Questions about March Pumps answered by the Factory!

you would need the entire 5B assembly....so you would need the impeller, front and rear housing...then have the impeller milled down and re-use all the rest of the parts like the shaft, thrust washer, o-ring, and screws from the old pump.

Hi Walter. Quick question. I'm curious if the polysulfone 809 heads and the SS 809 heads both use the same o-ring? I'm having a hell of a time getting the 809 o-ring for a polysulfone head to stay in the groove of the SS head while I assemble the SS ones. I could lube it up with some silicone grease but I'm reluctant to do so if I do not need to as it is close to my hot wort.

The polysulfone head obviously doesn't have the two sided o-ring gland like the steel one, which in theory could mean you have two different sized o-rings. If not, any tips on getting the o-ring to stay seated in the gland on the SS head? If so, got a part number for the o-rings for the SS heads?

Thanks in advance.

The o-rings are different between the plastic and metal pumps......you needs part# 0809-0165-1000 thats for all the metal 809's. The plastic pumps have an o-ring that about .072 smaller so it would be a PITA to try and get it to fit.

or if you have a good local supply house handy then find a food grade o-ring with an ID of 2.441 and a cross section of.070

Thanks Walter!

Why is the 815-pl-c not listed by Marsh under Homebrew Pumps. If you click on the listing it includes homebrew as a use. Is it designed to recirculate boil wort? Thanks

What is the duty cycle for an 809 pump? Thinking about using it with my RIMS tube as a sous vide cooker, but not sure if running it for 5-10 hours straight is a good idea or not. Thanks.

phreaky said:

What is the duty cycle for an 809 pump? Thinking about using it with my RIMS tube as a sous vide cooker, but not sure if running it for 5-10 hours straight is a good idea or not. Thanks.

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I asked a similar question a few months ago. It's apparently actually fine to run 24/7, as I had suspected, as long as it's not being run dry.

abrewer2 said:

Why is the 815-pl-c not listed by Marsh under Homebrew Pumps. If you click on the listing it includes homebrew as a use. Is it designed to recirculate boil wort? Thanks

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The 815 doesn't come standard with a plug on the end...the beer pumps do...it can be built that way but its not a standard off the shelf type item for us here..that's pretty much the only reason...

phreaky said:

What is the duty cycle for an 809 pump? Thinking about using it with my RIMS tube as a sous vide cooker, but not sure if running it for 5-10 hours straight is a good idea or not. Thanks.

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All of our pumps are designed for 24/7 operation. And running them 24/7 the motor mfg tells us that the motors should last anywhere from 3-5 years...but we have found them to much longer then that.

Walter,

I'm looking into setting up an 809 with stock impeller for pumping a fixed volume up to a higher vessel in cycles. The system will be automated, so I'm looking into using a check valve to prevent the liquid in the output tubing above the pump from draining backwards when the pump shuts off. Priming won't be an issue, I just want to prevent gravity from adding back the volume of the hose above the source when the pump shuts off.

What should I look for specs wise on a check valve for this application? I don't know what kind of cracking pressure the pump will work with.

Thanks!

The regular (slow speed) 809's only produce 1.8 psi max (dead headed)
The HS models will top out at 5.2 psi
So you would first need to figure out what you max head height in your system is...take that value and divide it by 2.31 to get the psi value that pump will be generating and you can spec a check valve out from there....so if you have an 809 HS pump and are working at a max head height of 8' (factoring in any extra restriction from any elbows or fittings or smaller lines etc..) you take that 8' and divide it by 2.31 to give you 3.46psi....so I would spec a 3psi valve or maybe even slightly lower just to not and any restriction to the pump...you can also check the pump curve at 8' to see if it gives you enough flow for what you want to be doing....

Hey Walter, about to spring for a pump for my RIMS and really appreciate your time & effort - so it will be a March pump.

Had a few questions, like do I want head height 12' vs 18', 6.0 flow vs 7-7 1/2', 1750 rpm vs 3400, 5 vs 8 psi, etc. Does it matter if it was bronze vs poly, center vs in-line?

Thanks in advance,
Dan F.
LAGERS/FOSSILS

Wow...lots of different questions here.....guess to best answer it would depend on how you will be setting up your system.
If you just want to pump for simple transfer and you're not worried about how long it takes to do it...then the 1750rpm pump can do it as long as your not having to pump higher then about 4' above the pump.
Most people get the biggest pump they can afford....and in most cases it will be either the 809-HS or the 815 series...(that you can get in plastic or metal (stainless or bronze)) or the series 3B pump that only comes in plastic.
The 815 (or the 809-HS) seem to be the most popular with the home brewers. The "PL" versions are the cheapest and if you don't feel the need to for a metal pump then the PL will do the job just fine. Most people that choose to go to a metal pump will most times be either taking their system down often enough that they end up eventually breaking a fitting off the pump....or they have rigid plumbing that puts stress on the joins and plastic usually breaks before a metal fittings do.
The only advantage the series 3B has, is that it can flow an extra 2gpm and can give you two extra feet of head height which translates to almost an extra psi of pressure....so if you wanted to whirlpool or had a tall fixture to pump up to then it could be a better option.....its also nice to have extra capacity for any future expansion.
One thing to keep in mind with a mag drive centrifugal is that if you go bigger you can "almost" always just choke the pump down to compensate for too much volume...if you go too small there's nothing you can do to get extra out of the pump.
As far as stainless vs bronze vs poly....its more of a personal choice then anything else....you can see my reference above to fittings and stress....but performance will all be the same.
Center vs inline......the center will give you slightly more volume due to less restriction on the inlet side of the pump....but for most people they don't notice it....so it just boils down to ergonomics of your system and how easy you want to plumb it all up.....seems like the inline is most popular.
Hope that helps

