I would be hitting the supplier up for a full refund since they cannot resolve the issue. March pumps have the long term reliability, and Kaixin (about $60) are the other ones which seems reliable. I run a March on my 3V and a Kaixin on my 1V and neither have ever played up (touch wood).
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Six! Je-sus. Perhaps you can put them on Evilbuy and get enough money for a couple of March pumps. 
I'm not sure of anything else on the market that is as reliable as March, they are very good. I've had them for years, so long I can't recall where I got them. Melbourne distributor I think. Their rep is a AHB member.
Edit. Found him. SpecialK. His name is Karl and he was active on a pump thread in May this year.
I'm not sure of anything else on the market that is as reliable as March, they are very good. I've had them for years, so long I can't recall where I got them. Melbourne distributor I think. Their rep is a AHB member.Edit. Found him. SpecialK. His name is Karl and he was active on a pump thread in May this year.
angus_grant
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Hmm, perhaps not sounding good.
My vessel leak tests were successful over the weekend so I will be wiring up the heating element tonight and running some hot water tests on my pump. It has certainly performed without a problem on ambient water for longer than an hour. The pump body gets way too hot to touch just with ambient water and running for about 15 minutes, so hot water can't improve the situation.
I'll be programming pump rests into my software but I would certainly like to choose when that happens as opposed to the pump cutting out and then being usable again at some random point in the future. And the pump rest is more about the grain bed than giving the pump a rest.
I'll post up my test results once completed.
Do March pumps get too hot to touch when running for extended periods?
My vessel leak tests were successful over the weekend so I will be wiring up the heating element tonight and running some hot water tests on my pump. It has certainly performed without a problem on ambient water for longer than an hour. The pump body gets way too hot to touch just with ambient water and running for about 15 minutes, so hot water can't improve the situation.
I'll be programming pump rests into my software but I would certainly like to choose when that happens as opposed to the pump cutting out and then being usable again at some random point in the future. And the pump rest is more about the grain bed than giving the pump a rest.
I'll post up my test results once completed.
Do March pumps get too hot to touch when running for extended periods?
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Morning Angus. They do get hot, but not that hot that you can't touch them. Recirculating while cleaning/sanitising is no probs. I've run 90-95 degree water through them before, generally when flushing the plate chiller, cleaning RIMS tube and that sort of thing.
angus_grant
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Thanks Razz. I will update the thread once I have been able to do some hot tests with the pump.
The pump being too hot to touch whilst recirculating ambient water had me a bit worried. I do have to shorten the silicon hose a fair bit once I install the pump correctly. I wouldn't have thought this would work the pump that hard as the hoses aren't that long.
The pump being too hot to touch whilst recirculating ambient water had me a bit worried. I do have to shorten the silicon hose a fair bit once I install the pump correctly. I wouldn't have thought this would work the pump that hard as the hoses aren't that long.
From Tesco the March 809 is only $US 153.23, so even posted is still good value. Also if you get a couple at a time it helps reduce postage even further. As Razz said they get hot but not too hot to touch, and mine has a cover pretty close to the top of it.
@angus_grant, what would it be like running through a few meter HERMS coil or even a plate chiller loading it up even more?
@angus_grant, what would it be like running through a few meter HERMS coil or even a plate chiller loading it up even more?
matthew.finkbeiner
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Yes, the Tesco source looks good. When SWMBO is looking the other way, I will probably go with them.QldKev said:
Funny you ask about the HERMS coil because my wort pump, which is way better than my water pump, is pushing through 15m of copper coil. The water pump just recirculates (at least during my test) and yet it turns itself off every ~10mins for a couple minute rest.
angus_grant
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Well it will be the main pump for my brau-clone so it will be doing a bit of work. I'll see how the hot tests go tonight and hopefully the pump runs OK.
Might be a different story once I get grain in the pipe and use the pump to recirculate through the grain.
I didn't realise there were March packages with the base is included. Prices here in Aus end up being around $300 once you buy the base as well. So could land a March 809 with base for $AU220, and even less with 2 purchases.
Hopefully my chugger passes the tests tonight. Will let people know..
Unfortunately finishing off the malt pipe is going to have to wait until October to free up some funds for the false bottom. Am I correct in assuming that a false bottom traps grain and won't let it fall back through to underneath it?
