are chugger pumps suppose to suck in water?

[Pdaigle]

I wanted to clean my pumps with StarSan just by sucking in water from a bucket but that won't work. Is this normal?

Thank you

 

[bjhbrew]

I just got a chugger and haven't even plugged it in so I'm probably the worst to answer this but anyway... no, it is not self priming (cannot pump air). You will need to gravity feed water into the line first by elevating the bucket and siphoning into the pump. Once the air has cleared it'll happily pull the water along (no gravity needed)

 

[Gravity]

Yes

Chugger pumps are not self priming, do not run it dry, you need the help of gravity

I'm not sure what your system looks like, but I would run starsan or PBW through your entire system

My assumption being that if you have a pump, you also have the needed ports/connections on your HLT, MT and Bk

Theres no issue in running starsan or pbw through your entire system, not sure why you're doing this from a bucket only

 

[user 246304]

Haven't worked with anything but CIP, so am trying to figure this very thing out. It would be wasteful obviously to use 20 gallons (vessels full) as an extreme. How do you guys ensure your vessels are entirely and continuously hit during a recirc'ing wash and sanitize? This is probably ludicrous, but I was thinking of putting a chem apron, glasses, and gloves on and running hot caustic or some other cleaner through, hold the outlet like a fire hose and spraying the walls of the vessels, cleaner runs down into the reservoir in the vessel, stand there for whatever regime. Pump off, switch to new tank, repeat.

How do you guys clean vessels using your pumps? You don't, just clean vessels manually, and depend on your pumps for cleaning lines?

 

[Pdaigle]

Yes

Chugger pumps are not self priming, do not run it dry, you need the help of gravity

I'm not sure what your system looks like, but I would run starsan or PBW through your entire system

My assumption being that if you have a pump, you also have the needed ports/connections on your HLT, MT and Bk

Theres no issue in running starsan or pbw through your entire system, not sure why you're doing this from a bucket only

I've used my pump to transfer to kegs the other day and as my system was already cleaned I didn't want to add water and starsan it in. It's a 1bbl system. Thanks for the help