[chumley]

After 33 years of homebrewing, my back is getting a bit tired of lifting 2-3 gallon pots of water to my mashtun. So, I have decided to buy a pump. I am looking for advice on what to buy.

Some information on how I brew. I have a 3-tier stand, but the top burner gave out years ago, so I have a Coleman Extreme cooler mashtun on the top tier, my brew kettle on the middle tier, and nothing on the lowest tier - that's where I will place the pump on a plywood platform.

I use the brew kettle to heat the strike water, so gravity will feed into the pump to then allow it to pump the strike water to the mashtun. That should be good. After mashing is completed, gravity will allow the wort to flow into the brew kettle. I have a separate propane kettle and pot for heating water for batch sparging. This will require the pump to be able to suck up the sparge water to pump to to the mashtun. Not sure how well that will work for most pumps -  think that needs to be self-priming?

All advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance.   

[denny]

I think you can get away without self priming. A few years back, I bit the bullet and bought a Blichmann Riptide. Never regretted it. They include a valve for easy priming.

[BrewBama]

A cpl yrs ago I came to the same conclusion. It’s just not worth the risk of lifting pots full of hot water IMO.

The problem you’re likely to find with a self priming pump is temperature tolerance. Most (if not all) self priming pumps use a pliable diaphragm to create suction that is not very heat tolerant.

One possible solution is to mount an impeller pump below the liquid level of the lowest vessel while ensuring the highest vessel is within the lift limit.

Several manufacturers have improved upon the original March design (Spike Flow, Blichmann Riptide, etc).

I use a Chuggar Pump retrofitted with a Riptide head and impeller assembly, QD fittings, and an on/off switch that I am very happy with though it is a bit loud. The Riptide head is Stainless and attaches with a Tri-clamp that makes disassembly/assembly for cleaning extremely easy.

[ynotbrusum]

If I am reading this right, your concern is how the water will flow from the pot located on the propane burner to create a flow out of that and into the mash tun for the batch sparge.  I assume the pot does not have a ball valve on it, so you will need to have a tube run from that over the lip of the pot to the pump.  That could be tricky based on the relative heights of the pump and the sparge water vessel.  You might want to elevate the propane burner so that the bottom of the pot is higher than the pump.  Once suction starts, it should continue as long as the tubing stays below the water surface in the pot.  You can start a suction on the end of the tubing that is running from the pump to the mash tun by sucking on the tubing, connecting it to the mash tun and then starting the pump or if you are adventurous, start the pump and have the exit tubing held below the pump level and draining into a separate bucket, proceed to kink the tubing to stop the flow once it starts and then connect to the mash tun inlet.

As to pump types, I like the Topsflo TD 5 and the Anvil Foundry pump set up best, as well as the March pump (in terms of pumps that I have had or used).  I am sure that the Blichmann Riptide is really better, but it also is a bit more expensive (I don't have that one).  The March pump is a bit noisy - just so you know.

[hopfenundmalz]

Blichmann Riptide FtW.

My old March pump is still dependable.

I have a Chugger which is crap. Worst homebrew purchase I have ever made.

[narcout]

I really like these MKII style mag pumps.  They are super quiet and very smooth.

https://www.morebeer.com/search?search=mk+II

[MDL]

I really like these MKII style mag pumps.  They are super quiet and very smooth.

https://www.morebeer.com/search?search=mk+II

I agree. Very smooth and quiet pump. Only issue is the inlet diameter is a bit reduced compared to the March type and can get clogged easier with larger pieces of grain/hops/trub.

[Bob357]

I've been using a 25 watt MKII pump for several years and it's still going strong. I have seen lower wattage models for a few bucks less but have doubts that they are up to the task.

[chumley]

Thanks everyone. Looks like a choice between the Blichmann Riptide and the MKII.  I can elevate my solo propane burner, as I have a large overturned galvanized steel stock tank in my brew area that I use for a table.

[MNWayne]

My Chugger works great, but it has to be primed.

[waltsmalt]

Same here on Chuggers.  I've a pair of center inlet Chuggers for a few years and they have worked well.  That being said, with some of the new pumps from Blichmann and Spike, I'll probably look to those brands when/if I need to replace these.

[brewthru]

I've used March pumps for close to 23 years. So far, no problems. Of course, yearly oil and replace thrust washer when needed.

I highly recommend March pumps! Why? In addition to their dependability, ask March a question and get an answer. Ask them, "Type of gasket in the pump head assembly?". Get an answer allows me to compare prices, etc. March is very upfront about all their pump gaskets, info, etc.

Ask Chugger the same question? Crickets...

Ask March about swapping a SS head assembly for the current polysulphone head assembly. Get a detailed reply.

Ask Chugger the same question? Crickets...

Wait until MB has a percent off sale and purchase a March pump. I believe you'll be happy with the purchase.

[Visor]

Blichmann Riptide FtW.

My old March pump is still dependable.

I have a Chugger which is crap. Worst homebrew purchase I have ever made.

    I realize I'm quite late to the thread, but can you elaborate on why you hate your Chugger pump?
    I think I'm probably at a point where I would benefit from having a pump, I'm wondering if a few of my recipes wouldn't benefit from Vorlaufing before lautering, and also grudgingly recognizing the reality of advancing age-related decrepitude and a re-torn rotator cuff, maybe I shouldn't keep lifting a kettle full of 10 to 12 gallons of near boiling liquid.
   I'd really like to get away with going cheap as I don't anticipate using a pump enough to justify a $200+ expenditure, but that's rarely worked out well for me in the past.

[ynotbrusum]

Here's something no one might have expected to hear...I had such a quiet pump (Topsflo TD -5) that I accidentally left it running dry until it screwed up the bearings and/or impeller.  Now it squeals.  Old age and hard of hearing may suggest getting a louder pump!  Or watching closer to my processes.  Never a day without learning something new...cheers.

[hopfenundmalz]

Blichmann Riptide FtW.

My old March pump is still dependable.

I have a Chugger which is crap. Worst homebrew purchase I have ever made.

    I realize I'm quite late to the thread, but can you elaborate on why you hate your Chugger pump?
    I think I'm probably at a point where I would benefit from having a pump, I'm wondering if a few of my recipes wouldn't benefit from Vorlaufing before lautering, and also grudgingly recognizing the reality of advancing age-related decrepitude and a re-torn rotator cuff, maybe I shouldn't keep lifting a kettle full of 10 to 12 gallons of near boiling liquid.
   I'd really like to get away with going cheap as I don't anticipate using a pump enough to justify a $200+ expenditure, but that's rarely worked out well for me in the past.

It won't pump hot, well warm, liquids. It stops pumping with an audible squawk.  Ive tried all of the recommendations that i can find online. I've not contacted Chugger as I thought I was going to fix it, but after more than a year of dinking with it, it was too late.

I really like my Blichmann pump.