Stainless or Poly for March pumps?

[nicholaswebber13]

Hi Everyone!

I am looking for some input from some of you who have had experience with March pumps in your homebrewing adventures. I am making an electric brewery and it has come down to me deciding which pumps Ide like to use. Im only doing 10 gallon batches so the normal size works fine (dont need anything beefy) but I looooove stainless. So as you can imagine or maybe already know, the regular poly head march pumps run anywhere from $150-$170 and the SS ones go for nearly $400 each and I need TWO of them! Have any of you found any problems using the poly head pumps or any particular benefits to using one over the other? Any input is greatly appreciated, THANKS!

 

[maida7]

I have a poly head chugger pump and it does a good job for 10 gallon batches

 

[nicholaswebber13]

Any off flavors or trouble cleaning? Ive heard its just not as easy to sanitize and its less durable.

 

[maida7]

I don't have any problems. I recirculate some boiling wort thru it to sanitize. When I finish brewing I rinse it out with a hose before putting it away. Never been an issue with cleaning. No off flavors. I would avoid hitting it with a hammer but it's not fragile. I don't know what is the advantage of stainless.

BTW the chugger brand pumps are the same design as march but are made in Asia and cost less.

 

[iijakii]

I bought the poly pump, don't regret it. I spent $5 on poly couplers just so incase I overtightened my camlocks or whatever and ****ed the threads the pump would be fine.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Mine appear to be brass. Got them for 10 dollarbucks on ebay. Probably the best investment I ever made apart from that particularly bendy hooker in Cape town.

No off flavours by the way. Not with the march pump anyway.

 

[nicholaswebber13]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Feel free to add more input. Iijakii thats a good idea about the threads. I hadnt even though of that. I might go for something metal just to avoid that.