Cheap compact wort pump

[sablesurfer]

Can someone put a stickie together for this pump? Or a new thread....I want to get one but this thread is forever long. I see people have used a PWM. Why? Control flow rate? Can someone post a complete build? Before and after and maybe it working on their brew day. And info that helps keep this pump in good working order for a long time. I've never had a pump but a buddy told me he has to prime his pump....I don't even know what that means but does this one need to be primes. CHEERS and Thank you ahead of time.

This thread is kind of organic, no real builds to post, just talking about our experiences.

Priming a pump means that liquid must get to the pump, fill up the pump, before it will start to work. In other words, it will not suck liquid up out of your pot, it must be lower than pot so that you let liquid flow down into the pump before you turn it on. (Self priming pumps are very expensive and they will actually pull liquid up hill and into themselves.)

If you have never had a pump, do not worry about the pulse width modulators...PMW...that is over kill really and these tiny pumps really don't need a whole lot of speed control, which is what makes them perfect for small batch brewing. If you really really want to control flow...just put a ball valve on the hose coming out of the pump and TADA! you have flow control.

(ps...none of the people who have gotten a PMW have reported back that it works anyway. Most people say these pumps are not the right kind of motor and it won't work.)

 

[Kmcogar]

This thread is kind of organic, no real builds to post, just talking about our experiences.



Priming a pump means that liquid must get to the pump, fill up the pump, before it will start to work. In other words, it will not suck liquid up out of your pot, it must be lower than pot so that you let liquid flow down into the pump before you turn it on. (Self priming pumps are very expensive and they will actually pull liquid up hill and into themselves.)



If you have never had a pump, do not worry about the pulse width modulators...PMW...that is over kill really and these tiny pumps really don't need a whole lot of speed control, which is what makes them perfect for small batch brewing. If you really really want to control flow...just put a ball valve on the hose coming out of the pump and TADA! you have flow control.



(ps...none of the people who have gotten a PMW have reported back that it works anyway. Most people say these pumps are not the right kind of motor and it won't work.)

Your post makes me laugh, thanks a lot for the info. It was very informative. I only do 5 gallon batches and I probably will keep doing that for the rest of my life. This pump might work out well for me. Thanks





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[Mojzis]

If you have never had a pump, do not worry about the pulse width modulators...PMW...that is over kill really and these tiny pumps really don't need a whole lot of speed control, which is what makes them perfect for small batch brewing. If you really really want to control flow...just put a ball valve on the hose coming out of the pump and TADA! you have flow control.

Semi true. For myself a pwm is cheaper and more easier to control flow. Goes right into the panel so there is no playing around, and there's and off switch and indicator. Over kill..no not necessarily depending on use. Grain bed compaction would happen fast at full flow right off the bat. If of course its being used in that way. Also with how fragile these things can be, I don't want to stress the output any more than normal with a ball valve.

(ps...none of the people who have gotten a PMW have reported back that it works anyway. Most people say these pumps are not the right kind of motor and it won't work.)

Actually several of us have been using pwm's for quite a while with these pumps and they work great. Going on 11 or so batches with it now, not including prep runs. So maybe 20+ or so hours running with a pwm. A few people have posted their experiences with them.

 

[sablesurfer]

Huh...ok. Must have missed the reports on how they work. Glad it is working for you. My outlet ball valve is actually on my hose. The hose quick connects to the pump...the end with the valve on it quick connects to the pot's inlet. That way no torque on the pump's little parts.

 

[Mojzis]

I'm not saying that the motors are meant for use with pwm controlling but so far so good. If it dies in the mean time I'll post it.

 

[KPSquared]

I just bought a brushless motor controller for a few bucks on ebay. I keep reading that PWM and brushless is a bad combo but I know guys are using them. I'll try this and see how it works.

 

[Dr. Francois]

I'm very sorry for asking redundant questions, as I'm sure this questions is covered somewhere in the thousands of posts on this thread. I thought asking a redundant question in the thread was better than cluttering the forum with a new thread. Please disregard my question if you wish. If you can help, thank you!

I do 5 gallon BIAB with an immersion chiller. I would like to add a whirlpool arm to speed chilling and create a trub cone for clearer wort into the fermenter. I use pellet hops exclusively.

My two concerns are hop pellet debris and cold break. Will the cheap ebay compact wort pump or the greatbreweh pump work with hop pellets in the recirculation? This is the only function for my pump, so something that does a passable job with water and will not work with pellet-hopped wort is of no use.

Has anyone had actual success with recirculating hoppy wort?

If no, what is the least-expensive option for a pump that could achieve this goal?

 

[KPSquared]

You are right. . . That was covered. . . I mean, there's only 697 unorganized, random posts. . .I can't believe yOu couldn't find it. Lol.

Heres a a quick summary based on what I've gleaned from this thread.

Cheap tan ebay pump - no good for much but water or super clean wort (use a hop bag or good filter of some sort)

I think the greatbreweh pump is a better option but still I would think won't handle straight unfiltered hop matter on recirc that well.

If you don't want to use anything I think you are pretty much limited to March or Chugger.

Even then, why not use a hop stopper of some sort?

 

[Mojzis]

I use my tan one for hlt, mt and boil. I use pellets in the boil but always whirlpool by hand first before running the pump as it clogs easily.

