quick help with possible pump

[defenestrate]

hey guys, found this puppy on ebay- hopefully some one doesn't steal it if it is good

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=380408363373


only problem i have with it is that the TC fittings are threaded, and i can't tell what the little welded peice going to the outlet is- but everything is stainless housing, impellers. would be for a 3-5 bbl system so the size should be more than enough.... ends soon though so help if you can!

cheers!

[BrewinLou]

Looks like it may have something to do with priming the pump.

[defenestrate]

Looks like it may have something to do with priming the pump.

ah ok... looks like a nook where nasties could hide too

[liammckenna]

Or lubricating the seal face. I guess that would only work if this was a water pump.

Pax.

Liam

[revnatscider]

As we are discussing over in the other thread about pumps, this pump does not look like a good deal. You can pay $900 for a Thomsen #4 pump plus a couple hundred for a new motor. But you pays your money and takes your chances.

[defenestrate]

As we are discussing over in the other thread about pumps, this pump does not look like a good deal. You can pay $900 for a Thomsen #4 pump plus a couple hundred for a new motor. But you pays your money and takes your chances.

thanks for the info. i was trying to work a deal with the seller, i offered low, he counter with 700, i didn't buy.

[defenestrate]

looks like i found a good deal: pictures attached

56829p- LKH, 1 HP Centrifugal Pump model GHC00, stainless steel, pharmaceutical grade, 10 GPM capacity at 12' head pressure, direct coupled to drive by Sterling Electric at 1720 RPM, 208-230/460 3 phase voltage, 1.5" inlet x 1" outlet with tri clamp connections, polished pharmaceutical grade finish on all wetted parts, 3.125" diameter 4 blade impeller, mounted on 3 sanitary rounded foot low profile legs, formerly used in pharmaceutical manufacturing S/N00-4-25691,00-4-25690,00-4-25693 $750.00

i see it says 3 phase voltage, but i also see that it has 208-230... does this mean that it can run on single phase 220 of does it require 460?

[defenestrate]

bump bump bump

[yap]

After shopping for a used pump for over a year (even buying one that turned out to be too big for my needs) I will say this. In general it's not worth it. You have to assume that all the seals in it are shot. I would find out price and availability of a seal kit before buying any used pump. Sometimes they are non-existent which means you would have to get custom seals made ($$$). Also, there are so many variations within the same pump model number (impeller size, seal type etc.) that it's hard to know exactly what you are getting when you see an ad for "used 2 HP pump". I would get detailed pics of the impeller, seals etc. from the seller. Find out the impeller size and get a pump curve to make sure it really is sized the way you need.

I went through Thomsen and got a 1.5 HP #4 all set the way I need for $1500. No worries about whether it will mate to a used motor or any other issues. Eventually I decided the peace of mind was worth the money. This is one of the most key pieces of equipment in the brewery (in my mind). Not sure what price you are looking at for this used pump but I would use $1500 as the measuring stick to determine if the price is worth it.

Otherwise I wouldn't buy a used pump unless I knew where it came from and had seen it in operation...

That being said anybody want to buy a used 5HP Waukesha?

**EDIT** Sorry, I see you have the specs. I would still check on cost and availability of seals and see if you can get more detailed pics with the pump face off. If it's 3 PH then its 3 PH only. You can run 220/460 as three phase so that's why it says that. If you're putting it on a VFD it needs to be 3 PH but you can get a VFD that takes 1 PH and "converts" to 3 PH. Search for VFD for other threads discussing this.

[KaskaskiaBrew]

I agree with Scott and just order a pump from Thomsen exactly to the specs you need. You can give them the specs and they will send back the cheapest pump for your needs. I think mine ended up coming in around $1300 shipped but it definitely gives a piece of mind that it won't crap out mid brew. A used pump might work well as a backup but I'd be tempted to replace the motor and seals right away just to be safe. Good Luck!

Cheers,

After shopping for a used pump for over a year (even buying one that turned out to be too big for my needs) I will say this. In general it's not worth it. You have to assume that all the seals in it are shot. I would find out price and availability of a seal kit before buying any used pump. Sometimes they are non-existent which means you would have to get custom seals made ($$$). Also, there are so many variations within the same pump model number (impeller size, seal type etc.) that it's hard to know exactly what you are getting when you see an ad for "used 2 HP pump". I would get detailed pics of the impeller, seals etc. from the seller. Find out the impeller size and get a pump curve to make sure it really is sized the way you need.

I went through Thomsen and got a 1.5 HP #4 all set the way I need for $1500. No worries about whether it will mate to a used motor or any other issues. Eventually I decided the peace of mind was worth the money. This is one of the most key pieces of equipment in the brewery (in my mind). Not sure what price you are looking at for this used pump but I would use $1500 as the measuring stick to determine if the price is worth it.

Otherwise I wouldn't buy a used pump unless I knew where it came from and had seen it in operation...

That being said anybody want to buy a used 5HP Waukesha?

**EDIT** Sorry, I see you have the specs. I would still check on cost and availability of seals and see if you can get more detailed pics with the pump face off. If it's 3 PH then its 3 PH only. You can run 220/460 as three phase so that's why it says that. If you're putting it on a VFD it needs to be 3 PH but you can get a VFD that takes 1 PH and "converts" to 3 PH. Search for VFD for other threads discussing this.

[defenestrate]

thanks for the replies guys. i got a few quotes on an assortment of pumps, some cheap and some not so cheap. this one seemed promising coming out of pharmaceutical but i don't really want to mess with 3 phase if i dont need to. i do have some quotes for single phase pumps though.

its one thing saving money on salvaged tanks, pretty simple- but it seems that a pump might just not be worth the few hundred in savings. just trying to save as much as possible to put towards some SS fermenters

thanks!