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Anyone use a Gen-X pump?

SSBrew - 728
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SugarJohnson

SugarJohnson

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Jan 29, 2009
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Menomonee Falls
In the never ending quest to save money I am considering this model. I have used it in the past on my fish tanks and they are reliable. A little less power and max head (9.8) then a March 809. The housing is polypropylene. According to specs it will handle corrosive liquids and temps up to 175.0 although importer said that it is really more like 250.0 but they scale it down? Still awaiting a response on taste transfer/food grade from them. Anyway these are on sale for 71.00 bucks with 5.99 shipping so if there is any chance it would be hard to pass up.

Thoughts?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4587+12077&pcatid=12077
 
I am interested in this as well. The real question is whether this is a food safe transfer.
 
The real question is can it handle the high temperature. Looks like it should as the pump head is polypropylene. If it's suitable for the delicate aquarium fish, I would not be concerned about it having a food safe rating.
 
more info tab shows rated for up to 176* does make comment to fruit juices. with as picky/critical as some aquariums can be, i doubt chemical leaching would be an issue. the temp rating is what would steer me away, unless you chill with immersion first, then pump once temp gets to 176*
 
Yeah I think the food safe part will be ok but I do plan to use an immersion chiller on my brutus clone because I have one already. If I am careful I can keep the temps within limits for the pump. Customer rep is getting back to me on monday so I will post his reply. Could be a good alternative pump. Like I said I ran one on my saltwater tank for 7 years or so.
 
I would not be concerned about the 176F temp rating. These ratings are typically the service limit at the rated pressure and there is always a built in safety margin. We home brewers typically run these pumps at only a fraction of their rated pressures and then only for relatively short durations. I have been using a Little Giant pump for several years and it's only rated at something like 149F and I have had no problems with it at all.
 
Catt22 said:
I would not be concerned about the 176F temp rating. These ratings are typically the service limit at the rated pressure and there is always a built in safety margin. We home brewers typically run these pumps at only a fraction of their rated pressures and then only for relatively short durations. I have been using a Little Giant pump for several years and it's only rated at something like 149F and I have had no problems with it at all.
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We won't tell anybody about that horn growing out of your forehead....;)
 
Sawdustguy said:
We won't tell anybody about that horn growing out of your forehead....;)
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Yes, there is the potential for exposure to toxic substances to consider, but given that there are traces of over 500 toxic substances found in beer I figure a few more can't be a big deal.:D

I made that up. There aren't really that manyl.:drunk:
 
Catt22 said:
Yes, there is the potential for exposure to toxic substances to consider, but given that there are traces of over 500 toxic substances found in beer I figure a few more can't be a big deal.:D

I made that up. There aren't really that manyl.:drunk:
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You should also know that 73% of all quoted statistics are made up and completely false. ;)
 
Ok I spoke to Ed with Pacific Coast Imports about the pump. He said their company is the US distributor on this pump. Gen-X pumps have been around for a number of years with a good track record. He said the pumps are generally very well built for the money and reliable. Problem is pumps do come from China and he has had a hard time getting mort detailed specs. Only temp spec he has is the 176 as posted. He suspects it is higher but has no concrete info on that. Impeller blades are also Polyproplyene and the magnet is mounted to a ceramic shaft. Head is Poly as well. Ed was eager to work with me and saw this as an oppurtunity. He said that replacement parts are usually very availbale and that a replacement head runs about 20 bucks. Number one failure for the pump is salt water where the owner does no maint and allows salt creep to corrode internal parts etc. Now the question remains-should I be the test rat?
 
Yes, go for it! I give it a 98% success probability. Ya know, dem Chinese make good stuff! Not to contradict Ed, but the salt water shouldn't bother the pump head, but it may very well screw with the motor if any infiltrates the motor housing over time. Salt mist could do this eventually if the pump is close to the fish tank. The only thing that I see might be a problem would be the polypropylene impeller fins possibly softening and deflecting due to the hight temps. That's only speculation though and probably won't happen.
 
I actually saw that site while doing research. What the hell I will be the test rat this one time. I will order the pump and report back after testing. Get the burn ward ready so when the head explodes as I put boiling wort through I have medical attention. At least a hb or two!
 
Well pumps are in and look to be good quality. First thing I did was take them apart to look inside. Everything appears as though they will take the heat but holy crap are they full of shipping oil. Any ideas to get this stuff off. Just soap and water?
 
Yes, pump a hot water and Oxiclean solution through it. Take it apart after you clean it and inspect it again to be sure all of the oil was removed.
 
Yes shipping is quick because the retailer is only 4 hours away in WI. Just mounted them now so they better work as I have holes in my new stand! I like the oxy clean idea. Use it for cleaning stuff anyway so that makes sense. Still a ways off for brewing but getting close to full gas test etc. so I'm pretty excited. If this weatehr would just cooperate I could get the final paint on. Rain, cold, rain, cold, such is life in WI.
 
I thought about testing them but I have not ordered all the tubing and fittings and dont want to spend money riging it just for a test run. I guess I'm going to role the dice although hope I don't regret it.
 
weirdboy said:
Hey so in a similar vein, I ordered one of these pumps yesterday.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gorman-Rupp-Ind...cmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Pumps?hash=item53dbc07e44

Based on my research, it looks to me like the materials are all FDA approved and the max operating temp listed is 203F, so I pulled the trigger. I figure for $50 I can't go *too* wrong.

Anyone seen something like this?
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Great find! I'm snagging one of these. I don't care for the unthreaded outlets, but for the money who cares.
 
I've been using a similar Gorman-Rupp pump for the last few years. No problems. recirculate my wort through my CFC back into the kettle with it. The wort goes through the CFC before it hits the pump, but the temp is still pretty high even after than first pass through the CFC. I'm moving to an IC system, so I'll be pumping right from the kettle. I have no doubt the pump will handle it.
 
SSBrew 300

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