Priming a March with an 'autovent'

[Dgonza9]

...

????

 

[Catt22]

I'm wondering if this would aerate my wort too much.

Probably not because if it's sucking air it will cause the pump to lose it's prime and you won't be pumping anyway. So long as the DIP tube is submerged, it won't be sucking air, so no problem there either.

 

[kladue]

The problem with dip tubes is the tube and outlet is the point where air gets trapped and there is no way to vent it. When the pump fires this air bubble hits the intake and gets trapped in the pump head, (almost all 3000+ RPM pumps have this problem). Either you put a tee and vent valve just after the keg outlet valve, or design some kind of air trap before the pump inlet. If the pump was slightly above the outlet and the tubing grades up to the inlet, then an air vent on the outlet would work wonders. The problem with this approach is when the water approaches boiling temps it will flash to steam in the pump head and stop flowing. The ultimate solution for below keg pump mounts is to run the outlet tube to the bottom of the keg through the skirt with tubing grading up and the air will always self vent as the keg fills.
I went to this approach because of the same problems you are having, no air bubbles and air binding of the pump now that the drain tube is in the bottom of the keg.

 

[Dgonza9]

Brewed today and got a stuck sparge. Autovent worked like a charm, though. Not sure why it's performance is inconsistent for me.

I was recirculating with RIMS when this happened:

With all of my priming issues in this new system I kept thinking the vent was screwed up. One disadvantage of hard plumbing is that I couldn't see my RIMS recirculation was slow, almost stuck.

So one sign of a slow/stuck sparge is fizzy wort coming out of the vent. Once I solved the stuck sparge the vent went back to normal.

 

[johnnyo1977]

I just picked the honeywell valves up at homedepot for $9. can't wait to try them.

 

[Flomaster]

ok so I tested my pump out last night and WOW... anyone with a pump should NOT be with out an autovent. I recirculated for a good 20 minutes with out loosing prime. the only time I lost prime was when the water was nearly empty and made a mini vortex and sucked air into the side pick up tube. leaving maybe 2-3 cups of water left in there. factor in trub and I am doing pretty well with getting every thing out.

once I get my Cam Lock fittings its going to be awesome and much easier connecting hoses and what not.


-=Jason=-

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

That's good news! But I've been scouring the internet for one of these...Can't find 'em. On another note, how do you like the Chugger Pump? You get it on Ebay?

 

[Flomaster]

yeah on ebay $99.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220721509445#ht_1308wt_905 FREE SHIPPING...

works great and the money I saved is going towards SS camlock fittings

you can pay using paypal and a debit card if you don't have money in your paypal account.

as for the autovent try www.grainger.com I opted for the 1/2" size so no bushings needed for my tee.

-=jason=-

 

[1fastsedan]

yeah on ebay $99.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220721509445#ht_1308wt_905 FREE SHIPPING...

works great and the money I saved is going towards SS camlock fittings

you can pay using paypal and a debit card if you don't have money in your paypal account.

as for the autovent try www.grainger.com I opted for the 1/2" size so no bushings needed for my tee.

-=jason=-

Do you have a Grainger part number for the 1/2" one? I checked their site, but all I see are the 1/4" and 1/8". Thanks!

 

[wildwest450]

ok so I tested my pump out last night and WOW... anyone with a pump should NOT be with out an autovent. I recirculated for a good 20 minutes with out loosing prime.

I don't get it, does everyone have a hard time priming march pumps? I have never lost prime while recirculating, and priming is very simple.

I just have a pinch clamp on the end of my tubing, open ball valve with tubing above valve, fill tubing and pinch off the end. Then connect to the in flow, release and let her rip, works 100% of the time.

Maybe it's the undying need for another brewing gadget??

 

[kegtoe]

I don't get it, does everyone have a hard time priming march pumps? I have never lost prime while recirculating, and priming is very simple.

I just have a pinch clamp on the end of my tubing, open ball valve with tubing above valve, fill tubing and pinch off the end. Then connect to the in flow, release and let her rip, works 100% of the time.

Maybe it's the undying need for another brewing gadget??

you mean i have to do another 15 seconds of work? - I'm buying an autovent

 

[Dgonza9]

I primed fine with the bleeder valve. But put it this way, if you could get a self priming pump for $10 more than you paid, would you do it?

Plus, with RIMS and the potential for dry firing your element, it seems like a nice thing to have.

 

[Catt22]

I primed fine with the bleeder valve. But put it this way, if you could get a self priming pump for $10 more than you paid, would you do it?

Plus, with RIMS and the potential for dry firing your element, it seems like a nice thing to have.

1. No, because you can't valve off a self priming pump like we commonly do with the mag drive pumps. I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but generally speaking, ya know.

2. I don't have loss of prime problems once the pump is initially primed. I can tell visually and audibly if something is amiss with the circulation. I do not operate my RIMS unattended. I shut off the burners and pumps if I need to leave it unattended for any reason, then resume operation when I return. This is not a big deal at all.

 

[alowell]

I don't get it, does everyone have a hard time priming march pumps? I have never lost prime while recirculating, and priming is very simple.

