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Joey
Joined: 10 Jan 2018
Posts: 13
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 Link Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 3:00 pm Post subject: March Pump vs Chugger Pump |
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What is the difference between a March Pump and a Chugger Pump? Also, are there any pumps out there that don't need to be primed?
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dp Brewing Company
Joined: 08 Jul 2013
Posts: 664
Location: Midwest
Drinking: Chocolate Taco, Raspberry Mango Cider, American X, Sandy Dunes
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| Link Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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You will have some tell you March is better and you will have some that tell you Chugger is better. They have interchangeable heads, my guess would be they are the same exact pump. Most pumps in this price range need to be primed.
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Joey
Joined: 10 Jan 2018
Posts: 13
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| Link Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you. I've been searching the internet for a while and can't find any helpful discussion of the differences. I guess I'll focus on individual pump reviews instead.
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kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11121
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter
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| Link Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: March Pump vs Chugger Pump |
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| Joey wrote: | | What is the difference between a March Pump and a Chugger Pump? |
If you read on brewing forums you’ll noticed there have been a bunch of users with issues with Chugger pumps overheating/seizing over the years, though less and less over the years. The manufacturer did replace them it most cases it seems. Not sure if that means the problem is solved. The pumps are (or were) fairly new at the time when I built my setup.
I chose the March pumps I did after extensive research into ones that had been around for a while and had a good quality track record. Yes, they’re more expensive, but when I built my setup I choose to spend more money on something that works perfectly the first time than taking a risk with something new/unknown which you may end up replacing a few years down the road with what I wanted to buy in the first place. That makes it even more expensive.
March is made in the USA and CSA/UL approved. They are the original. Chugger is made offshore and is a copycat design. I don't believe that they are CSA/UL approved (early ones were not but that may have changed).
At the end of the day the choice is yours of course.
| Quote: | | Also, are there any pumps out there that don't need to be primed? |
No. Or I should say, yes, there are, but then you wouldn't be able to use them for a brewing setup as you wouldn't be able to block the flow completely or almost completely at times like we do when you brew. See my brewing process here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/brew-day-step-by-step
So it's a catch-22. Why? See: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/pumps
Quote:
The pump's magnetic drive acts as a clutch allowing us to put backpressure on the pump to control liquid flow. We do this by placing a ball valve on the output (never the input!) of the pump. This is one major advantage of a magnetic drive pump: They are perfectly safe to run with the output completely blocked, completely stopping the flow of liquid. You won't harm the pump motor.
One disadvantage of magnetic drive pumps however is that they are not self-priming (they cannot clear air in the input lines by themselves). This means that these pumps must be placed lower than the liquid source so that gravity feeds the pump. The liquid sources in our setup are the three kettle outputs on top of our brew stand. Our pumps sit on the lower shelf so gravity feeding is easy.
Kal
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Walts Malt
Joined: 27 Sep 2013
Posts: 119
Location: Farmington, MN
Drinking: Two Hearted Clone
Working on: Planning my Fall Brewing Schedule
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| Link Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 12:29 am Post subject: |
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I currently use Chugger Pumps and have been equally happy with them when compared to the March Pumps I had on a propane fired system. One thing I really like, regardless of the manufacturer, would be the center inlet. With the center inlet I have not had a single problem with the priming of the pumps. I would buy Chugger again, but I also am trying to live by my Dad’s mantra these days “that it only takes a little more to go first class.” The big question here is whether March is 1st class and/or Chugger is 2nd class?
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Joey
Joined: 10 Jan 2018
Posts: 13
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