Thnx much Walter, gives me plenty of choices. Due to design & function of my RIMS, will be going w/ the brass 3400 center inlet as I will probably be pumping 5 ft up.

Appreciate the fast response!

Dan F.

Just keep in mind that most brass does contain lead for machining purposes...in our case its no more then 7%...for some it doesn't matter...but I just want you to have all your facts when making a choice.

Thanks for the heads up Walter, but after your post, I googled brass/lead and found http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?t=11604 which suggests it will not be a problem. I will be using lower mash temps mostly, will ordinarily have a flow, contact will be minimal as it is the only brass in my system, and I usually brew 10-20 gallons at a time.

Cheers,
Dan F.

That's an interesting posting about the lead...thanks.

WalterAtMarchPump said:

Greetings from March Pumps! My name is Walter and I am one of the engineers here, and I will gladly answer any questions you may have on our products. You can post them here and I will reply for all to see. Or you can PM me. Or you can call the factory direct and ask for either Hans or Walter in engineering. (800)323-0791

Happy Brewing

-Walter

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Hi all,

I'm wondering if somebody (especially Walter from March pumps) is able to identify the March pump I have - see photos. It looks exactly like a March 809 that I have, but it's not clearly marked as such. Is there a way I can determine which model it is?

Thanks,
Todd

Cioffi said:

Hi all,

I'm wondering if somebody (especially Walter from March pumps) is able to identify the March pump I have - see photos. It looks exactly like a March 809 that I have, but it's not clearly marked as such. Is there a way I can determine which model it is?

Thanks,
Todd

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If I had to guess, I'd say you're correct based on a hunch I gather from the pic of the label that has the connection diagram on it.

No. 0809-0900-1000

I'd suspect that the first group of numbers may designate the march 809. But then, I've been wrong before, so I suppose we ought to see what Walter has to say...

tyzippers said:

If I had to guess, I'd say you're correct based on a hunch I gather from the pic of the label that has the connection diagram on it.

No. 0809-0900-1000

I'd suspect that the first group of numbers may designate the march 809. But then, I've been wrong before, so I suppose we ought to see what Walter has to say...

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and the 3050 RPm would make it a 809HS

My 809 has been making a squealing noise occasionally while operating. I figured it was from debris getting into the motor housing from previous brew sessions. I took apart the rear housing and cleaned it. After looking into it, I think some of what I removed was wicking material intentionally put in the rear housing for oil (oops!!).

When I went to put it back together, it stopped working. It hums but the motor won't really spin the shaft. There is a collet type thing that goes on the post at the back of the housing, but I'm not sure which direction it is supposed to go back on. Either direction, and it doesn't work though. I also ended up with a few extra washers that I'm not sure what to do with.

See below video.

Thanks for your help

[ame="http://youtu.be/7rYRXUP21Ew"]http://youtu.be/7rYRXUP21Ew[/ame]

Well, I was an a idiot and took apart my other March pump to try and figure out what I had wrong. In the process of taking off the back plate, I somehow screwed up my second pump and when I put it back together, it is having the same problem. I think that i must have misaligned something or have the bushing positioned incorrectly and can't get it back right.

Now I got 2 messed up pumps instead of one. Lesson learned: Don't be a fool like me and take the back plate off your pump unless you know what you are doing!!!

Walter, Any suggestion on how to fix the mess I've created?

LOL....not to laugh at you but I have taken a few of these apart and screwed a few up myself First thing I can tell you that I see from your video is that bushing is supposed to be inside that rear cover....if it came out....and Im sure you had to pry it to get the cover off......that signals to me that the bushing was dry and was seizing on the shaft.
Only thing I can suggest is to send them both back to us here and let us have a crack at it
Call Wayne in service and let him know you spoke to me.

Cioffi, that is an 809-HS......but judging by the worn number on the tag i'd say it was a special assembly for an OEM customer....more then likely if you don't have the pump head it had a special 809-PL that had 1" screw threads on it....and standard 809-HS will work for you.

WalterAtMarchPump said:

Cioffi, that is an 809-HS......but judging by the worn number on the tag i'd say it was a special assembly for an OEM customer....more then likely if you don't have the pump head it had a special 809-PL that had 1" screw threads on it....and standard 809-HS will work for you.

