Transfer Pump

[David Violante]

I have a great little stainless pump that is not self-priming but a good size for my operation. So far. Since it's not self-priming, I was trying to think of a way to prime it without a ton of effort and came up with the following idea. The only big change is to make the ball valve on the discharge side a three-way. This way, I can pull a suction from the supply through the pump, close off the valve to those lines, turn on the pump, then open it to the discharge side. Any thoughts or suggestions? Image most definitely not to scale...

 

[Rice_Guy]

I have a great little stainless pump that is not self-priming but a good size for my operation. So far. Since it's not self-priming, I was trying to think of a way to prime it without a ton of effort and came up with the following idea. The only big change is to make the ball valve on the discharge side a three-way. This way, I can pull a suction from the supply through the pump, close off the valve to those lines, turn on the pump, then open it to the discharge side. Any thoughts or suggestions? Image most definitely not to scale...

Just me, but I do the suction on the receiving carboy, I also stage things with gravity / lower receiver or else have a check valve to prevent back flow

 

[David Violante]

Just me, but I do the suction on the receiving carboy, I also stage things with gravity / lower receiver or else have a check valve to prevent back flow

Normally I would do the same, I’m just not sure I would do that to a demijohn though. I do like the idea of a check valve however.

 

[Rice_Guy]

A alternative way which I use on plastic carboys is to start a siphon in a hydrometer jar / cylinder. Then quickly move the racking cane out of the cylinder and into the receiver, followed by pushing the acrylic racking cane downward till it touches the bottom of the carboy. If you have 7mm silicone tubing in the setup you can use a pinch clamp as a valve to hold wine in the tubing as you do this. (or 3/8 ID vinyl tube from the hardware store) Using clear tubing and the three way valve in your setup could let you vacuum to fill the line > switch the valve into the carboy > start the mechanical pump.
I can pump with a BonVino but look at it as a lot of bother, unless I am pushing through filter pads. With the BonVino and gravity staging I can get the pump to pull wine into the tubing. ,,, My goal is to accurately stop above the lees which means I intentionally transfer over ten or fifteen minutes and have some setups with 1/4 tubing.