Why do people run more than one pump?

[aprichman]

Is there any reason to use more than one pump if you're not fly sparging? Right now I'm using gravity (and my back) so I'm a bit of a pump newbie, but I'm struggling to see the point of using 2 pumps if you're batch sparging. Am I missing something? Here's what I was thinking:

1.) HLT -> Mash tun (dough in and let sit for ~1 hour)
2.) Mash tun -> Mash tun (recirculate mash at slow speed for ~3-4 minutes to clear mash and increase efficiency)
3.) Mash tun -> Boil Kettle (could start to bringing first runnings to a boil)
4.) HLT -> Mash tun (stir mash bed vigorously, let sit for ~5 minutes to let grain bed settle again)
5.) Mash tun -> Mash tun (recirculate batch sparge for ~10 minutes)
6.) Mash tun -> Boil Kettle (boil batch for 60-90 minutes)
7.) HLT -> HLT (cycle near boiling water through pump and tubing for ~5 minutes to sanitize everything before step 8
8.) Boil Kettle -> Boil Kettle (Whirlpool while using an IC to chill)
9.) HLT -> HLT (cycle near boiling water through pump for ~5 minutes to sanitize everything before step 10)
10.) Boil Kettle -> Carboy (use an IC to chill wort, pump straight into the carboy)

Is it feasible that I could use a chugger pump equipped with a ball valve and bleed valve on the output like this?

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

Question 1: No
Question 2: No
Question 3: Yes

 

[aprichman]

Is there a reason why people choose to fly sparge instead of doing a recirculated batch sparge?

 

[Bobbybob]

What I use my second pump for is recirculating the HLT while I am pumping thru my herms coil. Gives me better heat transfer.

 

[herc1354]

On my system...

Pump one is the HLT Recirc as I have a HERMS coil in my HLT.

Pump two is the Mash Recirc/transfer

Pump three ( new upgrade for 2016) is for the BK, used as a whirlpool/transfer. I use an immersion wort chiller, the pump circulates hot Wort around the coils for faster cooling.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Some as above, I use a small pump to recirculate the HLT through a heat exchange coil. Pump 2 recirculates the mash and pumps wort into the boil kettle. Pump 3 is for pumping boiled wort through the plate chiller into the fermenter.

Do you need more than one pump? no.
The biggest advantage though is being able to do double batches, starting the mash on batch two as soon as you've finished sparging batch 1.

BTW, whilst three pumps might sound excessive, they only cost a bit over $100 total for all three (Australian, more like $70 US), and they've all done close to 100 batches with no signs of stopping. Pump 1 and 3 are these http://kegking.com.au/high-temp-micro-12v-direct-drive-brown-pump.html, mash pump is one of these http://kegking.com.au/mkii-high-temperature-magnetic-drive-pump-1-1-amp.html

 

[eric19312]

Do you need more than one pump? no.
The biggest advantage though is being able to do double batches, starting the mash on batch two as soon as you've finished sparging batch 1.
http://kegking.com.au/mkii-high-temperature-magnetic-drive-pump-1-1-amp.html

+1 to this

a second pump cuts about 90 min off my brew day when I do a double batch since I can be mashing / lautering batch #2 at same time I am whirlpool / chilling batch #1. I do use gravity to feed from HLT to MLT during fly sparge. I guess other reason people use 2 pumps is brutus style system with all vessels on a single level. Then fly sparging requires 2 pumps/

 

[muels]

Single tier system. I use one to pump from the hlt to the mash tun and one to pump from the mash tun to the bk. With a hose reroute the second one also whirlpools. I gravity feed through the plate chiller. I could get by without the first one but I don't have to scoop hot water 2-3 quarts at a time to the mash tun.