Pump from kettle to fermenter

[bigliver]

My current method of transferring chilled wort to my fermenter(s) (using 6.5 gallon carboys) is funnel, conical strainer, pot, bend, scoop, pour, repeat. Lately I've added "scream out in pain from my back once I transferred 15 gallons, self-medicate with beer, repeat" to my process.

Getting a pump seems like a great idea at this point as it would speed up the transfer, reduce likely hood of infection, and more importantly remove the "scream out in pain" step, so I can move right on to the self-medication step, repeat process.

Everyone seems to like the march pump. My kettle doesn't have a bottom drain, so I am wondering if I can place the pump below the kettle (its sits on a KAB-4 banjo cooker), run a hose up to the kettle and down into the wort, rig up a by-pass primer and pump the wort up to my carboys?

Thank you,

bl.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

The trouble here is, without a gravity fed spihon, teh March pump has little suction.

 

[bigliver]

Ah, yeah, that would create a problem. Do you have any experience with pumps that might be a good fit for this situation?

 

[broadbill]

I believe the little giant pumps don't have to be primed. Do a search and you'll find reviews and links around here.

How about drilling a hole in the bottom of your kettle and putting in a weldless bulkhead fitting. I bought a cheap step-drill bit off of eBay and got the fitting from Bargain Fittings. 1/2 hour of work and it was all good!

 

[wyzazz]

Just put a ball valve on your pot with a diptube, problem solved.

 

[Catt22]

I believe the little giant pumps don't have to be primed.

All of the Little Giant mag drive pumps require priming as do the March mag drives. I don't know of any exceptions to this.

 

[Catt22]

Just put a ball valve on your pot with a diptube, problem solved.

+1 It's easy and relatively inexpensive to install a port and valve of some kind. Welded or weldless, either will work just fine. I cannot even imagine myself brewing without a drain on my kettle. IMO, it's a must have for anything over maybe 4 gallons max.

 

[3PegBrew]

+1 It's easy and relatively inexpensive to install a port and valve of some kind. Welded or weldless, either will work just fine. I cannot even imagine myself brewing without a drain on my kettle. IMO, it's a must have for anything over maybe 4 gallons max.

I'm planning on upgrading my kettles. I have a 5 and 10 gallon brew kettle. Both I'm planning on adding a weldless or welded spigot. I was really hoping someone knows of pictures or video tutorials or something for my virgin spigot kettle brain.