[Stevie]

Are you using disconnects? If so, what type? Links? Is there a leak causing cavitation?

Are you expecting a huge vortex when you should be expecting a decent stir? Is the wort moving at all?

[rtemplen]

I am not using disconnects. The 5/8" short length silicone hosing is simply slipped over the 5/8" barbs and held in place with hose clamps tightly. No visible movement is seen on the top of the wort unless a leaf (or something similar) is placed on top of the liquid and then it would take ~8-10s to travel the circumference of the kettle back to its starting position. I would like a vortex to be enough to generate the purpose of a whirlpool, which is to drop material in the work into a cone in the bottom center of the kettle. Currently the 809 HS and this 30 gallon kettle combination do not provide this whirlpool effect.

[Stevie]

It might just be too much pressure for the pump. Try in series with your buddies chugger. Out of march plumbed to the in of the chugger.

Is there a way to restrict the out flow inside the kettle?


Larger pumps do exist, but carry a premium price.

I have a 16 gallon kettle and get a solid whirlpool of going without fail.

Email March or Northern Brewer to see what the recommend.

[rtemplen]

I asked in the store last weekend at Midwest Supplies (same company as Northern Brewer) when picking up yeast for the Surly AHA wort release. 5 or 6 of their staff was stumped with this problem and stated they do not sell a larger pump. They started googling on their phones to now avail, hence while I am giving this forum a try for my first time. I am not sure what you are referring to be restricting flow inside the kettle. There is a ball valve on the outlet port of the kettle (like most kettles) and a ball valve on the input port (tangential port), also on the outlet side of my pump I have a ball valve, these are all wide open and 1/2" or 5/8" if I recall.

Any additional advice is welcome. Thank you!

[Stevie]

I mean the port on the inside. Like putting your thumb over a hose creates a smaller higher pressure stream. Maybe the stream is too large with little oomph behind it.

MoreBeer sells a large pump and I know March makes pumps that cover many brewery volumes.

[walteratmarchpump]

First thing i would do is change your outlet line to 1/2" ID....the output of our pumps are spec'd according to that line size.....so going bigger may help in less friction but keep i mind you then have to fight against the weight of the fluid in the line at the same time. So going smaller in your case may help keep the velocity of the fluid up and help start the whirlpool faster. Another option would be to upgrade your impeller to the 815 model. The 809-HS pumps and the 815 pumps are virtually the same other then the impellers inside them. so that impeller change would be able to boost the output head height from 12' up to about 18' so it in essence would gain you an extra 2.6psi over what you can make right now.
Any other questions feel free to email me at work wwojcik at marchpump dot com (i spelled it so the email harvesters would get it )

[rtemplen]

Hi Walter I sent you an email last week with some additional questions, please let me know if you did not receive it.

[walteratmarchpump]

Hi Walter I sent you an email last week with some additional questions, please let me know if you did not receive it.

I usually reply to emails the same day unless its over the weekend...so if you didnt get a reply from me by now then i must have not got it....did you send it to my email or to one off the website? If it went to sales then it may not have been directed back to me....

[rbowers]

Uncovered an issue with my pump the last two brew days.  I have a chugger SS head pump (hope this threads ok, not a march pump?).  The pump has worked great for 5+ years but the last two runs it will periodically stop pumping fluid though I still hear the motor running.  It seems to go to a higher pitch when this happens.  I turn it off, give it a few minutes rest, and it works again- for awhile, until the same process happens again.  I have an electric single tier setup and continuously recirc thru the entire mash with a heat exchanger in the HLT.  I did do a hop stand at 190 x 30min the first brew day it malfunctioned.  Could cycling the extra high temps for so long have damaged it?  Figure it’s time to take it apart and see what’s potentially going on inside.

[walteratmarchpump]

Uncovered an issue with my pump the last two brew days.  I have a chugger SS head pump (hope this threads ok, not a march pump?).  The pump has worked great for 5+ years but the last two runs it will periodically stop pumping fluid though I still hear the motor running.  It seems to go to a higher pitch when this happens.  I turn it off, give it a few minutes rest, and it works again- for awhile, until the same process happens again.  I have an electric single tier setup and continuously recirc thru the entire mash with a heat exchanger in the HLT.  I did do a hop stand at 190 x 30min the first brew day it malfunctioned.  Could cycling the extra high temps for so long have damaged it?  Figure it’s time to take it apart and see what’s potentially going on inside.

Hard to diagnose without seeing it first hand....but i would guess you have a sugar buildup inside the bore of the impeller and when it heats up it chokes out the liquid and seizes on the shaft enough to de-couple the magnets. Take it apart and clean the impeller really good....you can also drill out the bore of the impeller with a 17/64" drill bit to let more liquid in between the impeller and the shaft for better lubrication.

[denny]

Walter, my pump is working great but the thrust washer has been lost.  I've been running it without since the shipping for a washer is significantly more than the part itself.  Are there any options other than ordering one from you?

[walteratmarchpump]

Walter, my pump is working great but the thrust washer has been lost.  I've been running it without since the shipping for a washer is significantly more than the part itself.  Are there any options other than ordering one from you?

Sure...go to the hardware store and find yourself a stainless washer with a 1/4" ID hole and the smallest OD you can find so it doesn't block the inlet hole inside the pump and you should be good to go. I'd bring the pump head with the shaft installed with you so you can trial fit the washers onsite

[denny]

Walter, my pump is working great but the thrust washer has been lost.  I've been running it without since the shipping for a washer is significantly more than the part itself.  Are there any options other than ordering one from you?

Sure...go to the hardware store and find yourself a stainless washer with a 1/4" ID hole and the smallest OD you can find so it doesn't block the inlet hole inside the pump and you should be good to go. I'd bring the pump head with the shaft installed with you so you can trial fit the washers onsite

Thank you sir!

[brewthru]

Not a question, but a compliment! March Pumps kick butt (meant in a good way). Chugger pumps don't come close.

Do wish I was able to purchase just the SS inlet for my March pump H315.

[walteratmarchpump]

You can buy any individual part you might need. If you currently have the plastic version and want to change to the stainless then you would need the stainless housing, a new o-ring, and the shaft as they are different between the two versions. But all the rest of the parts would be re-used. You can find breakdowns on our website marchpumpDOTcom, click on the "Pumps" tab at the top and then scroll down to the 809-HS versions. The look for the 809-SS-HS-C (for the center inlet style) or the regular 809-SS-HS for the inline version. You can click on the link and then under "Pump Curves and Installation Sheets" you will find the "Pump Manual" and you can see a breakdown of how the pump is put together and the individual parts for it.
Unfortunatly you would need to go through a distributor to purchase as we do not sell direct

Hope that helps

And Thanks for the compliment!

-Walter