Cheap pumps

SSBrew - 728
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There isn't much feedback on them yet, but at least one person said he broke the threads on the plastic head. He recommended getting the stainless head, which I'd do anyway. Other than that people seem to be happy with them, especially the price.
 
I just ordered one.. ill let you know after I use it.. hoping I don't have to get the stainless head since that will put it back in the same range as a chugger pump price wise..
 
That'd be awesome. Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I'm hoping to just put some qd's on there and not worry about breaking the plastic
 
I think the BSP thread is enough to scare me off. Yes, i realize that it's the same threads per inch in the 1/2" size, but the pitch is slightly off and it looks in the pictures like it's a straight thread, not tapered. Once you go for the stainless head it's the same price as a chugger with a plastic head, and the chugger has a higher flow rating.
 
TallDan said:
I think the BSP thread is enough to scare me off. Yes, i realize that it's the same threads per inch in the 1/2" size, but the pitch is slightly off and it looks in the pictures like it's a straight thread, not tapered. Once you go for the stainless head it's the same price as a chugger with a plastic head, and the chugger has a higher flow rating.
Click to expand...
the plastic bps threads on my tan pumps thread fine onto standard threads.. I installed camlocks with a bir of teflon tape on 6 of them with no issues at all... It wont be an issue. BTW they look tapered to me..

They do sell these same pumps with barbed heads too, We use them to pump plate processor chemicals in some of the equipment I service at work. I think they are actually pretty cheap when not being marked up for home brewing use.(Not that the $70 is unreasonable in any way)

BTW I see its a kegking.com brand pump... The same brand as the beergun I bought from a manufactuerer on aliexpress so chances are you can find these pumps being sold by the manufacturer on aliexpress and order them with different options since kegking would want bps being they were originally designated for Australian market right?

kegking also sells the tan pumps as well...

http://kegking.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=pump
 
TallDan said:
I think the BSP thread is enough to scare me off. Yes, i realize that it's the same threads per inch in the 1/2" size, but the pitch is slightly off and it looks in the pictures like it's a straight thread, not tapered. Once you go for the stainless head it's the same price as a chugger with a plastic head, and the chugger has a higher flow rating.
Click to expand...

I'm curious. Where can you get a Chugger for $100?
 
If you compare apples to apples, this pump with a plastic head is $70 not $100 and with the stainless head its still less than $100 vs what for the chugger with the stainless head? $140? so your looking at $70 vs 100 and $100 vs $140... Thats actually a big difference when you consider you can almost by 3 or these for the price of 2 plastic chuggers..

I have yet to see a need for more than 3 gallons per minute flow so I fail to see where more than five gallons per minute would be useful in a 5 or 10 gallon brew setup? Most people are choking those pumps down with ballvalves and restrictive lines..
 
CGish said:
But you still need to get the stainless head, driving the price up another $50.00.
Click to expand...

$40. But there isn't a concern about the threads on the poly chugger head since they are NPT and known to be durable. The point that was being made is that if you were going to get the kegking pump, and decided to go with the SS head just because you wanted to be sure that you wouldn't have issues damaging the threads (since they are very close, but not exactly NPT). You would be better off with the poly head chugger which doesn't have concern about thread matching and is a little higher performance for the same price. If there is some reason for you to get the SS head other than the threads, yes, the SS chugger is more expensive.

I'm also going to bet that anyone who is dead set on SS for their pump and is willing to spend a few extra dollars for it is also going to want a pump that is more proven and has an established vendor network in the US. (Personally, i think that's going to be worth the extra $40 to me right now).

I'll certainly be keeping my eye on these pumps in the future though.
 
