thanks for sticking this thread at the top. I don’t get a chance to frequent here as often as I would like. Seeing this thread just solved an agonizing problem as I had my pump head mounted upside down. Who’d a thunk?? As time passes, I know there will be numerous new brewers buying pumps and trying to use them for the first time. This thread should save them from “pump anxiety” … thanks again Denny for have Walter’s much needed info posted here.
Walter,
I have an 809 High Flow that I got through more beer about a year ago now. A couple months ago it stopped working. I took the head apart, cleaned everything out and put it back together, oiled the bearings and did a quick check to see if it worked, motor turned on and the impeller turned. I thought that was the end of it. Tried to pump some water and the motor turned, I got an initial surge, but then nothing would pump through. I took the head apart again and found that the impeller was sticking on end of the shaft took some 1200 grit sand paper to the shaft and polished it a little, impeller now turns freely on any part of the shaft. Turned on the pump, same thing, initial surge and then nothing. The pump is definitely primed, it seems to be decoupling from the impeller somehow. What should I look for to try and replace? Bad magnet?
Any help would be appreciative.
Cheers,
Rich
I would like to mount my pump to my brew stand using u-bolts. Looks like I need to use 1/4" diameter, and ~2.25" to 2.5" for the width. Problem is, the largest width u-bolt I can find at 1/4" is 2". Any ideas on how to mount the pump without welding? Is it reasonable for me to drill out the holes in the mounting bracket to get to 5/16"? U-bolts with 5/16" diameters come in larger widths, which is why I ask.
I’m using this diagram to figure out the needed dimensions. U-bolt would be going from front to back (right hand side of diagram).
http://www.marchpump.com/site/files/966/112197/382497/524068/Dimensional_Drawing_-_PDF__115V_.pdf
Thanks,
JP
Don’t use U-bolts. I use large hose clamps and wooden saddles (matching the diameters at the attachment points) that encircle the motor can and pump magnet housing. You do not want to put too much pressure (especially if its uneven) on the motor can or you will deform it. This mounting has worked for over 10 years.
Thanks for the tip, Martin. Do you have a pic to help show? I wasn’t planning on putting the u-bolts over the housing. I had planned on putting them through holes in the mounting bracket with the pump and bracket sitting on top the stainless steel tube frame. I have the pumps attached to the stand this way right now using some zip ties just so I can make progress on getting all my hoses measured and cut.
maltdaddy, check auto department muffler clamps.
edit. I think you could make .28 width on slot larger 5/16 or 3/8 with out a problem.
Clever idea!
I have some 1/2" UHMW plastic I could use for saddles too. Then there’s a need to shield the motor from fluids. Brewstand upgrades never die, they just grow new ones.
Hey Walter -
Thanks much for chiming in and helping everyone with your pumps. I converted to a full gravity system a few years back, and sold my home made brutus that had two pumps. It all worked great. I just got tired of all the hose and pump cleaning.
Thanks for the posts guys. I bought a 5/16" high speed drill bit, and the holes opened up super easy. I should have went with the 3/8" bit, as I kind of had to move the bit around to widen it more than 5/16 (the u-bolt threads were 5/16" and the fit was too tight at first). Pumps are secured and water test went smooth.
The only other issue I had was Lowes didn’t have the size u-bolt I wanted. It was too long, so I had to put the loop end of the u-bolt facing upwards under the pump body. The u-bolt is 2" wide (the next size up is 2/5", which is too wide), so the loop doesn’t fit right against the mounting bracket. Not a big deal, but doesn’t look as nice. I can post a pic if people are interested.
JP
I’ve noticed the -C models of the March pump have a center inlet ( http://www.marchpump.com/site/files/966/112279/382929/612764/0809-0053-1100_R3.pdf ). Is there an application for these for homebrewers? Who uses these?
Second q: Assuming I get the 815-PL, I assume I go with polysulfone QDs/couplers (versus other plastic)? I’m considering a March pump to move water from the HLT to the mash tun, from the mash tun to the brew kettle, and from the brew kettle into the fermenter with a plate chiller inline, with an option to prechill the water with an IC I’m not using and a submersible pump. I’m trying to go as “lift-less” as possible. Given my current brew setup in an apartment (moving things among kitchen, deck, and lower level), I am thinking of mounting this pump to something totable or installing in a toolbox, and there will be a lot of connecting/disconnecting during the brewing process, some at high temp.