I recently bought 2 of these pumps: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230918742543?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

which are pretty similar to the topsflo's and i'm hoping don't get clogged as easily. They supposedly can pump faster too. But I haven't used them yet so its all speculation for now. They appear to be well built though.

I think using a spider or bag would be easiest to reduce the pellet junk.

 

[sablesurfer]

I recently bought 2 of these pumps: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230918742543?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

.

That's what I have, two of them. Only used them for mash recirc so far and I can say they will spit out any grain that gets past my BIAB without clogging. I am planning to use a whirlpool in my next build...which I should be working on now and not taking a long lunch typing here.

 

[Mojzis]

That's what I have, two of them. Only used them for mash recirc so far and I can say they will spit out any grain that gets past my BIAB without clogging. I am planning to use a whirlpool in my next build...which I should be working on now and not taking a long lunch typing here.

That's good news. I was planning on using one of the black ones for the MT/RIMS recirc. and BK. The neck on these black ones are much sturdier than the little tan one.

And hopefully there's beer involved

 

[MedicMang]

Let me know how the whirlpool tests go please. I'm wanting one just to whirlpool with. Have any others had success with the output flowing fast enough to get a really efficient whirlpool?


Sent from Cheese Doodle Land.

 

[kwadric]

Question for those that are using the tan pump: How hot does your pump get during use? Mine arrived about a week ago. I have it connected to 12V 2amp power supply from an old external hard drive. I let it run recirculating room temp water in my keggle for about 90 minutes and pump got up to about 110-120F. I know IR thermometers aren't always that accurate, but just wondering what experience that other have had with these pumps getting hot?

 

[Woodbrews]

I'm using a black US Solar pump connected directly to a ball valve on my BIAB kettle. With a male camlock on the output (see pic), is there a risk that the weight of the pump and fitting will put too much strain on the weldless kettle fitting? Thanks!

 

[iijakii]

I don't think so. Personally when I leak-test my pots I always push and tug on the ball valves a bit and they never leak. I know my pot sort of flexes with it.

 

[AnOldUR]

. . .is there a risk that the weight of the pump and fitting will put too much strain on the weldless kettle fitting? Thanks!

I have a US Solar Pump with the stainless fittings. The CPC disconnects that I use are lighter, but I'm 17 batches in with it hanging off the MLT and no problems.

 

[knope]

So are the black us solar pumps better then the tan ones? I'm looking at:

This tan one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HRW8U06/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This black one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I7ZOQAK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is going to be my mash recirculation and immersion chiller pump.

 

[mrz2010]

In post 633, dirkomatic shows his pump taken apart. This looks like the us solar/topsflo pump. These both advertise that they are food safe and specifically mention brewing applications. However, the picture looks like the magnet is uncoated, unlike the coated magnet in the little tan pump. Is an uncoated magnet like this really food safe?

I'd like to order one of these off amazon since I have so many gift cards, but I want to make sure it's safe first.


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[dirkomatic]

In post 633, dirkomatic shows his pump taken apart. This looks like the us solar/topsflo pump. These both advertise that they are food safe and specifically mention brewing applications. However, the picture looks like the magnet is uncoated, unlike the coated magnet in the little tan pump. Is an uncoated magnet like this really food safe?

I'd like to order one of these off amazon since I have so many gift cards, but I want to make sure it's safe first.


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No one really ever answered that question. I will say that I have been using mine and it runs fine... Whether or not I am slowly getting poisoned is the remaining question.

 

[dirkomatic]

I guess another question might be: would putting some silicone sealant on the magnet cause other issues?

 

[mrz2010]

I guess another question might be: would putting some silicone sealant on the magnet cause other issues?

This is what I was thinking, just a thin coat of food grade silicone over the magnet, but I'm also not sure how that will affect the pump performance.


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[Stealthcruiser]

I think the worst case scenario for coating the impeller, is that you might throw it out of balance slightly, if you didn't have a "uniform" coat on it.

 

[jcoxen]

This is what I was thinking, just a thin coat of food grade silicone over the magnet, but I'm also not sure how that will affect the pump performance.


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Does anyone have any suggestions on what silicone to get and where to get it?

 

[BillNye]

This might work:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009CHEPTE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Indian_villager]

Or could it be as simple as taping a decent sized neodymium magnet downstream from your pump on some silicone tubing to capture any magnet particles if they do break off?

 

[KPSquared]

For an extra $30, the one from great brew eh is for sure food safe. If it doesn't say food safe, why take the risk?

 

[Mojzis]

For an extra $30, the one from great brew eh is for sure food safe. If it doesn't say food safe, why take the risk?

The issue is that they do say food/wort safe. Have you disassembled the one from great brew to see how it compares?

 

[KPSquared]

It's a coated magnet.

 

[Mojzis]

It's a coated magnet.

Oh well. I knew these black pumps were too good to be true.

 

[Konadog]

I guess another question might be: would putting some silicone sealant on the magnet cause other issues?

I don't have one of these pumps, but if it's like most mag drive pumps, putting anything on the magnet won't work. There is very little room between the magnet and the pump housing. Anything on the magnet could cause it to bind up, or worse.