Has any one ever used this new pump?

[Weezy]

The beauty of 12V pumps is being able to use the PWM controller to vary flow rate. With a PWM you don't even need an on/off switch. Much better solution than a valve.

 

[madcore]

Ok I got the little tan pump and after one use I made a alteration. I made it so I can in screw the pump and leave the front part on my ball valve. It needed clean twice but that's because it was a pumpkin ale. But great little cheap pump!!!


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[orangehero]

Here's the PCB of the inline LED dimmer. Possible to modify the capacitor?

 

[Owly055]

I'm using the tan version for my BIAB RIMS system. I haven't used it in real life yet, but I have used it in a full BIAB mash temp test. Flow is about perfect for my 2.5 gallon brews. Be careful with them..... this is a brittle plastic, and the castings are not very thick. I don't know what family of plastic they are, but I've had other stuff made from the same thing.

I have no reason to use this pump above 165F....... I use it ONLY for mash. I have no idea how it handles higher temps.

I run from an ATX computer power supply.....the standard one. To activate an ATX power supply, simply short the green wire to any black wire (ground). I grab old computers for the power supplies, and always have a few lying around. You can mount a toggle switch so you can kick it on and off. They provide superb 12 volt and 5 volt. I use them for electronics projects all the time. Good smooth DC.


H.W.

 

[Wacki]

Ok I got the little tan pump and after one use I made a alteration. I made it so I can in screw the pump and leave the front part on my ball valve. It needed clean twice but that's because it was a pumpkin ale. But great little cheap pump!!!


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Yea, I use a female camlock disconnect screwed on the inlet portion of my pump so I can connect directly to the bottom drain valve on my kettle, then I use a male camlock from my valves and can close the valve and move the pump to whatever vessel I need to transfer from...makes it very portable.

You can kind of tell what I mean in this pic...

 

[Owly055]

The beauty of 12V pumps is being able to use the PWM controller to vary flow rate. With a PWM you don't even need an on/off switch. Much better solution than a valve.

The beauty of centrifugal pumps is that you can vary the flow by simply throttling the outlet side. They are not positive displacement pumps, and as you throttle the flow, the power required goes down, not up as it would with a positive displacement pump......... There really is no reason to use a PWM controller............ a valve works just as well and is a lot simpler.

H.W.

 

[Weezy]

PWM works flawlessly for me and its cheaper than a valve and much more finely adjustable. But do what works for you.

 

[bennihana]

After posting this thread months ago i have finally been able to test some things out! this is a great little pump but i wish it did have a little faster flow rate. but it is only a 12v .5 inch pump. It will still work perfectly for mashing.

 

[augiedoggy]

the black one mentioned in the first pump is not at all the same as the tan pumps... the black one is not built for food grade operation the tan one is. tan one has a coated magnet... black one has a bare magnet that comes into contact with food and different garde of plastic for the the pump housing...if you search this section of the forum you will find many threads breaking this down.

the topsflo pumpo is similiar to the black one mentioned here...I use both the tan and black one and have seen no ill effects of using the uncoated magnet on the black one yet...
they both have been working fine with my cheap ebay pwm controllers for almost a year now...

 

[augiedoggy]

The beauty of centrifugal pumps is that you can vary the flow by simply throttling the outlet side. They are not positive displacement pumps, and as you throttle the flow, the power required goes down, not up as it would with a positive displacement pump......... There really is no reason to use a PWM controller............ a valve works just as well and is a lot simpler.

H.W.

I understand what your saying but with these 12v style pumps many people here have had the pumps fail and seize up by restricting the flow. the pwm controller seems to be less stressfull on the pump motor

 

[augiedoggy]

Yea, I use a female camlock disconnect screwed on the inlet portion of my pump so I can connect directly to the bottom drain valve on my kettle, then I use a male camlock from my valves and can close the valve and move the pump to whatever vessel I need to transfer from...makes it very portable.

You can kind of tell what I mean in this pic...

View attachment 221800

I connect my pumps the same exact way... I use cheap shallow cake pans under where each pump connects to catch the little bit of spillage when disconnecting and moving the pumps about. works ok but I would still like to improve on it a bit.