Beer Forum

I'm having trouble finding some clear directions on how to setup and use my new March Pump. I will just be using it in the following configuration:

Kettle - pump - Hop Rocket - Therminator - Carboy

With a recirculation step for sanitation at some point during the boil.

Do I need ball valves for the pump in order to prime it?
Can't I just open the ball valve on my kettle and allow gravity to feed the wort through the system before turning it on?

And one question about the hoprocket, how does that fit into the recirculation step during the boil? Do I leave it empty?

Hard learning about this stuff by searching through posts. I need a manual to put all this stuff together.

You can prime it fine with just opening the kettle valve, but you will want a valve on the output of the pump to control speed through the heat exchanger. Mine is directly on the pump itself, but it doesn't have to be, depending on your setup. You will want the kettle valve 100% open when using the pump. Don't control speed by using a valve on the way to the pump because you could run the pump dry which is no good.

McDougal wrote:I'm having trouble finding some clear directions on how to setup and use my new March Pump. I will just be using it in the following configuration:

Kettle - pump - Hop Rocket - Therminator - Carboy

With a recirculation step for sanitation at some point during the boil.

Do I need ball valves for the pump in order to prime it?
Can't I just open the ball valve on my kettle and allow gravity to feed the wort through the system before turning it on?

And one question about the hoprocket, how does that fit into the recirculation step during the boil? Do I leave it empty?

Hard learning about this stuff by searching through posts. I need a manual to put all this stuff together.

1. pump BELOW Kettle
2. liquid must be able to freely flow through the pump before even starting it.
3. air in the line must be able to escape through the line in both directions from the pump, back up into the kettle and up through the outflow side.
4. throttle the output with a valve after the out port of the pump
5. the march pump is a beast, it will need to be throttled for running wort through a plate chiller
6. it will need to be throttled so it does not collapse the line feeding the pump.
7. it will need to be throttled so it noes not create a whirlpool and allow air into the line when running.
8. all connections of line to fittings and fittings to fittings MUST BE SEALED. Teflon tape is good for fitting to fitting connections, hose clamps are good for line to fitting connections.
9. Practice with water first to avoid headaches and heartaches
10. consider gravity feeding wort through the chiller.

my $0.02, good luck

-CH

cornhole wrote:
3. air in the line must be able to escape through the line in both directions from the pump, back up into the kettle and up through the outflow side.


10. consider gravity feeding wort through the chiller.


-CH

Is it nessecary then to have a way to bleed it off or do you just mean an open hose on the out side (going to carboy) and a open ball valve on the in side (going back to kettle)?

For #10 are you suggesting just turning the pump off?

Thanks for the help

Any insight into how recirculation during the boil for sanitation purposes works with a Hop Rocket?
Do I need to leave it empty then open and add hops somehow or do I recirculate with the hops in? Do I need to bypass the Rop rocket during recirculation instead?

Thanks

So Im going to brew with it all tomorrow. Got the pump worked out. as far as the Hop Rocket goes I plan on just recirculating StarSan through everything with no hops in the HR, drain it all out one way or another (havent gotten that far), and pack the hops. Then just leave it be till its time to chill.

Would pushing the StarSan out of the system with gas be a bad idea?

McDougal wrote:Would pushing the StarSan out of the system with gas be a bad idea?

I assume you mean CO2? That would work but you don't have to worry about any residual Star san affecting the beer.
I'd say just dump it out and your good.
Good luck