Pump Choices

[toneill]

So I've a choice to make, while I was trying with earnest to keep a gravity fed winery design, I've come to the conclusion I'm going to need a pump. I will be using a 150L stainless variable capacity fermentation tank and will want to then transfer it to 30G flextanks for long term storage. Distance about 25' max, with a 3' lift. I'm considering pumps, which in my case just about eliminates the allinone, how about the variable speed diaphragm pump form morewine? This will be for kit based wine in 5 batches/30 gallons at once. Thoughts? Annual amount volume may amount to 10 of those batches.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I also sell this -
https://www.allinonewinepump.com/product/pressurized-bottle-washer-sanitizer/

Which can be used also as a transfer pump - 3 gallons per minute and you can have 2 different applications now. It comes with the elbows and the mesh filter and the hoses - you may want to purchase longer ones ?

 

[cmason1957]

And it works great as a home winemaker pump.

 

[toneill]

Yes, I like the allinone, but I don't think it works with FlexTanks.

 

[Johnd]

Yes, I like the allinone, but I don't think it works with FlexTanks.

Steve's link is to the bottle sanitizer / washer that he also sells, which comes with a pump that many also use to pump their wine around. It's not a vacuum pump, click the link.

 

[sour_grapes]

Here is a diaphragm pump that some others have used. (I do not have direct experience.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001FAA5Y/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[robert81650]

Hey haven't you passed the 200 gallon limit yet? Seems like a lot of wine.

 

[ibglowin]

I purchased the Amazon pump listed above, it doesn't come with a switch or anything for that matter so you have to go to the hardware store and buy a switch, plastic housing, AC Power cord and then wire it all up. Its easy peezy but you may not be comfortable with that. This variable transfer pump from Morewine For $170 seems like a steal if it comes with the switch and the pre-filter. However it shows the pre-filter but the pre filter is not listed in the list of parts it comes with. I purchased my pre-filter, tubing, hose barbs all from Morewine. The Amazon Shurflo pump doesn't have a variable speed either, thats a nice feature to have. If the Morewine pump comes with everything you need thats a great price.

 

[Johny99]

I use a couple of sureflow pumps, eBay finds. You do have to wire them up. Also, they come in ac and D.C. As well as a variety of flow rates. I coupled a 3gpm model with a variable speed drive for a ceiling fan and it makes a great combination. Pretty simple setup, but then again I'm an electrical engineer. I can send you the list of parts I used.

The morewine is basically the same setup all done for you. By careful shopping mine was about $65, but again it took an hour or so to wire it up with watertight stuff etc. either way, the sureflow is a great little pump, millions of them out there in RVs so parts are easy to find as well.

 

[4score]

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55993&highlight=sureflo

 

[Megawine]

Another pump option

Here is another pump I found on Amazon. Reviews show that other winemakers have used it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012CFTYX4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[ibglowin]

That pump uses oil. Oil and wine don't mix. Don't care what anyone has said on the reviews. You do not want a pump that uses any oil as a lubricant as you absolutely will get some back streaming when the pump is switched on/off.

Here is another pump I found on Amazon. Reviews show that other winemakers have used it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012CFTYX4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I thought u were going into variable tanks according to your original post ?
Like everyone commented , including mydelf, you can not use vacuum to move wine in that type of a container.

 

[sour_grapes]

I thought u were going into variable tanks according to your original post ?
Like everyone commented , including mydelf, you can not use vacuum to move wine in that type of a container.

The person that posted the oil-sealed pump (Megawine) was not the OP (toneill). Megawine was just trying to help, I think.

I do agree with Mike. Even for vacuum-racking operation, I would not use an oil-sealed vacuum pump.

 

[NorCal]

I made this little carrier for my Sureflow pump.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

My mistake , yes I agree never use a oil filled pump

 

[Megawine]

Another pump option

I have not purchased that pump yet so thanks for the advice. Had not found an airless pump so will consider the one mentioned. I was planning to hook a whole house filter housing with either a 5 micron or 1 micron filter in between the full carboy and an empty carboy. A hose would run from the empty carboy through another filter housing to act as a overflow reservoir and then to the pump. Thought the overflow housing would maybe prevent any oil from getting to the wine. I have not bought any of the parts yet so can't show you what it would look like.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Are you looking for a vacuum pump to transfer,bottle and filter , similar to the allinonewinepump?

The oil filled pumps leaks oil thru the exhaust port and can fill up the entire oil mist in your wine room.

Been there, I tried it prior to developing the allinonewinepump

 

[ibglowin]

You just need make sure you purchase an oil-less vacuum pump. You can purchase a ready to go system like the AIO or if you like to put things together you can do like I (and others here have done) and put one together yourself. A used medical aspirator pump (found on eBay etc) is the best place to start for a DIY. Other parts can be found on Filters Fast, Morewine, Valley Vintner etc.

There is a parts list for everything you need if you want to DIY.

I have not purchased that pump yet so thanks for the advice. Had not found an airless pump so will consider the one mentioned. I was planning to hook a whole house filter housing with either a 5 micron or 1 micron filter in between the full carboy and an empty carboy. A hose would run from the empty carboy through another filter housing to act as a overflow reservoir and then to the pump. Thought the overflow housing would maybe prevent any oil from getting to the wine. I have not bought any of the parts yet so can't show you what it would look like.

 

[toneill]

Thanks all, gives me some good perspectives. I can see the need for both the allinone vacuum pump and the diaphragm pump from morewine. Since I anticipate pumping 30 gallons from a stainless fermenter to the flex tanks, it would require the diaphragm pump vs vacuum however the vacuum sounds great for many other applications, like pumping into carboy, bottling, filtering if one wanted to, etc.