I am considering getting the march 809HS pump. Does anyone have that one? Is it a good option?
Thanks
If I had it to do over I would order one with the brass head. I ended up buying a replacement head for the junk one March sends.
Like this: http://www.homebrewing.org/March-Pump-125_p_1015.html
I have over 200+ batches on my junk ones without a single flaw. Both are over 6-7 years old. This pump has set the brewing pump standard.
I have the brass head. That is what my guy was sellling.
The pump is good, and wish I had another.
Pump is great…Pump head not so.
Been on the cusp of buying one of these for months. The only thing stopping me is the drilling on my kettle to convert. Got the step-bit too and practiced some already. 
Good to know they last so long. Maybe next payday…?
I have two of the “Non-brass” pumps . . never a problem, though I’ve not made it to 200 batches on them!
One thing that might contribute to a shortened life span is excessive cavitation . . I suspect that could be just as detrimental to the brass head as well.
I think you will find a good price on the pump here, along with the brass head. I did not buy from this company, so have no experience. If I recall though, others have had good things to say about them over at HBT.
Does anyone ever use a peristaltic pump?
It seems this would offer the best cleaning/sanitation option. However LPM would be down and you would have to take note of the heat the tubing is rated for if transferring boiling wort.
I just got my roll of Tygon tubing for the peristaltic. It’s good to 250, I haven’t used it yet. The pump will do up to 2300ml/min which is adjustable by a little dial on the front of the pump, just trying to finalize in my head how exactly I will use it. Don’t need valves or gravity since it can suck the wort up the tube.
The peristaltic is over $300 right? Seen some pics on HBT of one.
Ebay!
Mine went for somewhere between 1K and 2K when new.
I am under $200 with it even after purchasing a higher capacity head (again, Ebay) which by itself goes for over $200.
I’ve used the march-809. It’s flow rate is a little anemic, but it works. I just purchased a Little-Giant 3-MD-HC, which is reported to have about twice the throughput as the 809. It is also a centrifugal mag-drive pump, like the march, and comes with a Ryton head (similar to the March plastic one).
I’m liking this March 1/25. For only 135 bones too.
This is the $139 plastic 809:
Once you put copulling on plastic head it works with no problems.
Cross threading of soft plastic is another issue.
Only problem I had with my polysulfone head was my fault. Evidentally it’s not built to survive a 5 foot drop with a ball valve on it. A replacement head was only 20some $. I got a second one while I was at it. That should prevent any future failures. Although I would love to have a SS head. The motor has lasted at least 10 years.
Anyone have a center inlet model?
The Little Giant pumps are rated to 200F max. Maybe the same materials but not the same rating. I have th L.G. TE-3-MD-HC and have used it for about 60 batches over 10 years. The impeller has a black carbon bushing that just broke and a new impeller is $46. Might be good to have a spare or another option. I’m going to try replacing the bushingor part of it with a stainless steel homemade bushing and see if that works.
The pumps are ok but I would like to see a higher flow rate. 15-20gpm. With hoses and fittings and 3-5 ft of head in the system, the flow rate is about half of the rating. So I’m looking for a bigger pump, in the meantime.
Bob