Using a pump to fill a HLT or BK- through the Spigot?

[ionia_ales]

nooobie- pump question here.-

Do you folks . or are you able to- fill your HLT or Boil Kettle - through the spigot?? - is there enough power to push the liquid into the kettle and fill it up using the March 809? or do you use a hose and fill from the top?

[George]

I just answered at NB, but for the sake of others - Yes. The 809 has plenty of power. It will shoot water several feet into the air if you give it a chance. I believe the official stat is 12 ft of pumping head.

[ionia_ales]

it's like we're hanging out together.





PHOTOS to come.

[ionia_ales]

Pumping head?

[bperetto]

I've been wondering about this, too.

Pumping Head (giggidy) is all well and good, but what happens when the HLT starts getting full and the weight of all that liquid is creating backwards pressure? I'm sure there's a limit to how much the pump will take.

[Sven]

I use my March 809 pump to fill my converted keg through the spigot and it works just fine.

However I have not tried this with a full batch (15 gallons) yet, only a half (7.5 gallons) batch. Ohh, and my kettle and pump are almost at the same level.

[bub]

If I remember my physics correctly the column of water will not weigh any more than the hose you use... so weather you pump from the bottom or the top should not matter. Perhaps that wasn't entirely clear but the point still stands
BUB

[mexican]

If I remember my physics correctly the column of water will not weigh any more than the hose you use... so weather you pump from the bottom or the top should not matter. Perhaps that wasn't entirely clear but the point still stands
BUB

That sounds about right.

I think that ionia_ales is trying to fill the keg via the tap on the bottom of his keg, ie: push fluids IN through the tap rather than filling from the top.

If he is trying to fill by pushing through the tap then there WILL be back pressure that the pump has to fight against.

For example, say you have a small amount of water in your keg and open the tap. The water comes out in a dribble and gets your shoes wet and we all get a cheap laugh. Little pressure. Now, fill the keg and open the tap. Water will come out of the tap a lot harder (high pressure) and spray all over the place, gettting your shoes, jeans and nice shiny new March pump wet. We all have a little cry, not because you got wet, but because the pump got wet and we know how expensive they are.

Thus ends todays physics class.

mexican.