Chugger pump not working

[Keith]

Got this pump in Dec on sale and haven't had this thing working yet so frustrated with this thing. Just doesn't want to move the wort. Pump head is filled and primed. And is sitting flat and level.

Suggestions?

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[jeffsmith]

The biggest thing is making sure that you have siphon as well as the pump being primed. I've seen sometimes having a large air bubble in the output or input line will cause the pump to cavitate. Lower your output line until wort/water is almost running out and then hook it up.

Have you not been able to get it working with water even?

[RossBee]

The biggest thing is making sure that you have siphon as well as the pump being primed. I've seen sometimes having a large air bubble in the output or input line will cause the pump to cavitate. Lower your output line until wort/water is almost running out and then hook it up.

Have you not been able to get it working with water even?

This.

Especially with boiling wort hitting any residual water that may be in the hose, had to disconnect and run wort on the floor a few times to make it work.

[Keith]

I had it going one time with water when I first got it and that's been it. Good to know about the syphon.

[LeafMan66_67]

Lower your output line until wort/water is almost running out and then hook it up.

^^This^^

The only time I have an issue, maybe 10% of the time is when transferring to my mash tun on the second tier. If I have an issue I shut down, lower the hose, give the pump the bump until flowing, shut down, hook up and resume transfer.

[RubberToe]

One thing a lot of people don't realise is the direction the inline pumps need to be mounted. The inlet should be on the bottom, outlet on top. Not left to right.

Mounting it right will eliminate a lot of priming issues. The problem with mounting it right is that you need to mount it to something and not have it laying on the ground. To save on bottom clearance I've seen people use a 90 degree or street elbow there.

This is one reason I prefer the centre inlet pumps. Their inlet also happens to be 3/4" as well.

[LeafMan66_67]

I guess I should have mentioned that I have a center inlet pump.

[jeffsmith]

I guess I should have mentioned that I have a center inlet pump.

Same here, the the reasons RubberToe mentioned.

[Celiacbrew]

If you have a street elbow in your kettle as a pickup It could be filled with air. I've had my pump not work because of that.

[RubberToe]

Further to mounting it bottom -> top, I see that you brew on your front steps. You could have your pump on one of the steps allowing the inlet to drop below the step's level. Mount it on a board maybe, to keep it from moving around.

[Keith]

Good to know gents. Front step was a one time deal.