Chugger pumps

[jean]

Does anyone faced an overheating problem with chugger pumps?
mine started averheating and turns off in the middle of the mash, it's really annoying, I suspect the teflon washer that the impeller is sitting on is damaged, but not sure. Does anyone faced this problem and how did you solved it? does anyone heard about the same problem with march pumps?

Thank you

 

[jean]

anyone? no one uses chugger? I was pretty happy with it until it happened

 

[CA_Mouse]

I just bought my chugger pump and used it for the first time today... I am still working out the issues getting it going at teh correct flow rate. But it hasn't had any issues. I ran mine for about 20 minutes towards the end of my boil and then during the chilling and cleanup without it overheating or stopping.

 

[Faub007]

Mine get warm but do not overheat. Maybe reassemble the pump assembly to make sure it's not in a bind?


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[rekoob]

where is it mounted? in a toolbox or some place else that has limited air flow?
is it out in the open?
Need to know more to give you any help.
I use march pumps but they are pretty similar. tons of people use them.

 

[Teromous]

I have a Chugger pump but I've only used it during chilling which doesn't take too long. No overheating issues.

 

[TopherM]

No overheating issues here either. Are you careful to prime the pump when you use it?

 

[jean]

Thanks for all the respoces.

1) yes I prime it carefully before use.
2) the pump is completely open, even last time when I used it I put ice cubes (closed in plastic) at the sides but not on the venting openings.
didn't help.

another thought: do you recirculate 5 star pbw with your pump? it says clearly on the box not for teflon. and the washer that might be damaged is teflon.

 

[acidrain]

Mine overheated yesterday... it was a hot day (well, hot for Seattle ~85F), and my pump is mounted high, which is kind of close to my burner, but with a heat/splash shield over it (not enclosed).
This is the first time it tripped the overheat.
I grabbed my air hose and blew air through it and was up and pumping within 2 minutes.

 

[Mark_]

I've used my chugger in 100+ degree weather, outside, transferring the mash into the brew kettle. It gets REALLY hot but never has it overheated.

 

[Natdavis777]

I recirculate, whirlpool, and chill with my pump and havnt had any overheating issues. I dont keep mine enclosed though either

 

[Hamaki]

My little $20, 12 volt pump gets hot and does not put out enough GPM for my liking. I was thinking I'd go with a chugger or two some day but looks like there are two or three folks reporting overheating. Anyone know if this is ever the case with March pumps also?

 

[Bobby_M]

One thing we've seen as a trend with probably half of the overheating reports we've found is the use of extension cords. In some cases folks were trying to use 50 and even 100 foot 16 gauge extension cords. Too much voltage drop. It is pretty rare for a directly plugged in, open air unit to overheat. If it does, the first thing I'd look at is if the cup magnet on the motor is not properly centered which can cause slight rubbing on the back of the head. It makes the motor work too hard.

 

[day_trippr]

^Good point, Bobby. Voltage drop can seriously eff up electric motors.

I literally smoked a Dremel because I was using a long extension cord that was under-gauged for the effort the motor was expending (using a fiber disk to trim parquet flooring). [The Dremel folks showed mercy on my random act of stupidity and sent my check back along with a new power head. Won't do that again]

Cheers!

 

[milldoggy]

Used chuggers for 3 years, never an overheating issue

 

[jean]

One thing we've seen as a trend with probably half of the overheating reports we've found is the use of extension cords. In some cases folks were trying to use 50 and even 100 foot 16 gauge extension cords. Too much voltage drop. It is pretty rare for a directly plugged in, open air unit to overheat. If it does, the first thing I'd look at is if the cup magnet on the motor is not properly centered which can cause slight rubbing on the back of the head. It makes the motor work too hard.

good point Bobby, I actually use extension cord, next time will check with thicker one or directly, but both pumps are used with an extension and just one makes problems (have to say after one year of use). I have also checked the magnet and you are also right it appears not 100% centered but I assume that it was like this from the beginning, isn't it?

 

[Bobby_M]

The relationship between the cup magnet and the head can drift a bit over time. What holds this position are the four screws that hold the plastic mounting ring directly to the motor housing. If you loosen those screws, you can nudge the plastic ring about 1/16" of an inch in any direction to set it at the same distance from the cup magnet, then tighten the screws again.

 

[jean]

The relationship between the cup magnet and the head can drift a bit over time. What holds this position are the four screws that hold the plastic mounting ring directly to the motor housing. If you loosen those screws, you can nudge the plastic ring about 1/16" of an inch in any direction to set it at the same distance from the cup magnet, then tighten the screws again.

Ok...first of all thank you for this helpful post, if I got you right: loosen the bolts, not the front ones but the rare and try to mount back in the manner that should hold the magnet centered (am I right?)
The question is how do I know when it's centered if I can't look at it running dry when it's assembled?

 

[Bobby_M]

Yes, the screws holding the plastic part to the motor are the ones you loosen. You just move it so the cup magnet is visibly centered within that ring. If you don't see any rub marks on the back of the head, it's probably not out of whack enough to worry.

 

[kmckiou]

My chuggers are mounted in an open frame that acts as a carrier and shield. If they are just sitting on the floor running (recirculating, sparging and pumping to chiller) there is never a problem. Only once I set one down in a pot to catch wort when I was pulling hoses and forgot to remove it from the pot before restarting it. It overheated in about 10 minutes. I cooled it down and have never had a problem since.

My takeaway is to just keep plenty of space around the pump so you don't get heat build up.

 

[jean]

Ok...my pumps sitting on a wooden shelf under the table, will try to mount it dufferently, also to center it