread post somewhere detailing what I was doing. You just can't fathom how anyone would use any pump other than your favorite simply because it comes in another color.

I just didnt buy the prototype story.. You could have bought one of the first ones but it normally takes more than one request for something like this to be made... Especially since the "other "manufacturer (shenpeng) already had their version on the market for a long time. ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-S...077?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27e9273fad
)
I could understand why someone would use different pumps if they want something with more flow.... but $70 for a 3gpm pump (or $140 for 5gpm) vs a 2.65gpm foodgrade pump (which there is less doubt if any is food grade) Just doesnt seem like a great buy. yes they have all that circuitry for run dry protection and running of solar power but is that needed here? they still run dry for a minute before shutting off and unless theres no one in the room you would hear it long before then...
I already gave my 2 cents on spending $135 for a little TD5 solar pump vs a march or chugger for the same money.

I am curious if that is a march knockoff head on the stainless one you have... sure looks like this one only stainless.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/replacement.../361136528390?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item54156a1c06

augiedoggy · Jan 29, 2015

hears another one that looks like the same bolt pattern...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SOLAR-WATER...386?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f45d30e9a

wbarber69 · Jan 30, 2015

Dude you really need to get a more productive hobby. Or maybe up your meds a bit...

Cheap compact wort pump

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