Benifits Of A March Pump Over Gravity Fed.

[daddywillwill]

hey

what are the benifits of a march pump over gravity fed?
Besides the obvious of getting all if not most of the wort out of the kettle.

thanks
Willis

 

[Maple]

For me, the advantage is that everything is all at the same level - easy to see in each stage, and no more lifting! all makes for a bit safer operation (not that all gravity fed systems will be unsafe, just using my own experience on my system with hot water/wort/whatever)

 

[Kleiny]

March pumps just make brewing easier, easier to recirc, easier to vorlauf, easier to shift hot water/wort around, easier to pump cleaning solution through the system, no more lifting etc etc

Im not saying you cant do those things in a grav system im just saying its easier and quicker with the march pump

 

[Adamt]

Similar to the difference between a motorbike and a bicycle...

 

[Maple]

Similar to the difference between a motorbike and a bicycle...

Great analogy. way more fun.

 

[drsmurto]

A well designed gravity fed system doesn't require lifting of hot liquids..... :icon_cheers:

In saying that, i do have a march pump sitting in the brewery but have never used it! h34r:

 

[RussTaylor]

I've finally got my march pump involved in all of my brewing processes. HLT -> Mash -> Kettle -> Fermenter. Bloody fantastic! Makes my day a little easier and quicker.

Benefits for me are that I have all vessels at a reasonable height and it makes the entire process a bit easier and quicker. Completely draining the kettle though without tipping it up is a bonus too.

However, I still break my back emptying the trub into the compost and cleaning out the kettle.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

A gravity fed system vs a pump really comes down to brew stand you design - and what you want to achieve

Personally I've got my brew stand on one level and access is pretty easy to HLT, MT and Kettle

The pump also allows me to recirc easily rather than manually as in a gravity fed system - this isn't a biggy imo

The height required for a gravity fed system could be an issue

Here is a thread about brew stand configuration that may help you to decide which way to go

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...c=27934&hl=

Cheers

 

[HoppingMad]

A well designed gravity fed system doesn't require lifting of hot liquids..... :icon_cheers:

In saying that, i do have a march pump sitting in the brewery but have never used it! h34r:

+1. I have a 3 tier gravity system and don't lift anything hot, get all my boiled wort easily out of the kettle and am yet to invest in a pump, but may get one in the future.

My reasoning for this is:
- I want to get my brewing as good as it can be and learn the limitations of my system first (I'm a 1st year AG'er).
- A pump is another thing to clean and maintain and I do enough of that with what I have already.

Before you grab one, ask yourself if it's 100% necessary for you at your stage of brewing experience before leaping in. It might be for you, but for me it isn't right now. For Smurto, it sounds like he thought it would be handy - but hasn't used his yet - so there's a lesson in that.

I'm not bagging pumps outright - I would like one eventually (emptying cubes of water into my top tier HLT is a bitch on a ladder), but for now I can do everything a pump can do other than pouring the cold water in with my 3 tier gravity set-up.

Hopper.

 

[Ross]

A well designed gravity fed system doesn't require lifting of hot liquids..... :icon_cheers:

In saying that, i do have a march pump sitting in the brewery but have never used it! h34r:

Ditto B)

I have a hoist fitted within my brew rig to lift my kettle for the final runoff into the fermenter



Cheers Ross

 

[Fents]

hahaha ross is that a boat winch? one on my boat looks identical. great idea.

 

[katzke]

With a pump and the right setup you can heat your mash with out using a burner.

As also stated you can circulate the wort until it is clear.

 

[Ross]

hahaha ross is that a boat winch? one on my boat looks identical. great idea.

Yes, a boat winch - It hoists up the burner & kettle guided by the white runners - works a treat.


cheers Ross

 

[absinthe]

i use a cheaper type of pump and have had no problems with it so far its not rates to the temps of the march pumps but the houseing hardly even gets warm even at mash-out temps.. but i dont pump boiling wort threw it in run the pump after the chiller

its this guy:

http://www.clicktobuy.com.au/store/md-40-m...head-p-124.html

 

[Yeastie Beastie]

In saying that, i do have a march pump sitting in the brewery but have never used it! h34r:

??? Sell ??? :unsure:

 

[Wortgames]

I love my pump and I'd be lost without it now. It runs for most of the brewday.

During the mash, it circulates runoff through a copper coil in the HLT, maintaining temperature, mixing up the enzymes, and setting a nice filter bed.

For sparging, I just redirect the output into the kettle.

After sparging I turn it off for the boil, but then it goes back on at about the 5 minute mark to circulate the boiling wort and sanitize the coil in the HLT.

At flameout I just fill the HLT with cold water and let it overflow slowly, and it becomes my counterflow chiller.

When the chill is finished I redirect the output into my fermenter (which can already be in place in the fridge).

Afterwards, I pump hot napisan through everything for about half an hour, followed by a warm water rinse.


It removes a lot of the stress, timing issues and heavy lifting from the process :super: