March Pump Priming Techniques

[Big Tex]

Guys,

I'm curious about the process everyone uses to prime their March pump prior to transferring water/beer/wort. If you have valves at the bottom of every vessel, it's pretty easy. But if you don't, what's your process?

Cheers!

[Mylo]

Tex -

Well, you would have to close the output valve, fill the input hose with water or wort, and place it end of it under the level of the liquid you are pumping.

I think I would stop brewing all grain if I had to prime the pump like that. Best just to cut the kettles for a spigot on the bottom. Gravity is your friend.


Mylo

[Bugeater]

You could also siphon into your bottling bucket and pump from the spigot there.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[Big Tex]

Yeah... B3 sales a weldless spigot... I should just poke a hole in the kettle and be done with it!

[BDawg]

Even with gravity, sometimes it's tough to get the pump primed.

I'd like to see B3 or somebody find a small spring loaded pushbutton Stainless Steel bleeder valve that has 1/2" NPT.

Something that works kind of like the little red button valve on the top of the blue cannister water filters they sell. Push the button, let the air escape, let go, and your pump is primed.

[Lars]

Even with gravity, sometimes it's tough to get the pump primed.

I'd like to see B3 or somebody find a small spring loaded pushbutton Stainless Steel bleeder valve that has 1/2" NPT.

Something that works kind of like the little red button valve on the top of the blue cannister water filters they sell. Push the button, let the air escape, let go, and your pump is primed.

Yeah! I've been thinking about the same sort of device for a year or so now. Hey Chris Grahm, STEP UP!!!

[Big Tex]

Below is a link to a site that uses a reservoir to keep the pump primed. This is for a boat to drive an AC unit but I'm wondering if we could use something like this.

http://www.marineair.com/pdfs/pumppriming.pdf

[Petedadink]

I dont remember where I read it but the intake on the pump has to be below the output side. I fought my pump the first time till I discovered this. I fill my lines with water , hit the switch a few times and that works for me.
After Im done with the brew day I take the pump apart to clean. Its worth knowing how to do this.