Pump for xfering water from Aquatainer

[mongoose33]

I fill a 7-gallon aquatainer with RO water during my brew days; next time I brew I xfer the water to the kettle and go.

While I can pick that up onto a metal table and fill a few pitchers to transfer into the kettle until it becomes light enough to pick up and pour directly, that's a little bit of a struggle. I've had two back surgeries and with my move to 10-gallon batches I'll need a way to move water effectively that doesn't require lifting. Don't want to lift any more than I have to.

Anyway, I'm looking for a pump that can move water from the aquatainer to either pitchers or directly into the kettle.

I think I have two options: one is to drop a submersible pump down into the aquatainer; the other is to use a self-priming pump from which I'd just drop a supply tube into the aquatainer.

Looking for ideas and feedback.

1. Here's a submersible pump I could use, but it's run on 12v DC. Seems like it would work, but I'd need a 12v power source. Short of a 12v battery, what's a good option fiscally for such a power source? It's a little pricey but looks like it would work.

Alternatively, a different submersible might work as long as it can be dropped down the open spout of the aquatainer.

2. I could also use a self-priming pump; one advantage is I might be able to use it in other contexts. They seem pricier generally but it would be simpler to use one, I think. I can't find one online that seems cheap enough (sub $40) that also is either apparently food safe or effective enough. Any ideas here?

Here's one that seems like it would work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074MZYS37/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 The only issue with it is a 1.2 gpm flow rate. I'd like 2-3 gpm.

3. I've also thought about changing my water "tank" to something that might hold 15+ gallons. No particular ideas on that; any suggestions?

EDITED TO ADD:

Here's what the space looks like. I'm brewing in a pretty constricted space, so there aren't many options other than to have the aquatainer where it is. Or a larger container of some sort.

 

[Keith81]

Possibly an aquarium pump if you go the submersible route. I have a few that work on 120V. Another possibility is if you can install a ball valve on the aquatainer then you could use a brew pump if you already have one. Not sure if that would work or not, I'm not familiar with the aquatainer.

 

[mongoose33]

Possibly an aquarium pump if you go the submersible route. I have a few that work on 120V. Another possibility is if you can install a ball valve on the aquatainer then you could use a brew pump if you already have one. Not sure if that would work or not, I'm not familiar with the aquatainer.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/140306-reliance-aqua-tainer-fresh-water-container.html

Sorry, should have included a pic.

 

[Keith81]

I measured my aquarium pumps and unfortunately they are too large to fit in there.

 

[day_trippr]

wrt the power requirement of that cylindrical submersible, the specs state 12VDC @ 2.2A max draw, so something like this power brick would work...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DKSI0S8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Cheers!

 

[tll77]

What about elevating the aquatainer and plumbing the RO to a float valve?

like this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012DU0ZAO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Then gravity feeding out of the aquatainer to the kettle.

 

[mongoose33]

What about elevating the aquatainer and plumbing the RO to a float valve?

like this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012DU0ZAO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Then gravity feeding out of the aquatainer to the kettle.

Unfortunately, the space won't allow it:

 

[Ki-ri-n]

Unfortunately, the space won't allow it:

View attachment 610804

Could you use this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00439I86C/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Or plumb a brewing pump to a fitting on the aqua container?

Remember my thread on switching to RO and looking for an elegant solution? I have a float valve that I move to my boil kettle (up and over a wall through a drop celine). Classy. When I get more funds I might try the 20 gallon RO tank.

 

[Vale71]

I'd advise against using AC powered pumps as with water you're never 100% safe. The worst that could happen with a DC powered pump is that you blow the power supply and have to buy a replacement.
The self-priming pump that you linked works well but is rather noisy and slow (I use one to drain my decanted starters of liquid without disturbing the yeast), the submersible one is not as noisy and has higher throughput as well. I used the latter for my glycol chiller but switched it out against a smaller one as the flow was way too high for that application and now it just sits in a drawer as a spare part.

 

[tll77]

I would be hesitant to use a submersible pump in my product water, that's just my opinion.

How about one of these?
https://www.google.com/search?q=flo...j0j4&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

I'm not sure it will fit the Aquitainer you are using but it is self-priming, it fits a typical five gallon carboy quite well and automatically stops the pump when the water runs too low(reed switch in a float). It also has a pressure switch so it can be plumbed to a faucet and will operate the pump when the faucet is opened.

 

[mongoose33]

Some very interesting ideas here. I ended up going in the direction of @day_trippr with the following:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FT87XJY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

The pump is listed at 2 gpm, which is about the rate I wanted a pump to produce. I fill gallon water jugs as well as the aquatainer and that would allow me to easily fill them quickly.

I needed a power supply. Here's what I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073QTNF9F/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I ran the hot wire for the pump through a simple switch so I could easily control it on and off. Here's what it looks like installed:

I've run it and it works fine. I still have some work to do on getting the tubing to stay in the aquatainer, probably will do something like attach it to a piece of straight stock. I also want to figure a way to easily remove the output line other than unscrewing the brass barb; the pump's outlet is threaded plastic, and I can't see that lasting forever.

Best of all, I can transfer 7 gallons from an aquatainer in 3.5 minutes, and no worries about picking it up.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[magee_b]

Been looking for something like this! I normally keep 2-3 aquatainers filled with my brewing water, and lifting them has become a real pain.

 

[mongoose33]

Here's an update on this. I moved the pump over so the end would not extend past the bench so I wouldn't inadvertantly bump it while moving around.

I still have one more adjustment to make, and that's probably going to be putting an elbow on the output side so the output tubing can point up and then be coiled under the bench and out of the way.

I used it yesterday; had one hiccup I want to note for anyone else that does this. I couldn't get the pump to draw well; had bubbles in the output side flow. Took me a minute or two to figure out one of the hoses on the input side wasn't seated fully into the john guest fitting, and the pump was drawing air through it. I reseated it and it worked perfectly.

The one thing I keep looking for is an easy quick disconnect type of thing so it's easy to remove the dip (input) tubing and store it. I'm thinking about something like the quick disconnects that are used on systems for glycol tubing.

 

[jimfire85]

I used this tank, for rv fresh water storage, has two 1/2 npt threaded holes on it. Bought fittings that my RO system runs into and I pump it out using the little tan pump everyone talks about. I had a spinal surgery a few years ago for cauda equina , laminectomy with a side of discectomy on the l4/l5 so lifting heavy **** is off my list of things to do. Here's a link to the tank and a pic of the setup.
https://www.classacustoms.com/16-Gallon-Fresh-Gray-Water-Holding-Tank_p_32.html

 

[Ki-ri-n]

So that tank has to be vented. Is there a problem with tanks that have to be vented vs a pressure tank where venting isny an issue? Does it depend on how fast you plan on using the water?

 

[jimfire85]

So that tank has to be vented. Is there a problem with tanks that have to be vented vs a pressure tank where venting isny an issue? Does it depend on how fast you plan on using the water?

Sorry, forgot to mention that. I drilled a hole on the top 3/8 perhaps? Large enough to jam one of those hepa filters you would use for a sanitary siphon. Keeps any potential nasties out and vents just fine. The RO system fills slow enough that it's not going to out produce the capability of the filter to vent any pressure.