Garage Brewery Build - What pumps?

[Fil]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professional- ... 3f0871254c

makes a simple plug in and twist knob controller for a solar pump..

u can get ones with 2 outputs and a selector switch too for running 2 pumps (not together, either/or)

u just need to short out or add a latching switch for the foot pedal jack socket

[floydmeddler]

Cheers Fil. Will this allow me to sparge and 1L per minute? Have read that these tattoo gun supplies don't manage it.

Cheers

[Full Mental Jakey]

I posted my (very basic) experiment here...

http://w.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtop ... 3&start=20

(I'm Mackiwi on the other forum)

In brief, I found that at 3.4v the pump shifted 2.5l per minute, and below that voltage it stopped pumping. So voltage control didn't get me down to 1l/min. And nor did PWM control. Eskibrew, who's knowledge of that branch of electronics far exceeds mine, posts the answer - namely, that the solar pumps are brushless motors, which means they have some fancy-pants electronics inside them to control the motor. We can do whatever we want externally (fiddling the voltage, pulsing the voltage via PWM), but the internal bits will always have other ideas. There will be some degree of control, but it isn't linear, and not predictable/controllable at the margins.

[floydmeddler]

Cheers FMJ for that. I'm thinking mag coupled is the safer option.

[floydmeddler]

Have started a thread here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=65167

[Fil]

My experience with my solar pump and a tattoo gun psu are similar in that under about 3.5v there isnt enough juice to keep it pumping,

However, my use is for moving beer from a low down boiler to a higher FV thru a chiller which requires 8v to maintain a 2.5l flow.

IIrc the original importer ?solarprojects.co.uk? has endorsed the use of a valve to restrict the flow from these pumps? just not to shut off..

not having played with a 24v mag drive pump from mrlard i cant comment but everything ive had from him has been top notch,, the only Q i have is what do u use to power it ??

[captain caveman]

I use the mag pump from Mr Lard top bit of kit. Got valves on the outlet to regulate the flow rate, and it pushes through my cfc with ease and makes chilling to fermenting temps fast and easy to control the temperature. No messing about with voltage etc like solar pumps.

Really do recomend these pumps, small, quiet and more powerful than you'd think to look at them.

[chastuck]

I use the mag pump from Mr Lard top bit of kit. Got valves on the outlet to regulate the flow rate, and it pushes through my cfc with ease and makes chilling to fermenting temps fast and easy to control the temperature. No messing about with voltage etc like solar pumps.

Really do recomend these pumps, small, quiet and more powerful than you'd think to look at them.

+1 to that. I have three of these pumps now and believe they are the solution.