Might be a different story once I get grain in the pipe and use the pump to recirculate through the grain.
I didn't realise there were March packages with the base is included. Prices here in Aus end up being around $300 once you buy the base as well. So could land a March 809 with base for $AU220, and even less with 2 purchases.
Hopefully my chugger passes the tests tonight. Will let people know..
Unfortunately finishing off the malt pipe is going to have to wait until October to free up some funds for the false bottom. Am I correct in assuming that a false bottom traps grain and won't let it fall back through to underneath it?
seamad
beer dog
I have 2 chuggers for my new system. Did a quick practice run then a double batch with 1 of the pumps and it worked fine. It's a rims system so the pump doesn't stop, one run isn't enough proof but here's hoping.
My at the time 3 yo daughter knocked a almost brand new march pump off the bench and it landed on the back motor housing, slightly bending the back plate( and bearing). Contacted tesco to get a new back plate and they said I had to buy a new motor, and for the price a new pump wasn't much more so I should just get a whole new one. Not real happy about that so switched to chugger.
My at the time 3 yo daughter knocked a almost brand new march pump off the bench and it landed on the back motor housing, slightly bending the back plate( and bearing). Contacted tesco to get a new back plate and they said I had to buy a new motor, and for the price a new pump wasn't much more so I should just get a whole new one. Not real happy about that so switched to chugger.
WarmBeer
Unhappy camper
No need to pay extra for the stand. I've got mine held in place with a couple of $3 hose clamps you can get in the plumbing aisle in Bunnies.angus_grant said:
That's how mine is mounted tooWarmBeer said:
Bit of flat bar mounted to the frame, hangs down and bends 90 degrees to run along the top of the pump. 2 hose clamps to mount the pump to the flat bar. Also makes a good spot to mount the splash cover, left over kettle that I used the element for the HERMS.
angus_grant
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yeh, I had read somewhere about someone using building strapping so would probably do that for the timber brew stand I am currently planning. I guess a nice hose clamp would look better than strapping.
Just need to find a stainless hose clamp somewhere.
Fingers crossed for the hot water test tonight...
Just need to find a stainless hose clamp somewhere.
Fingers crossed for the hot water test tonight...
fishy
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I have now brewed with mine twice with no problems, BUT, I installed a couple of fans around mine after I received the replacement so it will be running pretty cool compared to others. Part paranoia, part necessity I guess.
Typical brewday - approx 1.5 hours mashing, 5-10 mins boiling wort and then 15 odd minutes whirlpooling through platechiller.
My first pump and replacement both run very hot to the touch so at the very least I'd reckon they need a wider berth (to shroud or whatever) than what I see people running their March pumps with. As far as ambient temp water vs boiling, the pump design seems separate enough to me that the pump head temperature doesn't really affect the motor body too much but I can't be sure of that.
Anyhow, not good to hear it's happened to someone else, was hoping mine might have been a fluke.
Cheers
Fishy
Typical brewday - approx 1.5 hours mashing, 5-10 mins boiling wort and then 15 odd minutes whirlpooling through platechiller.
My first pump and replacement both run very hot to the touch so at the very least I'd reckon they need a wider berth (to shroud or whatever) than what I see people running their March pumps with. As far as ambient temp water vs boiling, the pump design seems separate enough to me that the pump head temperature doesn't really affect the motor body too much but I can't be sure of that.
Anyhow, not good to hear it's happened to someone else, was hoping mine might have been a fluke.
Cheers
Fishy
angus_grant
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Test started about 15 minutes ago. No probs yet although temp only at 45 degrees. Will give it another 45 minutes so that would be a 60 minute run.
Will turn off heating element when temp gets to around 66 degrees to simulate mash temps as a first test.
Man, the pump chassis gets freaky hot. I keep wondering whether it is going to ignite my wooden workbench. The plastic spacer between the stainless head and pump chassis is normal temp though so I don't think heat transfer from the wort to pump body is going to be an issue
Will turn off heating element when temp gets to around 66 degrees to simulate mash temps as a first test.
Man, the pump chassis gets freaky hot. I keep wondering whether it is going to ignite my wooden workbench. The plastic spacer between the stainless head and pump chassis is normal temp though so I don't think heat transfer from the wort to pump body is going to be an issue
angus_grant
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Hmm, pump just cut out. That is just over an hour of use and most of that above 50 degrees. So maybe with the scheduled pump rests in a normal mash routine, that would let the pump run all the way through.
