Solar Pump Fix/Replace

[rowyourboat]

After some tips or advice please.

I haven't brewed any beer for nearly a year and finally managed to get a day to dust off all my equipment! Everything needed a really good clean obviously, but I found my little brown solar pump doesn't want to run any more. I use it primarily for circulating hot wort when cooling, and moving water/wort between vessels. I took the front off and cleaned out the propeller which had some muck on it, but having reassembled it's still no good. (I usually try and run some water round when I'm done with the wort but might have forgotten on last use)

It's making a little whirring noise so power is working but something else must be wrong. It was a "proper" one from brewbuilder not a cheap ebay version but, having done a quick search on them, I can see they don't always have the best life span with hot wort running through them.

So, is there anything else I can try to get it working, or can anyone recommend a decent cheapish replacement? I have some vouchers on amazon so if anyone can recommend anything good on there that'd save me a few quid in my pocket!

[Robwalkeragain]

The usual issue with my centrifugal pumps when this happens is the fan is clogged and starts with a push from the user. I'm not sure what type of pump the solar is but disassembling that part, soaking in caustic or similar then reassembling might fix it?

[HTH1975]

I’ve had the same cheap eBay solar pump for over two years now, no issues. I use it for recirculating the mash near the end of the mash-stand period. I just throw it in a bucket and let it rinse through at the end of each brewday.

[LeeH]

https://www.angelhomebrew.co.uk/en/pump ... ype-1.html


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[Eric]

Is it this type of solar pump?

If so, it's unlikely it requires stripping to that extent, but it is possible for debris to get passed the stainless plate. The entire assembly on the right can be withdrawn intact with modest force to allow removal of sticky wort or particles.

A point when fastening the pump head is not to fully tighten the holding down bolts for if the "O" ring is fully compressed, the head can contact the impeller to stop it rotating. With the head off, try turning the impeller by hand which should fully rotate while you feel the force of the magnetics.

[rowyourboat]

Thanks all, I've left it soaking for a few hours in cleaning stuff again, connected it back up and it's come to life again! Why it wouldn't do that when I needed it, I've no idea, but looks like it lives to see another (brew)day.

Eric, that's the one - I'd taken the propeller off but not got further that that (mostly for fear of not getting it back together again!