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rosenjm
Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 249 Location: Ballston Spa, NY
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Link Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:38 pm Post subject: Rebuilding March 809 pumps...Already? Yes, already... |
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So I was brewing again today, a porter. Everything was going dandy, transferred my strike water to the MLT, mixed in my grain. Nothing crazy, 13.8#. Opened up the MLT drain, opened the wort discharge valve, HERMS inlet and outlet and MLT inlet, turned on the wort pump and promptly pulled a fist sized ball of grain (presumably) through/around/in between the Blichmann false bottom and right into the pump. Here is what happened next...
1. A whole lot of swearing. I'm a sailor, so I'm real good at it.
2. Realization that swearing isn't going to fix the problem...but I felt better.
3. I got a bucket of clean water and was able to, with the help of a shop vac, back flush the pump and got-r going. Or so I thought.
Wort pump continued to work fine through the mash. Lined up for the sparge, flipped on the switch and....you guessed it...nothing. More swearing, and was finally able to get the pump spinning by sticking a screwdriver into the vents and pushing her over. Switched over and used the water pump to pump the BK through the CFC and into the chiller.
When I finished up, I pulled the false bottom up and there was quite a bit if grain on the wrong side of it. I cleaned everything and ran A LOT of fresh water through the wort pump in both directions, but I'm afraid I might have done some permanent damage. The flow rate through the wort pump is much lower as compared to the water pump.
So...has anyone torn apart the pump head on a March 809? I'm using the polysoforiasdssss....plastic head, no the stainless one.
On a positive note, the porter came out great! Hit OG on the head. Still getting used to the boil off rate and the system losses, but got 5.5 gal in the fermenter at 1.053, nice color....can't wait.
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crush
Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 706 Location: Telemark, Norway
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Link Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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I find swearing in a scottish accent really hits the spot!
I have no advice about the 809 pumps. I've used one other impeller pump before and it's taken quite a bit of abuse. I've been using an old MMP-1 march pump for recirculating the mash. I dismatle that pump regularly, and it's fairly straightforward. If there is grain in the pump head, that may well affect your flow rate.
I'm still puzzeld at how a fist size wad of grain got through the false bottom!
_________________ ...just one more.
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milldoggy
Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 569 Location: Pottstown, PA
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Link Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe the grain crushed to fine
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rosenjm
Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 249 Location: Ballston Spa, NY
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Link Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 12:34 am Post subject: |
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milldoggy wrote: | Maybe the grain crushed to fine |
I crushed it at my LHB shop. I hope they didn't adjust the mill. It didn't seem any different that any other crush. I dunno...
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Castermmt
Joined: 03 Jan 2011 Posts: 863 Location: Lowell, In
Drinking: Steelhead Porter, Alt-Toids, Hefty-Weizen, Terry's Kolsch, African Amber, Pumpkin Ale, Double Dog Ale
Working on: Janet's Brown Ale, Terry's Kolsch, Pilsner
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rosenjm
Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 249 Location: Ballston Spa, NY
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Link Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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That is exactly what I needed! Thanks...Off to go clean it out.
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rmessick
Joined: 20 Feb 2011 Posts: 123 Location: Turners Falls, MA
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Link Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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The impellers in my March 809 pumps (plastic pump head) occasionally get frozen - always at the worst possible moments, too! When that happens I dissemble them (as seen in the link Castermmt provided) and carefully remove the impeller from the shaft and clean the assembly. I also hit the shaft with a bit of food grade silicone spray for some lubrication. I have read speculation in some forums that the cause of the frozen impeller is crystallized/collected sugars that eventually gum up the works. That is the only time I disassemble the pump heads - I usually soak them in PBW (the pump heads only) for about 45 min. after each brew session, but they still occasionally freeze up like that - maybe once or twice a year.
-Dick
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