I am not particularly convinced on the pump yet. I'll do another run tomorrow night with no extra fans or anything. If it ends up being about an hour of use before cut-out. I'll then try another couple of tests with a house fan on it to try and keep the heat down.
I wonder whether there is enough venting in the chassis to provide nice air flow and heat loss from the motor. It doesn't seem to be much air escaping off the fan. What is vented off the fan is fairly hot. Maybe the vents in the chassis should be a little larger.
More results tomorrow night..
huh, I was about to press the post button and the pump came back on again. So that was about a 6 or 7 minute pump rest. I was going to bed but will stay up to see how long the pump runs for now.
And the plastic spacer seems to take the temp of the recirc water, and not the heat from the chassis.
I am not particularly convinced on the pump yet. I'll do another run tomorrow night with no extra fans or anything. If it ends up being about an hour of use before cut-out. I'll then try another couple of tests with a house fan on it to try and keep the heat down.
I wonder whether there is enough venting in the chassis to provide nice air flow and heat loss from the motor. It doesn't seem to be much air escaping off the fan. What is vented off the fan is fairly hot. Maybe the vents in the chassis should be a little larger.
More results tomorrow night..
huh, I was about to press the post button and the pump came back on again. So that was about a 6 or 7 minute pump rest. I was going to bed but will stay up to see how long the pump runs for now.
And the plastic spacer seems to take the temp of the recirc water, and not the heat from the chassis.
angus_grant
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Pump just turned off again. So looks like 30 minutes for the 2nd pump cycle. Current water temp is 61 degrees.
I'll do some tests tomorrow with some house fans to see if that makes any difference to the pump. I will also do some research on pump rests and maybe run up a quick software programme to control the pump and see what difference that makes.
Lastly the pump bracket is now quite hot so I am wondering whether bolting it to a metal frame will act as a big heat sink and help dissipate some of the heat from the pump before it throws the thermal overload switch.
I wouldn't have thought I would need to be looking at these solutions for a $200 pump. Maybe a $30 little brown pump but this pump is rated to 120 degrees so why is it hitting thermal overload pumping 66 degree water for 45 minutes?
I'll do some tests tomorrow with some house fans to see if that makes any difference to the pump. I will also do some research on pump rests and maybe run up a quick software programme to control the pump and see what difference that makes.
Lastly the pump bracket is now quite hot so I am wondering whether bolting it to a metal frame will act as a big heat sink and help dissipate some of the heat from the pump before it throws the thermal overload switch.
I wouldn't have thought I would need to be looking at these solutions for a $200 pump. Maybe a $30 little brown pump but this pump is rated to 120 degrees so why is it hitting thermal overload pumping 66 degree water for 45 minutes?
fishy
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That's the question I kept asking myself, thinking it must be something in my system putting strain on the pump etc, couldn't possibly be this $200 piece of kit - it's disappointing to see this happening to others around the traps. If they don't figure out what is going on here they might have a big problem...angus_grant said:
Chugger.com.au
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Hi,
I have just been alerted to this thread.
It does appear we are having issues with our first shipment and are in the process of working with the manufacturer to get it sorted ASAP.
There appears to be a thermal switch issue and we are busy testing the rest of the shipment to see how far spread the issue is.
The pumps do run very hot but should not be cutting out AT ALL, my personal pump runs for a little over 2 hours, non stop, on brew day with out an issue but yes, it does get hot.
Obviously we are looking after any affected customers, no questions, as we have with the members in this thread.
Hopefully we have things back on track ASAP.
Cheers
I have just been alerted to this thread.
It does appear we are having issues with our first shipment and are in the process of working with the manufacturer to get it sorted ASAP.
There appears to be a thermal switch issue and we are busy testing the rest of the shipment to see how far spread the issue is.
The pumps do run very hot but should not be cutting out AT ALL, my personal pump runs for a little over 2 hours, non stop, on brew day with out an issue but yes, it does get hot.
Obviously we are looking after any affected customers, no questions, as we have with the members in this thread.
Hopefully we have things back on track ASAP.
Cheers