I just have a pinch clamp on the end of my tubing, open ball valve with tubing above valve, fill tubing and pinch off the end. Then connect to the in flow, release and let her rip, works 100% of the time.

Maybe it's the undying need for another brewing gadget??

I think some people have hard-piped systems and would like to keep them that way. That is why the autovent is so attractive...it still keeps the system hard-piped without having tubing connections. I think, like many of the gadgets here, it is a preference thing.

 

[Randar]

I can see the attraction for hard-piped systems, but I too have been confused by all the autovent pimping on the boards lately. Never lost prime on either my 809 or LG 5.5-MD-HC

 

[Catt22]

IMO, tubing or hard piped should make no difference for priming. I think it's a gadget fetish thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that ya know. I am afflicted with that disorder myself.

 

[Randar]

IMO, tubing or hard piped should make no difference for priming. I think it's a gadget fetish thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that ya know. I am afflicted with that disorder myself.

I have had an issue when priming with the output connected to a submerged port on another vessel. I disconnect the camlock and allow the pump to fill, then reconnect and that's all I need to do. If hard-piped, I wouldn't be able to do that. Also, you can squeeze the tubing a little to help get any air bubbles out of the inlet (like a priming bulb on an outboard motor gas tank) Depending on the temperature and volume in the vessels, it may not "self prime" just by allowing the gravity feed as the pressure of the air in the outlet tubing/pipe may not move upstream sufficiently)

 

[Catt22]

I have had an issue when priming with the output connected to a submerged port on another vessel. I disconnect the camlock and allow the pump to fill, then reconnect and that's all I need to do. If hard-piped, I wouldn't be able to do that. Also, you can squeeze the tubing a little to help get any air bubbles out of the inlet (like a priming bulb on an outboard motor gas tank) Depending on the temperature and volume in the vessels, it may not "self prime" just by allowing the gravity feed as the pressure of the air in the outlet tubing/pipe may not move upstream sufficiently)

I installed my bleeder valve between the flow control valve and the pump head. Closing the flow control valve prior to opening the bleeder valve eliminates any potential back pressure from upstream, such as a submerged port on a kettle. Once primed, I simply close the bleeder valve and open the flow control valve as desired. Works perfectly for me every time.

 

[Randar]

I installed my bleeder valve between the flow control valve and the pump head. Closing the flow control valve prior to opening the bleeder valve eliminates any potential back pressure from upstream, such as a submerged port on a kettle. Once primed, I simply close the bleeder valve and open the flow control valve as desired. Works perfectly for me every time.

I don't have a bleeder or autovent, that was kind of my point. If you have hard piping, then an autovent or bleeder valve is needed, as you say. Which one you decide to use is a personal choice.

 

[Dgonza9]

I installed my bleeder valve between the flow control valve and the pump head. Closing the flow control valve prior to opening the bleeder valve eliminates any potential back pressure from upstream, such as a submerged port on a kettle. Once primed, I simply close the bleeder valve and open the flow control valve as desired. Works perfectly for me every time.

I had a bleeder valve and it worked fine. But so does the autovent. For $10 it's a good solution. I just wondered why it's not mentioned as often as the bleeder valves, for which there are a lot of posts. The autovent is just as cheap and maybe even easier to use. But if you have a bleeder valve and it works, no need to upgrade.

 

[bobbytuck]

Anyone have a Grainger part number -- or direct link -- for the 1/2" autovent? Not finding it on their search.

 

[Flomaster]

Anyone have a Grainger part number -- or direct link -- for the 1/2" autovent? Not finding it on their search.

here: HD SUPPLY WATERWORKS
5144 West 73rd Street
Chicago, IL 60638-6614
(708) 728-9793

call them up and tell them you need them to order a Watts FV-4 1/2" for you.
if they won't do it let me know and I'll make a phone call and get you setup.


-=Jason=-

 

[rockytoptim]

-=Jason=-

I just got off the phone with Watts and they said to mount the vent as close as possible to the pump output. They stated that the preferred installation is like the way Flowmaster has it installed instead of mounting it in a tee in the output line.

 

[alowell]

I just did the same thing with a cross off my pump outlet, works like a dream. I used the 1/2" FV-4. I'll try and get pics up soon

 

[Dgonza9]

I'm going to use a cross on mine as well.

 

[jeffmeh]

In a past life doing aquarium stuff, we routinely put a wye check valve immediately after the output the pump. This would keep the pump flooded. Would this work in a brewing application, or would it just be too much of a pain to keep clean?

 

[Dgonza9]

I've been trying to figure out why I get air in my system with the autovent. Mine is install like Rocky's above. I get sputtering and air in mine. When I remove autovent and plug opening it works fine with bleeder valve.

Right now I am feeding the inlet with quick connects that have a lower flow rate than the hard plumbing in my system. Could it be that the autovent sucks air in because it is not getting enough flow to the inlet?

 

[Dgonza9]

Never mind. I just realized that the vacuum breaker tab on my autovent is broken. Need a new one and I should be fine.

 

[alowell]

Where is that vacuum breaker tab? Mine seems to be doing the same thing.

 

[FishFace]

4A821 is the 1/4" version. Just picked one up for some testing.