'Pulling' wort through a CFC with a self priming pump

[nicknoxx]

This would mean the pump would only have to handle cool liquids - has anyone tried it?

Thanks
Nick

 

[Fil]

Do you have a specific food safe pump in mind?

Would you need zero head? or a pump that can handle self priming with any head you have in the flow which i would imagine would be buried in its specs somewhere .

but with zero head you could just allow a cold pump fill with gravity prior to starting?

the solar projects or lil brown pump is hard to beat for cost and features and works hot.

 

[nicknoxx]

I was thinking of the pumps frequently used in boats and motorhomes for drawing fresh water as I have some experience with them. I've contacted Whale and am waiting for a reply (for some reason they asked where I live before giving an answer) to see if one of their pumps will work.

I guess the pump could be sited at the base of the CFC but I was worried about non-self priming pumps 'sucking'.

The little brown pumps are great value but I've seen pictures of the insides after a few uses and can't believe they're really food safe despite what the specs say.

Thanks

 

[Aleman]

You can do it with a Flojet G56 Pump . . . which is Air/CO2 driven . . . it's a bit noisy and the flow 'pulses', but it does work very well . . .and it's is easy to keep clean.

Although rated to 49/80C (depending on whose website you visit), it is capable of pumping boiling wort for recirculating to sanitise the chiller.

One available on eBay as we speaks . . . I got mine from Stanwell-Technic in Brum.

 

[Kevin Wood]

Seconded. I use a G56 for my HERMS and it's stood up to mash temperatures very well so far. I don't doubt that one of those would suck wort through a cooler. You just need to find some tube that won't collapse on the inlet side!

They are worth picking up when they are around for a sensible price, IMHO. They make very nice pumps. Very controllable if you can regulate the inlet air pressure and no electrics to get damp, so easy to clean. All supposing you have a supply of compressed air to drive it, of course.

 

[Fil]

Interesting.. these air pumps?? I dare say google has the answer somewhere but if using co2 what sort of mass of gas is used to pump 50l for example?, its a fair drive for a refill.. could a small car battery compressor fill a spare tyre to drive it? or would i be pulling all 4 wheels off the car too :)

 

[Kevin Wood]

I'd say it would get through enough gas that using CO2 would be too costly. I reckon a car tyre inflator would run it, but they are pretty crude devices and not really up to running for long periods, IME. You'd also have little control over the pumping rate.

Aldi (or Lidl? can't remember) often have offers on air tools including small compressors for very reasonable money.

Failing all that, an old fridge motor might well provide enough compressed air to run one?

 

[nicknoxx]

Whale passed my request for information to a company called Bradtech ltd. I spoke to a very helpful man who made a few enquiries then recommended this one:-

http://www.bradtech.ltd.uk/products/Wha ... -1215.html

 

[Vossy1]

This would mean the pump would only have to handle cool liquids - has anyone tried it?

Yes, with a cfc and also with my plate chiller, as long as you have enough gravity to get the liquid through it's fine.
One benefit of doing it this way is that you pull all the liquid through the cfc/pc whereas having the pump on the entry side can prevent the liquid in the chiller from being drawn though under gravity once the pumps run dry.
I have a picture somewhere, I'll try and find it :hmm:

EDIT From a long time ago, IIRC that's a flo jet pump as used in caravans etc.