Yet Another 12v Pump

[Tony M]

Yep, the same info is on their website.
I was trying to get some additional details about the "glass fiber reinforced polypropylene" which is what the housing and much of the liquid-contact surfaces are made from.

The polypropylene has a small proportion of short glass fibres mixed into it to give it extra tensile strength and stiffness. it can frequently be seen in automotive components and is recognised by the "sparkle" of the inclusions, though the base material can be many different plastics.
Polypropylene is often seen as icecream pots and is one of the "greasy" plastics like polyethylene as used in your fermenter. Neither will kill you.

 

[QldKev]

The polypropylene has a small proportion of short glass fibres mixed into it to give it extra tensile strength and stiffness. it can frequently be seen in automotive components and is recognised by the "sparkle" of the inclusions, though the base material can be many different plastics.
Polypropylene is often seen as icecream pots and is one of the "greasy" plastics like polyethylene as used in your fermenter. Neither will kill you.

What if a 2 tonne block of it falls on your head?

 

[Tony M]

You're bloody fast kev!

 

[Wolfy]

The polypropylene has a small proportion of short glass fibres mixed into it to give it extra tensile strength and stiffness. it can frequently be seen in automotive components and is recognised by the "sparkle" of the inclusions, though the base material can be many different plastics.
Polypropylene is often seen as icecream pots and is one of the "greasy" plastics like polyethylene as used in your fermenter. Neither will kill you.

No doubt true, in addition I use (and pressure cook/autoclave) my PP yeast-vials and they don't melt or deform (much).

However, the supplier replied with the following information when asked about food grade applications and pumping boiling water:
"The MP series pump are rated as food grade.
But it can't handle hot liquid 100 celcis all the time.it take only 1 hour then need stop and rest.
it is better handle hot liquid under 85 celcis then continue working 24 hours."

So - especially before offering to purchase the pump on behalf of others - I'd like to try provide as much information about the material the pump is made from, so that others can determine if they think it will melt/deform/poison people when used for their home-brewing applications. It would appear that the pumps will be fine for recirculating/pumping during mash and sparge (HERMS/RIMS etc), however I presume that (some) people will want to recirculate/whirlpool after/during the boil and/or sanitize equipment by pumping boiling water/cleaning fluid.

The pumps (linked earlier in this thread) sold by LHBS indicate that they are made from polysulfone which is more stable at high temperatures than polypropylene.
In addition the local sales/distributor of the Japanese made Iwaki pumps, (housing material is specified as "Glass filled polypropylene") said they can only be used up to 85degC and would not sell me one when I said I want to to pump boiling water.

While all the pumps look the same (pumps even have the exact same product code/numbering) and all appear to have the same technical specifications/rating I don't want to assume they are the same, without trying to find all the information first.

 

[Malted]

Mexican little brown pump. Can't tell if it's 12V or 240 volt, must be battery powered.

 

[jonsey32]

I'd be in for one of these pumps if the buy goes ahead.

 

[Wolfy]

Bulk buy info/details for the 240V Food Grade pumps (from China) posted here:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=67083

 

[blotto]

While all the pumps look the same (pumps even have the exact same product code/numbering) and all appear to have the same technical specifications/rating I don't want to assume they are the same, without trying to find all the information first.

These pumps do indeed look very similar to ones found on the sponsors site but if you look closely there are small differences around the head end. But I suppose they could be a newer or older model.

 

[Yorg]

The Craftbrewer one is specified as 110 Celcius on their site. ??

Wolfy, which pump had you mentioned earlier as polysuphone - I couldn't see it?

 

[Wolfy]

The Craftbrewer one is specified as 110 Celcius on their site. ??

Wolfy, which pump had you mentioned earlier as polysuphone - I couldn't see it?

The KegKing imported, CraftBrewer (and other vendor Ebay 'Home brew') sold pumps are advertised being made from polysulfone (all are linked earlier in the thread).

The Bulk Buy pumps are Polypropylene, with (according to the technical sheet) a 'heat distortion temperature' of 152C, but some vendors of similar pumps rate them for continuous use only at/under 80-85C due to possible (as far as I can understand) thermal expansion issues.

