Pump

[Soren]

I have decided I ned a pump. It needs to pump boiling wort and be sturdy. Flowrate, maybe 5L/min or so, maybe less can do it, I don't know...? I would like to be able to whirlpool with it eventually.

Craftbrewer has got a couple but with shipping that will probably get pricey:

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=2969
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=909

Can I get something like this locally?

What do you guys use, is it good and where can I get it?

Cheers

[vdog]

Haven't got one, but would like one... I've heard that washing machine and dishwasher pumps are good for it because they can handle hot liquids - maybe try appliance servicing places?

[denimglen]

Are they food grade inside and handle 100C plus?

I've got one sitting in the garage and was just planning on using it for pump ice water for chilling.

[Steve Baker]

I imagine a dishwasher pump would be food safe and handle 100C.

The tricky bit would be figuring out which part to order:
http://www.primedistributors.co.nz/parts.php

[James P]

Steve, how about this one:

Product Code: 1240794113
Description: PUMP RECIRCULATIING
Stock: Backorder
Retail Price: $105.18 incl GST

That may be a washing machine one though...

[JoKing]

I went into a Fisher & Paykel repair centre to get one of these. When I eyeballed it... I decided against it for a number of reasons.

First, you'd need to install a capacitor between your power outlet and the pump (to make it start).

Second was the entire pump: housing, fixtures, impeller and motor housing is made out of a nylon type of plastic.

Finally was the fittings on the inlet and outlet. There is no thread, the inlet was 30mm dia with about 10mm of nipple, and the outlet was 20mm woithout a nipple... but it was quite long.

They wanted over a hundy for it... and it would have cost a fair bit more to convert it to something workable. I ended up just getting one off trademe.

[denimglen]

I'm using that march pump. Have been very happy with it so far. Have built a whirlpool chiller but haven't used it yet.

I had a quick look locally but couldn't find anything and when the exchange rate was good that same pump from MoreBeer was the go for me.

[vdog]

Just spotted this on trademe: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Building-renovation/Plumbing-gas/Water-cyl.... Not sure whether this would be suitable or not, but it's not massively expensive and looks like it'd be the goods as far as temperature and flow rate. Would have to ask the guy whether it's food safe, but would presume so given that it's for domestic drinking water applications.

[JoKing]

Just make sure it is a positive displacement impeller and not a centrifugal impeller. The latter works fine, but isn't very kind to your wort. For pumping water - it's fine... I nearly got one of those ones for my wort... but didn't in the end.

[Soren]

I don't know if its that expensive, a March pump from craftbrewer is AUD260, but it might be better for homebrew...? has anyone tried a circulator pump like this?

Max flow 35 L/min... that should create some mighty whirlpool in my kettle:)

[denimglen]

I'm using a march pump, stoked with it.

Never believe those pump flow rates, never true.

[aldee]

I priced 2 march pumps from an NZ supplier,nil stock but will add to their next order and was quoted $799 incl gst. each.

Craftbrewer @ $269 oz for 1 pump works out to be NZ$358 incl freight & insurance.
I suppose I'll be up for gst ? so thats around $403 each landed,hopefully without any extra costs.

anyone been through this exercise lately?

[Haish]

I went through this exercise a year ago, and the best deal was morebeer. The NZ distributor was $385+GST, and with the exchange rate morebeer was the best deal, better than Australia.

Another thing to consider is mounting it, the morebeer pumps don't require a bracket, whereas I think the craftbrewer ones do.

Do you really need two march pumps? I find one is fine, for batch sparging anyway. If you want to pump cooling water then use a cheaper submersible pump.