March pumps

[Haish]

Does anyone here use a March pump? Where did you get it?

I'm keen to get a pump and save myself a bit of lifting. Best deal I've found so far is beerbelly in Oz but at A$260 plus shipping its a little pricey. Have contacted the distributor here but they don't have them in stock and haven't got back to me with a price...

[Horace]

Bought 1 from NZ supplier, ended up being considerably more than beerbelly. Bough 1 from them also. Good to deal with.

Have seen an old washing machine pump used to goo effect

[Sinykill]

Got my pump from ibrew.com.au a few months ago for about the same price. the freight was $30 au . the pump is very good, I use polybute fittings and pipe at this point easy to plumb up and change around, haven't had any problem yet

[Horace]

That is a serious chiller

[Haish]

Yeah thats a pretty sweet set up you have. Do you have a filter in your kettle to stop the hops?

I am using a mashmaster chillout (mkII) that you have to run pretty slow to cool to pitching temp, takes about 10-15 mins to cool 23L to 20degC. Should be better with a pump...

Pump distributor got back to me today, $385 + GST. Morebeer looks like the best bet but will be a 4 week wait :(

[denimglen]

I bought one from Morebeer, haven't used it yet though.

Took less than two weeks to get here.

[Haish]

Thats better than they suggest on their website. How are you planning on plumbing it?

[denimglen]

I bought about 3 m of silicon tube from mashmaster.com.au which will be split into two lengths.

One length of hose will be joined to the 'in' the other to the 'out' on the pump. Just with a barbed tail and hose clip. The other two ends will have brass female disconnects with matching male disconnects on all the stuff it needs to plug into.

This is for a single tier, single pump sculpture.

[Sinykill]

yep have a stainless mesh in the bottom of the kettle. I also let it settle for 45 min after the boil stops so generally the wort clear till the last little bit

[studio1]

How do you guys prime your march pumps? I understand the principle of having the outlet lower than pump to bleed to air out - but I'm worried about boiling wort squirting out when whirlpooling.

[Haish]

I just open the valve on my kettle and wait a few seconds while the hose floods with wort, then start the pump. I have my return sitting in the kettle the whole time. It helps to have the pump below the kettle so there is plenty of hysrostatic pressure to flood the hose. No need to have the outlet lower than the pump. As long as you fill the hose from valve to pump with liquid it will prime without issue.