 

[Tex083]

Rather than starting a new topic has anyone looked into a solar hot water pump
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brushless-Water...=item3a6ae777f1
The only issue I have is the connections are brass. 12V and a great flow rate, comes in 3 models depending on flow and head height.
Max temp of 110c so perfect for our uses.
Not a bad price somewhere between brown pumps and the others in this thread, $66.95 to $86.95

 

[MHB]

Id be very careful of that pump; it looks like a knockoff of the Grundfos recirculation pump.
The impeller is attached to the rotor and the whole thing is lubricated by a thin film of whatever you are pumping. With sugary wort over time there is a build-up between the rotor and the bucket it sits in they inevitably choke and smoke, sometimes rather spectacularly.
Mark

 

[Feldon]

Rather than starting a new topic has anyone looked into a solar hot water pump
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brushless-Water...=item3a6ae777f1
The only issue I have is the connections are brass. 12V and a great flow rate, comes in 3 models depending on flow and head height.
Max temp of 110c so perfect for our uses.
Not a bad price somewhere between brown pumps and the others in this thread, $66.95 to $86.95

This mob in the US has adapted these 12v pumps to food grade spec for brewing.

http://greatbreweh.com/Beer_Pump.html

 

[Tex083]

Thanks Mark I was just tossing out the idea, looks like the link in the next post is good. The SS fittings and modified to Homebrew use is great.
Now to sneak one or two past the wife

 

[dougsbrew]

Thanks Mark I was just tossing out the idea, looks like the link in the next post is good. The SS fittings and modified to Homebrew use is great.
Now to sneak one or two past the wife

i imagine the coated version would mean smaller tolerances and the build-up between the rotor and the bucket it sits in would happen alot quicker.
constant maintenance i guess would be best practice using this pump.

 

[QldKev]

This mob in the US has adapted these 12v pumps to food grade spec for brewing.

http://greatbreweh.com/Beer_Pump.html

View attachment 56719

I think that's a decent looking pump. Even the real world flow tests it's producing ok numbers.

QldKev

 

[Tony M]

I have fitted one of my pumps to give it a try. It came with a potentiometer attached which varies the delivery from zero to six litres per minute which is less than the 2150L/Hr (35.8L/Min) they skite about. My transfer hose is a metre long and only 8mm bore, so that will be choking it greatly. However it is quite adequate and the variable speed will be handy. It just remains to be seen if it clags up or corrodes. I'll report again after a brew.

 

[matho]

Rather than starting a new topic has anyone looked into a solar hot water pump
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brushless-Water...=item3a6ae777f1
The only issue I have is the connections are brass. 12V and a great flow rate, comes in 3 models depending on flow and head height.
Max temp of 110c so perfect for our uses.
Not a bad price somewhere between brown pumps and the others in this thread, $66.95 to $86.95

I bought one of those pumps originally for my braumiser, the ferrite magnet is exposed which caused me a few concerns as some ferrite magnets can be made out of not very nice stuff, also there was a strong plastic smell coming from the pump even after a few hot pbw washes

This mob in the US has adapted these 12v pumps to food grade spec for brewing.

http://greatbreweh.com/Beer_Pump.html

View attachment 56719

that looks like a lot better as the magnet is covered.

the pump I got was a great performer but I was just not sure about it so I ended up getting a 809 march pump

cheers steve

 

[mark0]

they clearly don't understand fluid dynamics.

IF the flow is full pipe....it isnt the highest part of the hose that matters, it is the end. You will get head recovery in any downhill section of full pipe/hose flow. This is how a siphon works.

IF the pipe is partially full, then the highest part counts. But from what i can see in their video, they have full pipe flow.

there 6ft head test is really a 5ft something test.

10 Points for trying though, and designing a half decent experiment.

 

[Tony M]

I have fitted one of my pumps to give it a try. It came with a potentiometer attached which varies the delivery from zero to six litres per minute which is less than the 2150L/Hr (35.8L/Min) they skite about. My transfer hose is a metre long and only 8mm bore, so that will be choking it greatly. However it is quite adequate and the variable speed will be handy. It just remains to be seen if it clags up or corrodes. I'll report again after a brew.

As promised, I gave the rig a run and was very pleased with the performance of these little fellas. They deliver at a much better rate than the old 240V washing machine pumps I was using and I dont cringe when the cooling water drips all over them. The variable speed makes delivery control a breeze and stripping them down later, revealed no sign of any damage or corrosion, nor was there any indication of retained crap from hops or grain. All in all, a pleasing purchase.