Questions about March Pumps answered by the Factory!

[shortyjacobs]

I'd be more concerned about toxicity than off-flavors... is it food-safe?

Before it's cured, no. After it's cured, it's generally regarded as safe. MSDSs and tech sheets on the cured product indicate this, but I don't think they specifically call it food safe. Regardless, a lot of brewers use it in intimate contact with their beer.

 

[acefaser]

Best setup would be to have the outlet pointing up with inlet on the bottom. This way air travels up and out of the pump all the time.

-Walter

Thanks, I will swap them and see how much better it works. I did have a few problems with the bubbles, but once primed they ran fine.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Walter,

I have two 809 pumps and one has recently seemed to have flow troubles. It's the wort side of my brewing rig rather than the water side, so based on your earlier advice I opened it up for a full cleaning. The impeller seemed to spin a lot easier afterwards, but I'm still having some flow issues. I'll probably try drilling it out to 17/64 before my next brew day, but my backup plan will be to convert it internally to an 815, as I think that'll better handle the wort.

Can you provide a list of all the part numbers I'd need to convert an 809 into an 815? I don't think I've seen that previously in the thread.

 

[pola0502ds]

Walter,

I have two 809 pumps and one has recently seemed to have flow troubles. It's the wort side of my brewing rig rather than the water side, so based on your earlier advice I opened it up for a full cleaning. The impeller seemed to spin a lot easier afterwards, but I'm still having some flow issues. I'll probably try drilling it out to 17/64 before my next brew day, but my backup plan will be to convert it internally to an 815, as I think that'll better handle the wort.

Can you provide a list of all the part numbers I'd need to convert an 809 into an 815? I don't think I've seen that previously in the thread.

Its in this thread but not very clear. Id be interested in hearing this too

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

You can only convert the 809-HS models to the 815. They spin at 3500rpms. The standard 809 spins at 1750 and the 815 impeller wont work the same way. Anywany all you need is one part# 0809-0107-0200 and your done...all the rest of your parts can be reused.

-Walter

 

[pola0502ds]

Do you have a link or website to buy direct from?

I bought my march pump from Midwest and they don't like a actual part number, is this the 809-hs?


March Seal-less Pump - High Temperature

Product Number: 8794
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/march-seal-less-pump-high-temperature.html

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Thanks Walter!

Pola, I just checked my pump itself, and it has the original label on it calling out the 809 HS number. Unless Midwest pulled the original label off, you might be able to tell.

 

[pola0502ds]

Thank you sir

 

[Andynewbom]

OK so I used the pump for the first time. It works GREAT with cold water. It does not work at all with hot wert. I am pretty sure that the culprit was air in the line and not enough priming which I will fix tomorrow. (thanks to this forum and Walter)
however the pump runs VERY hot and the fan has never turned on. it is brand new and I only used it today for one batch plus lots of test tuns with water and sanitizer.

When does the fan turn on? is it only when hot or always? should the motor body be hot to the touch?

 

[shortyjacobs]

OK so I used the pump for the first time. It works GREAT with cold water. It does not work at all with hot wert. I am pretty sure that the culprit was air in the line and not enough priming which I will fix tomorrow. (thanks to this forum and Walter)
however the pump runs VERY hot and the fan has never turned on. it is brand new and I only used it today for one batch plus lots of test tuns with water and sanitizer.

When does the fan turn on? is it only when hot or always? should the motor body be hot to the touch?

Motor is always quite warm, especially after extended running, but that fan should always turn with the motor on....I think it runs off the driveshaft of the motor...

 

[pola0502ds]

is there any danger in exposing additional heat to the pumps while they are running producing their own heat? My pumps get additional heat from my burners. I have heat shields around the pumps to help divert the heat.

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

Do you have a link or website to buy direct from?

I bought my march pump from Midwest and they don't like a actual part number, is this the 809-hs?


March Seal-less Pump - High Temperature

Product Number: 8794
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/march-seal-less-pump-high-temperature.html

We do not sell direct so you could just log onto our website and find a local distributor near you to get any parts you may need.

-Walter

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

OK so I used the pump for the first time. It works GREAT with cold water. It does not work at all with hot wert. I am pretty sure that the culprit was air in the line and not enough priming which I will fix tomorrow. (thanks to this forum and Walter)
however the pump runs VERY hot and the fan has never turned on. it is brand new and I only used it today for one batch plus lots of test tuns with water and sanitizer.

When does the fan turn on? is it only when hot or always? should the motor body be hot to the touch?

The fans on these motors are attached to the shaft of the motor on the inside...and should ALWAYS be turning when the motor is turned on. It maybe the fan has sepperated from its fixture.....but most times when that happens is make anannoying racket due to it bouncing around inside.

-Walter

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

is there any danger in exposing additional heat to the pumps while they are running producing their own heat? My pumps get additional heat from my burners. I have heat shields around the pumps to help divert the heat.

Depends on how hot you are getting it. The motors are built to run continously in ambient temps of 104*F without any problems. The motor itself will usually run and gennerate its own heat anywhere from 100*F all the way up to as hot a 140*F and still work. Hotter then that and you will probably need to oil the motor bearings (if your motor has it) more often as the heat may cause it to seep out. Also the High Speed motors have a thermal overload built in to them so if they do get too hot it will shut off the motor till it cools down enough to reset.

