Beer Forum

I would like to begin my journey towards automation. Currently I use a home made immersion chiller and would now like to upgrade that to a whirlpool immersion chiller. I will be installing a stainless ball valve onto my keggle and my first major investment will be buying the pump. It will begin its duty by providing the whirlpool portion of my chiller and will expand as my automation expands. I am contemplating either this one, http://morebeer.com/view_product/11622/103556/March_Brewing_Pump_New!_-_High_Flow OR this one, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TK3VJ8/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000OL8OBW&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0P7DZVTRQDVTTC2C2FHN.... Again, I would like this pump to be the primary workhorse as my journey towards automation continues in the future...Could you automation veterans give me your two cents on these two pumps and which would be good for building my little home brewery around...thank you... and cheers!!

I can't help at all with automation, but I can vouch for the pump from More Beer. I have it and it works great.

I will say to plan on putting a priming port in. I struggled without a priming port. With that change, it operates flawlessly.

stadelman wrote:I can't help at all with automation, but I can vouch for the pump from More Beer. I have it and it works great.

I will say to plan on putting a priming port in. I struggled without a priming port. With that change, it operates flawlessly.

Ummmmm.... what is a priming port???

yeah - what's a priming port?

If one could plumb in their cold water supply into a tee into the suction side of the pump, it would serve to prime the pump. Not a bad idea.

It's a port that allows you to prime

Maybe a bleeder valve is a better term.

March pumps are not self priming. So, you need to prime them. I, and many others, added a T to the inlet side of the pump. I put a ball valve on one side of the T. When I get ready to pump liquid I first drain some out of that ball valve.

This gets bits of husk and grain out of the way, so they don't clog up the pump (which happens) and it also primes the pump so it takes off right away.

stadelman - can you post a picture of your pump setup?

Sure. It will take me a day or so, but I'll do it.