Is this pump too much?

[Snicklefritz]

Getting some parts together to build a keg/carboy washer. Have a 25% off Harbor Freight coupon so I figured I would pick one up there. Looking on their website I am thinking about this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/34-horsepower-submersible-dirty-water-pump-with-float-switch-69299.html

It does almost 2900GPH with a 23ft lift. Is this going to be too powerful and blow my carboys (better bottles) into the air when cleaning? Anyone have this specific pump or one with the same power? I see a lot of people using 1/4 and 1/3 HP pumps but nothing this beefy.

I like it for a few reasons.

1. I like the stainless look
2. Has a float switch that will kill the pump if water is too low.
3. Can pass solids up to a 1/2" in size so I wouldnt need to worry about trub/krausen clogging things up.
4. Its only about $5 more than the typical cheapy 1/4HP pumps people are using


Thoughts?

 

[showcow]

That thing is probably much too powerful. My marks keg washer has the little 500 gallon per hour pump and it's a pretty good stream. I have to think yours would be much too powerful. If you end up buying this, just strap it down the first time!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[BigFloyd]

I don't think it would have too great a flow to use with a keg washer rig. The ratings they put on these pumps tend to be a bit on the overly-generous side.

 

[Indian_villager]

No one gets blamed for too big. Too small and you will never hear the end of it.

 

[thefost]

Manual lists the max temp as being 77F, so that could be a problem with hot PBW. I know other people on this forum have had luck using pumps higher than the specs say though.

 

[IXVolt]

I bought one I intent to use for a keg washing station. I'm just going to put in a valve to control the flow.

 

[DaleHair]

77°F? My tap water may be hotter than that in the summer.

 

[ClaudiusB]

Manual lists the max temp as being 77F, so that could be a problem with hot PBW. I know other people on this forum have had luck using pumps higher than the specs say though.

I purchased one a few years ago with the same temp rating and has never let me down at high temps.
77°F (77°C ?) must be a miss print or most of the year those pumps can't be used.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

[microbusbrewery]

I bought one I intent to use for a keg washing station. I'm just going to put in a valve to control the flow.

I don't think that pump uses a magnetic coupling, so a valve could destroy the pump.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I don't think that pump uses a magnetic coupling, so a valve could destroy the pump.

Think so?
It would just make the pump labor harder, ( as if pumping to a higher head), and heat the water up more.

Would be interesting to find out!

 

[microbusbrewery]

Think so?

It would just make the pump labor harder, ( as if pumping to a higher head), and heat the water up more.



Would be interesting to find out!

I don't have any first hand experience but that's always been my understanding of why brew pumps usually have the magnetic coupling. It's probably more accurate to say it could overheat or prematurely wear out the pump motor. It would probably depend on how much you had to throttle it back. You might be able to address it with some kind of diverter valve so that a portion is diverted to cleaning and the rest is diverted back to the reservoir


http://microbusbrewery.org

 

[bemerritt]

I currently use this pump for my CIP system on my conical

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-hors...water-pump-with-float-69300.html#.UxEe-oXyLNg

I have used it with hot (~140*F) oxyclean for 1 cycle and performance didn't dip. We will see how it plays out in the long run.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I don't have any first hand experience but that's always been my understanding of why brew pumps usually have the magnetic coupling. It's probably more accurate to say it could overheat or prematurely wear out the pump motor. It would probably depend on how much you had to throttle it back. You might be able to address it with some kind of diverter valve so that a portion is diverted to cleaning and the rest is diverted back to the reservoir


http://microbusbrewery.org

Cool!.....I have a little experience with pumps, and that's usually the result, as mentioned.

For the magnetic coupling, that is a by product of it's design, but the real reason for this type pump with foodstuffs and chemicals, is so there will be no interaction / leakage with the seal setups on the pumps, so no contamination, of your product or the pumps environment.

 

[RocketBrewer]

I use the same pump for my keg washer and had the same concerns. I added a 1/2" tee with ball valve dumping back into the bucket. Works great for regulating pressure

sent by a dumb person with a smart phone

 

[Snicklefritz]

Based on the advice in this thread went out and got one last night. $42 with tax isn't bad at all. Probably making a trip to Lowes later tonight to get the cpvc and fittings

 

[edmondsonm]

Good choice. It will work fine. We use a large irrigation pump that has even greater capacity and it runs our CIP head like the dickens. Make sure to add a second tube coming down off your wash arm so that air can vent into the vessel you are washing. Especially when cleaning carboys the pump will force enough liquid in there so that it starts to fill up. Adding the vent tube keeps drainage greater than or approximately equal to what your pump is shoving up in there!