Cheap Submersible Pump to recirc Cooling Water

[11amas]

I like the Doc and Tasty unit but I think you have made some logical changes with the carboy drainer and holes in the bucket. I also like the idea of making this my recirc unit for my immersion chiller. I currently do tap water, drain to waste to drop my initial 50 degrees or so and then recirc ice water to crash it down to pitching temps.

[LoganO]

This pump is not food grade so I use my March pump for the whirlpool and then use this one to recirculate the ice water in my chiller and it really drops it down fast! Once it is done I will let is set and then recirculate the ice water in my carboy to clean the PBW out if it is really cold I will drain and then put new water to rinse the carboy and then sanitize.

[Quin]

Ok, do you have a bleed valve on your March to help bleed air to prime it? How do you get it started? I've noticed its a bit of a trick to get it going.

Not really necessary unless you have hard piping. Here's a picture of my setup. The pumps have to be located below the level in the kettle/cooler. I open the valve to flood the inlet of the pump. My wort return pipe is loose, so I just raise the outlet above the level in the kettle to let the air out. The liquid should rise to the same level on the discharge side as in the kettle. Turn the pump on, lower the wort return pipe.

When using ice, it's even simpler. You don't have to worry about splashing, so the water return piping discharges at the top of the cooler open to the atmosphere.

Try to keep your discharge lines increasing in elevation along the flow path (slanted upward) so any bubbles can work their way out.

[TimmyR]

Good tip, thnx. I wish I had taken a pic of of my equip all set up. Next time. I can easily keep the pump below the supply source and slant it up from there.