A new approach to WC pumps: Grundfos

[Sunwong]

Hello everyone,

I was surfin' the web for an alternative to common WC pumps, trying to find a silent, powerful pump with a not-so-hefty price tag as others, and obviously not initially engineered for WC nor other common targets for strong pumpsthat do affect their price.

I foud this: Grundfos Alpha Pump

Those are circulator pumps, originally intended for heating systems and the like. I have shared the info with some of my friends here who have good knowledge about them (they work with them as a profession, plumbing heating systems and so), and they have given me very good feedback. These babies might be purchased as well as 60Hz versions.

They claim these pumps are virtually silent, have a powerful head (6m. for the Alpha 25-60 or 32-60) and they have very strong flow capabilities. I have found a tech. spec. pdf on their website which estimates noise to be =< 43dba, but It is true that I have never heard any noise coming from my heating system at home..... :shrug:

The pump can also be regulated via a built-in switch to 3 different performance levels

As for the pricing, one of these beauties cost 150€ tax included and can be easily found in any heating systems-related shop. So we are talking of MD20RZ price levels here in Spain, which makes this pump a very good option for those who look for something strong and silent.

Have you had any experience with these beauties?

Regards,

Sunwong

[bigben2k]

Yep, this pump is available dirt cheap in Poland, and there's a member that uses it: he reports it to be dead silent, and the specs are exceptional.

I haven't found a decent price for it state-side though. :shrug:

[AngryAlpaca]

The only problem is that it is HUGE and draws a lot of heat. 18CM and 90W is a bit much. They are quiet, though. A slight buzz is all I could hear of my two pumps. It's also a bit expensive in Canada as well.

[bigben2k]

Grundfoss makes many models of pumps.

http://www.grundfoss.com/

[Puzzdre]

I was seeking some info on them a few days ago, the biggest problem is their dimensions, the only one small enough is UP 15-14 B 80 (see the www.grunfos.com), the price is about 130 euro here. The alpha series is more pricey than their UP or UP S series, and the guy I was talking to said that either I can buy a Grundfos or buy a same size/type/head/pipe connection pump of some other manufacturer at about half the price. Didn't decide yet, I'd like to see this pump 'in person' to get the feeling of the size and possible instalation problems considering the pipe inlet/outlet position.

Damn, still want a Iwaki, but no resellers here...

[Blackeagle]

Originally Posted by AngryAlpaca

The only problem is that it is HUGE and draws a lot of heat. 18CM and 90W is a bit much. They are quiet, though. A slight buzz is all I could hear of my two pumps. It's also a bit expensive in Canada as well.

LOL! First you say it's huge & to much heat..............then tell us how quiet your TWO pumps are! LOL! !

On the furnace eh? Have you tried one of them in a loop?

[AngryAlpaca]

The two I have are in the boiler room. No, I have not used them in a loop, because they're too large and hot.

[BillA]

and the background noise level in the boiler room is . . . . ?

[AngryAlpaca]

I listened close to them, if that counts for anything. That buzz couldn't be heard anywhere else. Still, the whole room experience is quieter than my MCP 300...

Hell, someday, hopefully soon, when it's fairly warm, I'll turn everything off in there and then listen.

[BillA]

not saying too much there, lol

[Khledar]

According to the first link, I'm convinced this pump comes with four very strangely dressed women. They look like they might be from ... The future.

[BillA]

they're sure not probabes, way overdressed

[Sunwong]

The more I think about your comment on overdressing, the more logical seems to me that those babes should be wearing just some bikinis or so... Aren't those pumps intended for heating systems? Then show the girls enjoying the silent warm ambient in the room.....

I agree those ones are big, but my intention is to put it into a custom external case (If I finally purchase one of them, I mean). The EC is currently holding 2 double heater cores and an MCP650, ala JPI Performance V5, I decided to go conservative and then decide on my final pump after doing some thorough research... Funny thing is the more I search, the more confused I am.....

Regarding price, these pumps are what iwaki is in its own market, best quality, reliability and market leader. There are many other manufacturers with cheaper models, in many cases not so full featured but still under the same guidelines (noise, pumping power, etc.). Dab, Milo, Wyson are other brands.

I am linking a WC rig from a Spanish guy who uses one of these....

Grundfos WC Rig

[JamesAvery22]

Originally Posted by AngryAlpaca

The two I have are in the boiler room. No, I have not used them in a loop, because they're too large and hot.

but according to this highly technical picture they can fit in the palm of your hand.



Of course according to this picture the asian girl likes to leap around Doberman Pinschers. not really sure if thats a smart thing to do, nor does it have anything to do with a heater pump being silent. but what the heck they are hot.

[bigben2k]

Originally Posted by unregistered

they're sure not probabes, way overdressed

[Sunwong]

Hey, this is getting better.....

[Puzzdre]

Yup

I found this little grundfos locally, and with the price of 75 Euro, I like the size of the pump (installation wise), but I'd like to have several more opinions about it's specs, so pls guys, do your best

The pump looks like the one on the pic, but without 'tail', the tail being the timer.

Sunwong, sry for posting this here, but I considered it suitable cos this thread already being discussing Grundfos pumps, didn't want to start another Grundfos thread

[myv65]

I've got (2) 50 hp Grundfos pumps collecting dust in our inventory if anyone's interested. They're good for ~240 psi @ 200 gpm. We no longer use this type of pump.

I wouldn't call them quiet. They won't fit in the largest of server cases. You'll need 460/3 electrical service. They would require something other than 1/2" tubing, but I'll make a sweet deal vs new cost.

[BillA]

nice
the more interesting I've seen were 3 stage (condensate ?) pumps by Grundfos, high quality stuff

[brucoman]

we use 10 stage pumps
2" ss pipe going up 500', no return....



discussing these pumps is like using, for example a job in early talks with us, a 500 MW electric utility with 2 2500 HP blowers (running on 4kv) pulling in excess of 1,000,000 cfm EACH.

[myv65]

LOL, yeah, those look a lot like ours. We typically had only four or five stages and fed a series of spray nozzles. While completely unrelated, it's not unlike your typical "touchless" car wash setup.

[Belenar]

As for MTBF and durability. I had our central heating serviced today. When I looked at the service report, I happened to notice under pump type 'Grundfos XXXXX' (don't remember the type) and under 'year of installment' 1988.
This baby has been working our central heating for 16 years now. I remembered the thread, descended to my basement. This baby is really quiet. I can put it on 3 pump levels (ranging from 700 to 3000 l/h), the loudest of which is the only one audible in a quiet basement (the only piece of equipment working at the time down there was the pump).... Putting my ear next to it (+/- 5cm) gave me a very slight hum on the other 2 pump levels, barely noticable at 5cm and not even noticable at 1m