Homebrew pumps

[T Murph]

I need an additional put for my operation. I have a Pumpzilla for water both hot and cold. But I want to add another for wort recirculation. My question regards the Riptide pump. While it appears to be a better pump for wort as it is easily cleanable, I question why a pump upgrade is suggested. Does anyone have knowledge of the Riptide pump and why an upgrade would be necessary?

 

[marc1]

Maybe you can explain this a little more. It sounds like you are saying that there is an upgrade to the Riptide that is recommended. I have never heard of this. I have a Riptide and it is great. Can you link to what you are talking about?

I have seen that there is an upgrade kit to add Riptide parts to a Chugger or March pump, is this what you are talking about?

 

[Bobby_M]

I have sold pumps for years, including the Riptide but I dont understand the question. Who is saying the riptide has to be upgraded and how?

 

[T Murph]

I have sold pumps for years, including the Riptide but I dont understand the question. Who is saying the riptide has to be upgraded and how?

My bad. I went back and reread the ad. It clearly stated it was for upgrading other pumps to be like the Riptide. I'm sold. A new Riptide will be a nice father's day gift.

 

[T Murph]

Maybe you can explain this a little more. It sounds like you are saying that there is an upgrade to the Riptide that is recommended. I have never heard of this. I have a Riptide and it is great. Can you link to what you are talking about?

I have seen that there is an upgrade kit to add Riptide parts to a Chugger or March pump, is this what you are talking about?

Yeah I gotta read ads better. Reread it and learned the upgrade was for other pumps.

 

[robert.balsinger]

My experience is the Riptide is not happy at temps over 150 F. I got wort pump from NB for $100. Good to 240F

 

[day_trippr]

Whoa. That's the first I've read that particular critique, and if accurate it would certainly be problematic for anyone running a herms rig...

Cheers!

 

[Deric]

I run 2 Riptides on a HERMS rig with no issues. Mash out temps of 168-170 are no problem. Never recirc boiling water but do whirlpool anywhere from 160-195 without issues. Also recirc 180 water with PBW for cleaning without any problems.

 

[RCope]

3 years and 100+ batches with the Riptide for whirlpooling starting at flameout. No problems...still use the original washer and O-rings. Have had the re-build kit for 2 years, unopened

 

[Bobby_M]

My experience is the Riptide is not happy at temps over 150 F. I got wort pump from NB for $100. Good to 240F

If a pump has no cavitation problems at near boiling temps, it's because the output port is inherently restrictive. The riptide as an unrestrictive output when the valve is fully open so you as the operator need to restrict the output flow the higher in temp you get. This is not a pump flaw but user error.

 

[day_trippr]

If one pulls negative pressure on the drain of a boiling or even nearly boiling kettle of wort it will result in localized boiling (negative pressure reduces boiling point similar to high altitudes) producing localized steam which in turn will cause pump head cavitation. This is not unique to Riptides - I can cause the same thing with my 15 year old March 815PLs. File under "Don't do that".

fwiw, I don't actually try to recirculate at boiling temperatures - I typically shut down my BK pump at around 200°F as it and its plumbing are surely sanitized by then. If I'm doing a flame-out addition I'll start the pump up around 205°F but heavily throttled then let it ramp up once the WP is up around 200°F (that seems to be the temperature I can do anything I want without cavitating the pump head)...

Cheers!

 

[robert.balsinger]

Thanks for that info. I will try that this weekend.

 

[Spartan1979]

I run boiling wort through my Riptide with the valve wide open, but between the counter flow wort chiller and the Brew Hardware Spincycle whirlpool return there is plenty of restriction.

 

[Bilsch]

Riptide is way overkill for wort re-circulation, you'd be better off with something smaller to avoid a lot of shear force.