CGish said:
But you still need to get the stainless head, driving the price up another $50.00.
Click to expand...
chugger charges $40 more for the stainless headed pump and with this pump they charge less than $30 for the additional stainless head plus you get to keep the plastic head...
That said,
The stainless head isnt needed for anything really unless you feel your too clumsy to screw your quick disconnects onto the plastic head without snapping them.. (Or you are after bling factor)

I have been using plastic pumps with plastic heads for 3 years... I dropped and broke one... im still way ahead of the game by using them and now I permanently mounted them so that wont happen again.
 
TallDan said:
$40. But there isn't a concern about the threads on the poly chugger head since they are NPT and known to be durable. The point that was being made is that if you were going to get the kegking pump, and decided to go with the SS head just because you wanted to be sure that you wouldn't have issues damaging the threads (since they are very close, but not exactly NPT). You would be better off with the poly head chugger which doesn't have concern about thread matching and is a little higher performance for the same price. If there is some reason for you to get the SS head other than the threads, yes, the SS chugger is more expensive.

I'm also going to bet that anyone who is dead set on SS for their pump and is willing to spend a few extra dollars for it is also going to want a pump that is more proven and has an established vendor network in the US. (Personally, i think that's going to be worth the extra $40 to me right now).

I'll certainly be keeping my eye on these pumps in the future though.
Click to expand...

Well a smart person would just use teflon tape and screw on quick disconnects and be done with it right?
I mentioned already that my plastic pumps had the same bps threads and the standard fittings threaded on with no issues at all.
The threads on these pumps are also tapered from the pics.

My personal thoughts?
both pumps are cheap and chinese made... Williams brewiing is a reputable vendor and kegking is actually pretty big in Oz. I've been dealing with these pumps in our very expensive commercial and newspaper plate making equipment for years and they work very well even when presented with sludge from poor maintenance being done to the equipment.
 
I've posted a request for feedback on Aussie Home Brew for info on these pumps and every response was positive. (Coming from the folks that are actually using them)
They do recommend the SS head, more for breakage than performance.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Willie P
 
Just got mine and installed it.. plastic head. The threads were kinda a pita, my 1/2 npt ball valves didn't wanna thread on without feeling like they were cross threading but I managed to get them on very carefully. Just tested the pump out and it works well.. my reason for buying this pump was purely cost savings.. its going on my old brew system that I am selling. My current setup has 3 stainless chugger pumps that I love. However this pump with a stainless head I think would be a nice little pump. If I wasn't selling it I would have tried out the stainless head. Overall im pleased with it for the money.

View attachment 1453236536613.jpg
 
Drumminguy, Nice 3 ways! Is there any concern with over torqueing the plastic head while turning your valves? I would really suc to snap off a port of the plastic head.
(Not a dig, Honestly. I'm new to the pump world and truly don't know)
And would you mind explaining your flow pattern? Are those T or L - 3 ways?
Edit:
They have to be T valves. I'm still not understanding your 2 in's and 2 outs??

Thanks for your help,
Willie P
 
It feels pretty sturdy im not too worried about them breaking maybe if I hit it on something or kicked it.. they are t style 3 way valves. The input side is either input from the mash tun or input from the boil kettle. The output side has a valve for regulating flow and can output to either the mash tun (vorlauf) or transfer to boil kettle. I can run a recirculation on either kettle or transfer out of either kettle. I have a quick connect on the boil so after running a whirlpool I can then send the wort through the plate chiller. Sounds a little confusing but its really pretty easy..
 
Thanks drummingguy. Makes more sense.
I'm in the planning stages of a 4 vessel rig with a separate EHEX, and the pump and hose connections kinda screwy. Seems like 3 ways should be able to simplify things.
I'll put on my thinking hat.
Cheers!
 
Just got the pump. Everything seems to work pretty great. Still may upgrade to stainless but I had no problems with the threads
 
To report back after brewing with it everything went well, I did end up tightening the fittings on the pump face another turn while it was hot which helped. It worked well though im satisfied. But if I was keeping it I would stick with the chugger pumps.. I like them a lot more they just seem more solid.
 
