Cheaper pump for water circulation in eHLT?

[kerklein2]

Any cheaper options than a March/Chugger for recirculating hot water in an eHLT? I can't seem to find anything with a high enough temp rating and a high flow. There are a number of high temp pumps on Amazon for sous vide cooking, but they either only go up to 80C or are like 1L/min.

Those stirring pumps seem clumsy to me, and I like the idea of measuring the HLT water temperature at the outlet of a recirculation like Kal has done on his electric brewery.

 

[Triple9]

I use a cheap aquarium air pump to "stir" my HLT. $10 and it works perfectly for breaking up the thermal layer. You won't be able to measure the water temp at the outlet is the one downside.

 

[kerklein2]

Haven't seen any like that that are rated to 180F+. I'm guessing yours isn't and you just plan to use it till it fails? You worry about it not being food grade, could be leaching chemicals into the water?

 

[Triple9]

I mean an air pump, a bubbler, something you would attach an airstone to, not a water pump. It sits outside of the HLT. The only thing sitting in my water is a piece of silicon tubing at the bottom of the HLT.

 

[kerklein2]

Hmm, does that actually work very well? Seems like moving the water around would work much better.

 

[chuggerpumps]

We are currently testing a new self priming electric diaphragm pump made from Polysulfone FDA grade plastic and FDA Hytrel Diaphragms. Cost...$69.00

 

[Triple9]

Surprisingly very well. I figured I'd give it a shot and worst case I would be out $10. Works just as well as if I were to stir. In action, it makes the HLT look like a nice rolling boil is occurring in it, so there is plenty of movement to the water.

 

[kerklein2]

We are currently testing a new self priming electric diaphragm pump made from Polysulfone FDA grade plastic and FDA Hytrel Diaphragms. Cost...$69.00

This sounds perfect. Do you have an ETA on availability? Or do you need any early field testers ? I just ordered my SS inline chugger yesterday!

 

[Bobby_M]

A surplus motor with a stirring paddle is probably a lot cheaper than any food grade pump.

 

[kerklein2]

Above when I said:

"Those stirring pumps seem clumsy to me, and I like the idea of measuring the HLT water temperature at the outlet of a recirculation like Kal has done on his electric brewery."

I meant stirring motors w/paddles.

 

[Bobby_M]

When you're already working a second pump into the brewery, I can see using it to recirculate HLT water. If not, such as when employing gravity, I see a stirrer as nice compact way of moving the water around without worrying about pump priming, the added heat loss, etc.

 

[kerklein2]

Pump priming is the only thing I don't like about recirculating the water. That's why I hope Chugger's above statement comes to fruition soon.

I just don't like having to worry about mounting anything to the lid and it's associated bulk, plus measuring the HLT water outlet temp seems best for control, and one less thing (temp probe) to mount inside the HLT. It seems like the simplest construction path.

 

[calpyro]

Any cheaper options than a March/Chugger for recirculating hot water in an eHLT? I can't seem to find anything with a high enough temp rating and a high flow. There are a number of high temp pumps on Amazon for sous vide cooking, but they either only go up to 80C or are like 1L/min.

Those stirring pumps seem clumsy to me, and I like the idea of measuring the HLT water temperature at the outlet of a recirculation like Kal has done on his electric brewery.

I have both a 64 RPM electric starring paddle and a couple of pumps for circulation of water in the HLT and Wort in the Kettle. I can and have used both to accomplish the same goal.

You have a point that mounting the motor is a bit clumsy and requires a bit of engineering. However, now that is is done it works MUCH faster and easier than the pump. By using a pump to circulate the water and at the same time circulate the hot wort means that you have a bunch of hoses all at the same time. For me, flipping a switch is just easier.

My system is both a HERMS and an immersion chiller. I chose to mount it to the lid so just moving the lid from the HLT to the Kettle is the extent of the labor. As a chiller, my design works really fast. Yesterday I brewed and I got the wort below the DMS threshold of 140 degrees in just three minutes and below 65 in less that 15.

The cost with all of the hardware is just about the same for a pump and my stirring paddle. No really savings, but it does work really well. http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=5-1588&catname=electric

I still need to finalize the fabrication, but this is what it looks like:

 

[kerklein2]

I'm putting together a system with coolers, so reusing a HERMs coil on the kettle isn't an option. And I'm trying to avoid mounting anything on lid for better storage (I'm in an apartment) as well as ease of build. I don't mind the extra hoses I don't think. I really just want to minimize the number of holes I have to poke in the cooler.

 

[chuckjaxfl]

We are currently testing a new self priming electric diaphragm pump made from Polysulfone FDA grade plastic and FDA Hytrel Diaphragms. Cost...$69.00

Did anything come of this?

 

[HDIr0n]

Did anything come of this?

I am wondering the same thing. I sent them a message, hopefully they will get back with us. I would love a diaphragm pump that could handle boiling wort and have a decent flow rate as well.

-G

 

[Travestian]

i am wondering the same thing. I sent them a message, hopefully they will get back with us. I would love a diaphragm pump that could handle boiling wort and have a decent flow rate as well.

-g

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