- In terms of a basic pump startup list, does this seem right?
Pump
Something to mount pump on (or in) + hardware
1/2in SS ball valve to manage flow from output
1/2in quick disconnects (4, two male, two female)
Thermoplastic tubing
Hose clamps (to ball valve barbs on BK and cooler)
Inline GFCI
Plus I may upgrade the 3/8in brass ball valve on my cooler with a 1/2in SS, and either create a strainer similar to the one I made for my cooler with a plumbing supply line (except with a SS t-valve and a SS QD) or buy a ready-made strainer.
I’ve seen pumps mounted in tool boxes, its feasible. I’ve also see someone selling a mounting plate that is bolted between the motor and the pump housing. That allows the unit to be bolted to a base. In the case of a tool box, you could mount the pump in the same way as with that mounting plate in that you could put the motor inside the box and sandwich the tool box side between the motor and pump housing.
I don’t really like the QD units since there are vanes inside those couplers that can clog. I like the stainless steel camlocks with silicone gasket. I have the camlocks with barb fittings. The only bad thing with those things is the ID through the barb ends is kind of small. I’ve found that it doesn’t really matter though, the flow rate is only slightly affected. I calculated a couple of feet of head loss due to the barb ID, so its not really a big deal.
Brewing is not worth dying for, so the GFCI is an important consideration. Its good you’re including one. Including valves on both sides of the pump is good so that you can keep fluid in the pump. Of course, you only throttle the pump on the output side.
Although the center inlet configuration pump is more efficient, I like having the inlet and outlet pipes in line so that those pipes can be more easily supported. I have my pump mounted in a frame with plywood plates at each end with precisely drilled holes that support those pipes and valves and prevent the breaking of that fragile plastic pump housing. I’ve had my pump for almost a decade now, without breaking the housing. I suppose that mounting the entire pump within a tool box would make it possible to pass the pipes through the sides of the box to support the pipes. I guess if you had one of those pump mounts, you could bolt it to the box bottom and pass the pipes through the walls.
Enjoy!
Thanks – lots of good info here. The pump-in-a-toolbox projects I’ve seen are similar to this (based on a 2009 BYO article):
http://snakeriverbrewers.org/index.php?topic=3972.0
I like this one because he wired the GFCI into the toolbox in a way that it could be used independently of the pump. What my dad the electrician would probably suggest if he were still on this planet is that the power switchplate should be labeled to differentiate main power from the pump, to prevent accidentally switching on the pump while dry.
Edit: just to be clear, you’re using stainless steel camlocks with plastic threads? No wear issues?
Update: as I close out my homebrewing upgrade projects for a while (work kicks up in two weeks and doesn’t stop until next summer), I’m glad I didn’t get the toolbox before the pump arrived. It’s just heavy enough that I see I don’t want to do that. The pump on a small footstool idea might work (and is a project I might even be able to sneak in). For right now I just put the pump ON a small footstool. But it’s great to have a pump!
There was a previous question about using the March 815 size impellers in the 809HS pumps, and I just did that change this past week. It did make a difference in the speed and ease pf priming and my pumps are already in the optimum position. They both now prime quickly and pump at an increased volume (not that a volume increase was the need).
What I also found is that when I added a new pump head recently (stainless) that the head I removed already had the high flow impeller installed. I thought it was just a coincidence that when I installed the new head and repositioned my pumps on the rack that it seemed like they were harder to prime than before. It was the impeller, and the reason that I’d use this one pump more than the other regularly is that it always seemed to prime easier. Now I know why 
I am considering buying an 809 and am wondering if I should use it on the hot or cold side and why.
Cheers, Tim
One can use it with hot or cold liquids. It is food safe beyond boiling temperature. Why to use it is simply for convenience.
Thanks yso191!
I have an 809 that I bought from someone retiring. It has always run well for me. This past weekend I had some issues with air locks causing free wheeling. Whenever this occurred I would immediately shut the pump off. I then would find it would not restart and I would notice the fan would pulse when the switch was turned on, but it would not turn. The fan was magnetically held in place. After a few minutes (potentially as the motor cooled) it would run.
Is there a potential dead spot in the motor windings or could it be overheating?
I had a similar issue with mine. I took the head off and found that the impeller body had expanded and was binding inside the head. Maybe time for the 815 impeller upgrade?
My first thought was take off the head and take it apart. See what’s going on with the impeller. Could be junk in there or some other problem binding up the impeller.