Hi,

I use solar pumps, which are really cheap. I've tried the more expensive ones but find for the throwaway money the solars cost i can buy a second and keep it as a spare, but to be honest i've never need it. They cost me £18 each which is about $25.

The flow rate is a bit lower than on the more expensive pumps, maybe half the flow rate, but i find this help a bit when running it through my plate chiller as it gives the cooling water more of a chance to cool the hot wort.

Worth a look if anyone else is looking at pumps. I was a bit sceptical at first and bought them when my original more expensive pump failed to tide me over while i waited for a replacement. I've never moved back to the original pump.

Steve
 
I use the cheap solar pumps and found that they get the job done. It was hard for me to use them at first because these are small pumps. But after a test and the the first brew I was sold. Since they are so cheap you can have several on hand in case one breaks but I'm still on the original pumps after a few years of use. The only downside is I find them hard to prime but once they are primed they work great.
 
u02scn said:
Hi,

I use solar pumps, which are really cheap. I've tried the more expensive ones but find for the throwaway money the solars cost i can buy a second and keep it as a spare, but to be honest i've never need it. They cost me £18 each which is about $25.

The flow rate is a bit lower than on the more expensive pumps, maybe half the flow rate, but i find this help a bit when running it through my plate chiller as it gives the cooling water more of a chance to cool the hot wort.

Worth a look if anyone else is looking at pumps. I was a bit sceptical at first and bought them when my original more expensive pump failed to tide me over while i waited for a replacement. I've never moved back to the original pump.

Steve
Click to expand...

They do make more powerful 5.2 gpm solar food grade pumps like these 3.5 amp models.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solid-Silen...128881?hash=item234330d431:g:eCEAAOSwEppUSSgQ

I use the regular 24v models which pump 3 gpm ..plenty for my needs. been using them for almost 3 years now.
 
I also find them hard to prime. Just need to have the vessel above the pump then it works. Also need a valve at the bottom of the tank as there's no way they would suck the fluid over the top of the vessel.
 
u02scn said:
I also find them hard to prime. Just need to have the vessel above the pump then it works. Also need a valve at the bottom of the tank as there's no way they would suck the fluid over the top of the vessel.
Click to expand...

yes the same is true for the chugger or march as well as the kegking pumps mentioned here... none of these are self priming pumps... many use a tee with a ball valve on the exit side of the pump to bleed the air from the line.. I have all my pumps mounted below my kettles now so no issues for me.
 
So I was doing my final cleaning for the herms and counter flow chiller for my new eherm's set-up. I have used the 24v little brown pump with a camlock to connect it to different places to recirculate and move water for a while at the various stages of the build over the last couple brew days. Well tonight I was in too much of a hurry to get the new things all cleaned out for the first full system brew day and had the little guy in a precarious spot because I'm an idiot. You guessed it, it fell off the counter and cracked the input valve right off. Anybody know if I can find a replacement head for these pumps somewhere?
I know they are super cheap, but I'm just curious. I had just soldiered a quick connect up for the power and have the 24v power supply on its way this week.
If you were curious, the little pump can be seen on the HLT to the far left when it was connected into the setup.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1454802379.781814.jpg
 
Did the same, successfully repaired with jbweld. Further I reinforced it with a thick collar of the same. As a preemptive strike I also reinforced my other no broken pump as well.

Nealm
 
Buy the stainless head.

I just went on a test run with this thing and broke the top off.

Quiet pump, though.
 
jbraaten said:
Buy the stainless head.

I just went on a test run with this thing and broke the top off.

Quiet pump, though.
Click to expand...
jbraaten said:
Buy the stainless head.

I just went on a test run with this thing and broke the top off.

Quiet pump, though.
Click to expand...

jbraaten, do you find that the pump body /housing is rugged enough? I'm not set up to use a pump just yet, but I would want the stainless head anyway. I'm trying to reduce the amount of plastic in my brewing process.
 

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