Choosing a first pump

[dx250]

I have read and watched everything I can and somewhat at a loss. I know that I can go spend $300 on a pump and be happy with it but there are a ton of pumps under that. I get the differences between ss and plastic heads.
My setup is 2 10 gal pots and an 10 gal Igloo cooler in the kitchen. I don't brew outside.
What are your experiences and recomendations.

 

[RPh_Guy]

See here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/selecting-a-brew-pump-101.660837/

I went with the MKII. Love it.

 

[dx250]

How did I not find that thread!?!?

 

[Gravity]

2 chuggers - super happy

 

[dx250]

Well I bought a chugger $64 and free shipping direct from their website. It is the plastic head but I am ok with that.

 

[user 253592]

I grabbed this deal as well im testing it this weekend

 

[mongoose33]

I have a Blichmann Riptide. Very nicely done, long cord, on-off switch on the pump, splash-resistant, quiet, includes a control valve, easy to take apart and clean as needed. But it's $200, so you pay for the features and engineering, which are terrific.

I recently got a couple MK II pumps as part of a package purchase from someone going out of brewing. They are as quiet as the Riptide, which surprised me. They are rated at 5 gpm whereas the Riptide can move 7 gpm.

The downsides to the MK II pumps are these: the cord is shorter (5 feet vs 10 feet for the Riptide), no on-off switch, no valve to control output. The cheaper MKII has a plastic head; of the two I have, one had the plastic head, one the stainless one. The threads on the plastic head had been cross-threaded which meant an operation on it. I eventually just replaced the plastic head with the stainless head.

The Riptide, theoretically, can orient the head in any direction, whereas the head on the MKII has only 6 positions, 60-degrees apart.

The MKII is smaller, which in some contexts is nice.

Price-wise, the MKII is $100 with the stainless head, $70 w/ the plastic one. Then you'll need to add a ball valve or some such to the output side to control flow, that'll be, what, $15-30? So it's significantly cheaper than the RipTide.

I had intended to sell off the MKII pumps included with the stuff I bought, but now I'm not planning on doing that. I can see applications for extra pumps, and I intend to use them for that.

 

[augiedoggy]

I have a Blichmann Riptide. Very nicely done, long cord, on-off switch on the pump, splash-resistant, quiet, includes a control valve, easy to take apart and clean as needed. But it's $200, so you pay for the features and engineering, which are terrific.

I recently got a couple MK II pumps as part of a package purchase from someone going out of brewing. They are as quiet as the Riptide, which surprised me. They are rated at 5 gpm whereas the Riptide can move 7 gpm.

The downsides to the MK II pumps are these: the cord is shorter (5 feet vs 10 feet for the Riptide), no on-off switch, no valve to control output. The cheaper MKII has a plastic head; of the two I have, one had the plastic head, one the stainless one. The threads on the plastic head had been cross-threaded which meant an operation on it. I eventually just replaced the plastic head with the stainless head.

The Riptide, theoretically, can orient the head in any direction, whereas the head on the MKII has only 6 positions, 60-degrees apart.

The MKII is smaller, which in some contexts is nice.

Price-wise, the MKII is $100 with the stainless head, $70 w/ the plastic one. Then you'll need to add a ball valve or some such to the output side to control flow, that'll be, what, $15-30? So it's significantly cheaper than the RipTide.

I had intended to sell off the MKII pumps included with the stuff I bought, but now I'm not planning on doing that. I can see applications for extra pumps, and I intend to use them for that.

stainless headed mk2 pumps are as cheap as $65 shipped actually.

heres one, fast shipping and warranty to boot.
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338413729&icep_item=283330448750

I also own a riptide and think they are the best homebrewing pump march ever made.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Get SS heads. Both March and Chugger are reliable pumps. Based on my experience I recommend disassembly and cleaning after each brew. Originally I flushed with hot soapy water. I was shocked to discover gunk inside the pump when I disassembled it. Now, I disassemble and thoroughly clean each time.

 

[augiedoggy]

Get SS heads. Both March and Chugger are reliable pumps. Based on my experience I recommend disassembly and cleaning after each brew. Originally I flushed with hot soapy water. I was shocked to discover gunk inside the pump when I disassembled it. Now, I disassemble and thoroughly clean each time.

theres another march knock off clone out here other than chugger.. they sell factory direct on ebay. I got the 17gpm polysulfone headed version for less than $150 with shipping.. same pump from march or chugger was around $300 ..
I recently learned that march pumps are american made and chuggers are chinese clones of marches designs with many of the parts being interchangeable. they both have good track records but its still worth mentioning.

 

[Moose_MI]

New Chugger for $64....wow...that’s a great deal

Ive been using my chugger for 3 or 4 years...nylon head....no problems..ever.

Ill bet i run that pump a solid 2.5hrs per brew day...and i brew about once a month.

It....just.....works

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

theres another march knock off clone out here other than chugger.. they sell factory direct on ebay. I got the 17gpm polysulfone headed version for less than $150 with shipping.. same pump from march or chugger was around $300 ..
I recently learned that march pumps are american made and chuggers are chinese clones of marches designs with many of the parts being interchangeable. they both have good track records but its still worth mentioning.

Wish I was able to find a reasonable price on the Chugger housing o-ring! March house o-ring = no problem as it's available at McMaster-Carr.

 

[augiedoggy]

absolutely nothing wrong with the nylon heads... unless your careless or clumsy.. Ive been using the same tan 24vdc plastic pumps for over 5 years now with no issues.

 

[augiedoggy]

Wish I was able to find a reasonable price on the Chugger housing o-ring! March house o-ring = no problem as it's available at McMaster-Carr.

thought they were interchangeable since chuggers were clones of march designs? ive heard of people swapping entire head assemblies? BTW march does sell the riptide TC based head upgrade for some of thier older march pumps... the tri clamp head for cleaning is great, total overkill imo for my home brewery but very useful on my 3bbl setup.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

thought they were interchangeable since chuggers were clones of march designs? ive heard of people swapping entire head assemblies? BTW march does sell the riptide TC based head upgrade for some of thier older march pumps... the tri clamp head for cleaning is great, total overkill imo for my home brewery but very useful on my 3bbl setup.

I have both and unfortunately, no. Chugger is a bit larger.

 

[augiedoggy]

I have both and unfortunately, no. Chugger is a bit larger.

i wondered about that... kind of like the monster mill clones being almost the same but being metric vs standard sized components.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Do wish I was able to find reasonably priced (aka McMaster-Carr) o-rings for the Chugger housing.

 

[Gravity]

Well I bought a chugger $64 and free shipping direct from their website. It is the plastic head but I am ok with that.

excellent choice - I splurged and got the steel head

 

[dx250]

excellent choice - I splurged and got the steel head

I was going to but for the price, I couldn't pass it up.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

I was in a similar dilemma a while back and I lucked out by picking up two used pumps that are the best of both worlds: March II pump bodies with upgraded stainless Chugger heads. They rock!
Definitely recommend stainless heads.

 

[user 254557]

MK II and would never go to anything else