[mabrungard]

There certainly are a number of concerns with pumps and hoses. However, once you have grasped all the new tasks and responsibilities that you need to attend to, you shouldn't be that disappointed. I couldn't brew without a pump now. I depend on it for RIMS, transferring to the kettle, transferring from the kettle, and chilling and transfer to the fermenter.

[Philbrew]

WOW!  You are most lucky with well water that cold.

That's summer.  In the winter it's more like 45F.

Yeah Denny, mine's like yours...mid 40s winter--mid 50s summer.  Hey, there has to be some payback for living this far North.

[hopfenundmalz]

If you lift the pump and hoses up, you can drain them into the receiving vessel.

I like pumps when brewing, I have 2. I also have a dodgy old back.

One tip is to have some fittings so that you can hook up the tap water hose to the hose you use for chilling, and flush the hoses and running pump when you are cleaning up. Drain the hoses and pumps when finished.

[jeffjm]

Shorten your hoses? I place a bowl beneath the can lock to catch wort when I disconnect. I use that bit for my gravity samples at end of boil. At end of mash you could just pour it into your kettle.

I love my pump and would hate to go back to brewing without it.

I do the same thing, except I drain into the bowl through a bleeder valve before I disconnect.

[narcout]

Loving that submersible pump for the ice water loop!

I'm glad you posted this because I think with some additional fittings I can use the Chugger pump for this purpose (recirculating ice water through the chiller).

I had a submersible pump at one point, but it died on me pretty fast and I never ended up replacing it.

However, once you have grasped all the new tasks and responsibilities that you need to attend to, you shouldn't be that disappointed.

Yeah, you're probably right.  After the pump though, I don't think I can handle any more new brewing related tasks or responsibilities.  Sometimes, it really does start to feel like a chore.   

[blair.streit]

Shorten your hoses? I place a bowl beneath the can lock to catch wort when I disconnect. I use that bit for my gravity samples at end of boil. At end of mash you could just pour it into your kettle.

I love my pump and would hate to go back to brewing without it.

I do the same thing, except I drain into the bowl through a bleeder valve before I disconnect.

I find that as long as I'm careful about keeping the loose end of the hose level with the end that I'm disconnecting the spillage is minimal. Not perfect but I figure a little wort helps "season" my garage floor.

[pete b]

I have a pump but use it way less than I intended. The priming and cleaning turned out to be a prohibitive PIA. I used it in a ten gallon batch two weeks ago to whirlpool, chill, and transfer to fermenters. Meh.
My tapwater is nice and cool too. It's in New England and 350 feet underground. Actually I don't notice much difference summer to winter, just let it run for a minute and you have a nice cold drink of water even in July.

[santoch]

Priming a pump is much easier if you orient it so that the outflow connector is vertical, pointing up.  The wort goes in on the bottom, and the air flows right out of the top unobstructed.

[pete b]

Priming a pump is much easier if you orient it so that the outflow connector is vertical, pointing up.  The wort goes in on the bottom, and the air flows right out of the top unobstructed.

Thanks for the tip.

[blair.streit]

Priming a pump is much easier if you orient it so that the outflow connector is vertical, pointing up.  The wort goes in on the bottom, and the air flows right out of the top unobstructed.

Thanks for the tip.

I run mine this way with an inline sample port/bleeder valve that I got from some old forum posting. I can't remember the last time I had any difficulty starting or maintaining flow. Even if I accidentally run wort below the kettle intake and suck some air, it's very easy to get flow started again.

[Werks21]

Yeah, you're probably right.  After the pump though, I don't think I can handle any more new brewing related tasks or responsibilities.  Sometimes, it really does start to feel like a chore.

It can feel like a chore sometimes because it is a whole lot of work and time. Not even just brew day but planning, shopping, cleaning, recipe design, cellaring, packaging, record keeping ect. It is alot to keep up with . I Keep a brewing improvement document that captures my thoughts on brewing. There is a list of things that bother me, and  a list of things that can help me brew better beer. By  addressing things from the "things that bother me" list I have changed my brew day for the better quite a bit. As I continue to brew and find new things that "bother me" I add them to the list Maybe one day I wont have any bothers to address but for now organizing my thoughts and solving problems makes me feel better about brewing altogether.