-Walter

 

[jsguitar]

I just bought a March 809 HS used and was wondering if I can take the whole thing apart. It looks likes it's had a wort spill possibly and has some rust in the motor housing. It works fine, but I'd like to clean the rust and gunk out. Thanks.

EDIT: I was able to take the back off of the body by using some needle nose pliers to get the clips off. I then took out the fan/shaft and cleaned all of that. It was hard to get to the front of the motor since I didn't see a way to get the front of the body off, but I just stuck a piece of a scrubby with some bar keeper's friend in there and used a screw driver to get most the rust and stuff out of there. I oiled it really good and got the clips back on with a tap of a hammer. Looks much better and runs well.

I found a cockroach behind the head!

 

[rellot]

subscribed, no questions yet, but just bought one off morebeer.com

Thanks Walter for being a resource for us homebrewers! :rockin:

This thread was helpful in deciding which brand pump to go with. I have access to good info about this pump, why would I go with a different brand?

 

[Starderup]

We bought two 315HF pumps and they pump like crazy. If you don't have hold of the end of your tubing, they will whip around like a firehose. Don't ask how we found out.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I had posted a while back about having flow issues on my wort side pump, and had tried completely washing out the impeller assembly, thinking that it was getting gummed up and not spinning well. That didn't work.

It is a pump I've had 2-3 years, so my next thought was that maybe it was running a bit dry. So I oiled it. It pumps just like new!

So, if you have had your pump a while, and if it's the type that has oiling holes, you might just want to give it a try every year or so.

 

[Irrenarzt]

Your language implies that not all have oiling holes? I've never noticed holes on mine but if they are there and I'm missing them, I'd like to locate them so I can oil the pumps. Anyone have a pic of said holes?

 

[shortyjacobs]

Your language implies that not all have oiling holes? I've never noticed holes on mine but if they are there and I'm missing them, I'd like to locate them so I can oil the pumps. Anyone have a pic of said holes?

See this pic from this post. Red circles for oil holes, note also the arrows on the label that say "oil" and point at the holes. If yours says "oil" and points at those holes, put a few drops in each one, (don't drown the damn thing).

 

[Irrenarzt]

Cool thanks. Any recs for what type of oil?

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Cool thanks. Any recs for what type of oil?

Typical 3-in-1 machine oil is what I used. For $3 at the hardware store, you'll have more than a lifetime supply of it (for march pump application, anyway!)...

 

[Irrenarzt]

Thanks I'm going to take a closer look and see if I have these holes and if so, give it a re oil.

 

[pola0502ds]

Very cool, thanks for pointing that out.

Besides 2-3 years of oiling, how often should it really be oiled?

Should it be oiled more often if it is close to a source of heat when it runs?

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

Wow, I go away for a week on vacation and the forum gets busy!

jsguitar, sounds like you have it under control, but for the average person taking the motor apart is not recommended. Its above most peoples heads to get inside there and start fiddling with them. If you go to our website you can see how the pump is all put together with the motor. If you took the entire assembly apart and still cant get the rotor/shaft assembly out of the motor then there probably a small bur on the shaft from the set screw holding it from coming out completely. File that down and you can get it all apart.

Also about the oiling holes.....not all the motors have them. Only the motors that have sleeve bearings have the oiling holes. If your motor does not have them then most likely you have the motor with sealed ball bearings and it doesn't require any oiling.

-Walter

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

Very cool, thanks for pointing that out.

Besides 2-3 years of oiling, how often should it really be oiled?

Should it be oiled more often if it is close to a source of heat when it runs?

it realy depends on the environment. If dusty, then maybe twice a year if you use it alot. MOst people will only oil them like once a year with 2-4 drops of any light weight machine oil or 3-in-1 oil.

-Walter

 

[cfrazier77]

Walter, I have a question about your bronze heads. Someone on another post said that they are not food safe as they contain lead and zinc. I have never heard of this being an issue before. My pump does have the bronze head, is this safe to use for beer? It is a 809-BR-HS 115V. Thanks.

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

I am no expert on the subject so i couldnt tell you one way or the other. Our bronze pump heads do contain up to 6% lead in the castings. They are made for us by the Kohler corp. They make faucets and all sorts of plumbing fixtures you will find in most homes. The thing to remember is that when useing your home fixtures, you will probably never see temps in them higher then 135* from the hot water coming out of your water heater. So what effect boiling water will have on leaching lead out of the bronze i honestly dont know. For the short bursts that homebrewing does, i doubt it will be anything to worry about....but, i would always be wondering in the back of my mind about it unless i found some good info somewhere to put me at ease...

 

[trev5501]

The fans on these motors are attached to the shaft of the motor on the inside...and should ALWAYS be turning when the motor is turned on. It maybe the fan has sepperated from its fixture.....but most times when that happens is make anannoying racket due to it bouncing around inside.

-Walter

Walter, I have two pumps on my system. One of my pumps operates fairly quitely however the other one makes the "annoying racket" sound you described above. It pumps fine, but I hate running it because it is so loud. Is there at way that I can fix this? What do you suggest I do?

Thanks,
Trevor

 

[WalterAtMarchPump]

Walter, I have two pumps on my system. One of my pumps operates fairly quitely however the other one makes the "annoying racket" sound you described above. It pumps fine, but I hate running it because it is so loud. Is there at way that I can fix this? What do you suggest I do?

Thanks,
Trevor

Send it back to me. Will only cost you to the one way to me....i will take it apart and see what i can do with it. Most times these fans are installed with a set screw...maybe yours is loose.

-Walter