New Pump (changed to RipTide)

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:17 pm Post subject: New Pump (changed to RipTide)

One of my biggest areas of frustration with my setup was regulating the flow of liquid when sparging. Seems like I could never get it spot on between the two pumps. I recently purchased a RipTide pump. Used it for the first time yesterday. Highly recommend it!!. It allowed me to fine tone the flow much better than a standard ball valve. I currently use it for my water pump but I'm thinking about replacing my Wort pump too.

Here are some quick bullet points of things I see as wins:

1. The valve is awesome! Especially for fine dialing in (pun intended) the correct flow.
2. The pump is much quieter than my Chugger pumps I've used in the past.
3. The housing is water resistant.
4. The cord is long enough to now run to my control panel without using an extension cord.
5. The head is removable with a tri-clamp. Easy to take apart and clean after every brew if you wanted to.
6. Better flow rating than my Chugger.

Ozarks Mountain Brew · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:20 pm Post subject:

I purchased an autosparge and it fixed my fly sparg babysitting, it works very well I have a camlock for it and I attach it only when fly sparging, it will not work for recirculating the mash

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 5:01 pm Post subject:

I thought about going that direction but didn't want to add another piece to the brew day. I'll have to play around with the the pump more but at first impression I'm very happy.

701pilot · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:37 pm Post subject:

I use a spacer between the handle stop and the valve stop to set the opening of the valve the same on each one. I use the same make valves on the boil kettle and on the malt kettle, if you used different valves this might not work. The thickness of the spacer I use is .160". This gives me a flow rate of about one gallon every ten minutes. Or about 90 minutes to reach my eight or nine gallon pre boil quantity. I usually make five gallon batches.

I open the valve full open, insert the spacer between the valve handle stop and the valve stop and then close the valve, this leaves it partway open. You can change the spacer thickness to adjust the flow to whatever you want.

I also had trouble with little pieces of grain getting into the small opening of the valve and plugging it up. Now I use a filter between the malt kettle and the boil kettle when I sparge.

perogi · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:58 pm Post subject:

I got the same pumps and I will be testing them out tomorrow for my first brew day in 5 years.

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:53 am Post subject:

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:54 am Post subject:

**kal** · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:08 pm Post subject:

A new RipTide pump is definitely quieter than a new March/Chugger, but anyone with a noisy March or Chugger should make sure their thrust washers if they're finding them noisier / more rattly than usual as they do wear out over time. See: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=326459

They slowly wear out over time so it's normal that they need replacing. (The RipTide pump is no different).

Many brewers do not know they exist.

Kal

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 12:24 pm Post subject:

perogi · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 12:44 am Post subject:

Brewed today - Love Love Love Love Love Love this pump!! So much easier to tweak to hit that sweet spot. First time I've felt like I could leave the room without the pump going dry.

ymmv.