Purge Valve placement for chugger SS pump

[Esmitee]

I have {1} chugger SS inline pump. Only really using it for my last 5 -6 brews.
Soo, I'm kinda a newbie with pumps. My set up is a Keggle HLT, a rectangle 48 cooler Mash tun, and a Keggle BK. Also a CFC chiller. All silcone hoses and all ports have cam lock disconnects. Very easy to move hoses around.

What I now do with the pump:​

I pump to transfer strike and sparge water from the HLT to the MT.
Drain the strike water, And usually batch sparge 2 times into a collection pot, and dump into the BK

Do the boil and @ 15 minuter before end., I hook up re circ port at top of BK, that extends down to bottom, inside of the kettle to do the recirculation for 10 -15 minutes to sanatize hoses, etc And whilpool for another 10-15 minutes.
Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes to form cone O CRAP in middle of kettle.
I use a 1/2"' copper "C" shaped dip tube to suck from the side, and leave only 1/2 a gallon O JUNK. I just toss the pellett hops right in.

I then hook up to a CFC chiller to return port and re circ for a few minutes to sanitize the CFC (with out the water going through).
Disconnect the return hose , turn on cold water, check out going wert temp into fermentors. Is that how you guys do it? If not, Please share your ways with me.

The only problem I have with the pump is when I try pumping boiling liquids?
It don't seem to prime. See how I got my [pump set up, many others do as well as more beer too. But to purge the air out, woild the pump be running, or not?

 

[Brulosopher]

I've never had an issue priming my pump, even with boiling wort... but mine is setup slightly differently. Our "Out" setups are exactly the same. For my "In" side, I've simply attached an "A" style camlock, which I then attach a hose from the valve on my HLT/MLT/BK. Works like a charm, no purging necessary (I've absolutely no concerns about hot-side aeration).

 

[Navy_Chief]

I have the same problem with my Chugger pump, on my setup (connected to a Blichmann Boilermaker) it seems like the pickup in the kettle picks up the bubbles from the boil and creates priming issues. I have not come up with a solution so I have been working around it; the only time I need to pump actively boiling liquid is to sanitize the hoses, pump, and CFC, so instead of recirculating constantly for the last 10 minutes I cycle the pump on and off to push hot wort through the system. This seems to work fairly well, I am able to push wort with the pump for a few seconds at a time and fill all of the lines with hot wort.

If you come up with a solution I would be interested in trying it, just to simplify my life a bit...

 

[mpcluever]

Some people put the purge on the input side, however simple physics would indicate that it would be better on the output. Purging on the input still leaves the pump full of air. Opening the valve on input side while pumping could lead to sucking in air rather than pumping out liquid.

 

[Esmitee]

I have the same problem with my Chugger pump, on my setup (connected to a Blichmann Boilermaker) it seems like the pickup in the kettle picks up the bubbles from the boil and creates priming issues. I have not come up with a solution so I have been working around it; the only time I need to pump actively boiling liquid is to sanitize the hoses, pump, and CFC, so instead of recirculating constantly for the last 10 minutes I cycle the pump on and off to push hot wort through the system. This seems to work fairly well, I am able to push wort with the pump for a few seconds at a time and fill all of the lines with hot wort.

If you come up with a solution I would be interested in trying it, just to simplify my life a bit...

You may be correct about that NC, Never thought it this way. As you can see in the picture, My "C" dip tube is right in the path of "rolling" bubbles that may go right up the sloped bottom of the keg and get sucked into that large 1/2" opening. Do you use a keggle too? Last brew I used a SS scrubbie. Don't know if that made matters worse? I think next brew I'll give your method a try. I guess you don't really have to re-circ for that long. I guess as long as some boiling liquid gets into everything, All is good.

Some people put the purge on the input side, however simple physics would indicate that it would be better on the output. Purging on the input still leaves the pump full of air. Opening the valve on input side while pumping could lead to sucking in air rather than pumping out liquid.

Not much feed back so far, So I'll try Navy Chiefs idea, then I will try moving the valve to the output side, Like most people have.