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Walter, you're awesome!

WalterAtMarchPump said:

LOL....not to laugh at you but I have taken a few of these apart and screwed a few up myself First thing I can tell you that I see from your video is that bushing is supposed to be inside that rear cover....if it came out....and Im sure you had to pry it to get the cover off......that signals to me that the bushing was dry and was seizing on the shaft.
Only thing I can suggest is to send them both back to us here and let us have a crack at it
Call Wayne in service and let him know you spoke to me.

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Thanks for the prompt reply Walter. Hopefully I didn't screw em up too bad. Package on its way!

Hi Walter!
I have a quick question. I have an older march pump, looks like an MDX. Was wondering if I could use it for homebrew purposes? Right now it has a plastic head - would the stainless heads you guys make still work on this older model (ie have you switched head designs in the last 20years)? Thanks for any info!

We still make the MDX series pumps...depending on which model you have...most are only rated to 190*F
if you happen to have the MDX-MT3...you can swap out that pump head to a Kynar version and the rating goes up to 200*F
We have no metal version of this pump and unfortunately no other pump heads will swap on it..

WalterAtMarchPump said:

LOL....not to laugh at you but I have taken a few of these apart and screwed a few up myself First thing I can tell you that I see from your video is that bushing is supposed to be inside that rear cover....if it came out....and Im sure you had to pry it to get the cover off......that signals to me that the bushing was dry and was seizing on the shaft.
Only thing I can suggest is to send them both back to us here and let us have a crack at it
Call Wayne in service and let him know you spoke to me.

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Hi Walter, got the pumps back and they work perfectly. Thanks for the extremely quick turnaround time as well. You guys had it shipped to me the day after you got it, that's awesome!!

Thanks again!

Hey walter,

Thanks again for this thread it has helped alot. However I am having a problem with the roter not spinning. I took it completely apart and got the roter out and put it back in but it still wont spin. I know you have have given some vague answeres on this but is there anything specific I can do to get it to spin again? Thanks for the help!

v/r
ryan

ryan655 said:

Hey walter,

Thanks again for this thread it has helped alot. However I am having a problem with the roter not spinning. I took it completely apart and got the roter out and put it back in but it still wont spin. I know you have have given some vague answeres on this but is there anything specific I can do to get it to spin again? Thanks for the help!

v/r
ryan

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Send it back is all I can say....when I take it apart I inspect the main motor body for being out of round...and hammer any bent spots out then put it back together.....its hit or miss most times but i've had some good luck doing it.

I've been considering adding a second pump to my brewing setup. The first pump was part of a pre-configured system that I received. It's a March 809. I've had great success with it. That said, I looked into the other pump options to determine if that's what I'll add for the next addition. The great reviews from everyone along with the superb customer service and the fact that there's a company expert here has convinced me to get another March for my system. I still have to decide what exactly I'll be getting, but I wanted to let you know that your work here is certainly beneficial to both us and the company. Thanks again!

Roger

Nothing to see here

your welcome beerandbourbon I find it fun to be here...even though I'm not a drinker, I love the mechanics of making your own "Thing"
I personally am into offshore boats (anything with an engine really) and build my own motors.... So I like seeing you guys build your rigs...I have learned quite a bit from this forum

Walter-
I am a very proud owner of a March 809 pump with SS head. The only problem I have with it is the shaft that holds the impeller fits very loose and causes a very loud rattle sound. If I jam dome Teflon tape between the shaft and head it runs much quieter for a bit the the teflon works its way out. I remember someone saying there is a tolerance for all the parts. I'm thinking I may have a shaft at the small tolerance and a head at the larger size of the tolerance. Is there any way I could buy a shaft that is at the larger tolerance side from you?

Call us here at the factory and talk to Wayne in the service dept...i'd rather have you send us the pump head back for us to take a look at. The shafts are pressed into the housing and all leave here tight......I'm not sure if I found a shaft on the high side of the tolerance that it would fix the issue if the head is worn out....and we don't make any oversize shafts....that would be a custom grind to make a shaft. And the housing would need to be re-worked to fit the shaft as well....talk to Wayne see what he can do for you... 847-729-5300

Will the 809 head fit a mdxt-3?

no it wont...different bracket and bolt pattern

Walter
OVer the past few brew sessions i have had my pump sieze up during use. I pull the head and pull the impeller and put back together and then all is right in the world.......allowing me to finish my brew session. The problem is my pump is hard plumbed in my system and its a pain in the arse to do this during the middle of the brew.

Suggestions?

Mike

fpweeks said:

Walter
OVer the past few brew sessions i have had my pump sieze up during use. I pull the head and pull the impeller and put back together and then all is right in the world.......allowing me to finish my brew session. The problem is my pump is hard plumbed in my system and its a pain in the arse to do this during the middle of the brew.

Suggestions?

Mike

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Got any photos? and what's you cleaning schedule after brew day?