# potable water - bronze vs cast circulator pump?



## MNBobcat (Dec 31, 2009)

Hi Guys,

Nobody in town has a bronze circulator pump.  I'd like to finish my project today.  My water goes through a carbon filter and then a water softener before going to the DHW tank.  I figure the pump won't run more than 10 - 15 minutes a day.  

Any of you guys have any experience running a cast pump to circulate DHW for maybe 10+ years without having the pump go bad?  Just wondering how critical it is to run a bronze pump.  If I'll get 10 years or better out of a cast pump then for me its a non-issue.  I'll run the cast pump and not worry about it.


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## in hot water (Dec 31, 2009)

The pump will work fine, you may get some rust colored water from time to time which is tough on white loads in the washer  

Did you check for a stainless pump?  Brass and bronze seem to be on their way out in favor of cast stainless.  I think the low lead laws in CA and VT. have something to do with that.

hr


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## MNBobcat (Dec 31, 2009)

IHW,


I called a local distributor and they told me that they showed the bronze taco as unavailable but they had a stainless that they could get next week.  I questioned that when I talked to them, but now that you say bronze is on its way out I'm more inclined to believe what they said.

Colored water would not be a good thing.  I guess I better order a stainless pump.   Thanks for the info!  Most appreciated.


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## Hunderliggur (Jan 1, 2010)

I use stainless Grundfoss pumps on my potable water.


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## rkusek (Jan 1, 2010)

Don't you have Menards in Minnesota?  I thought I saw the stainless or bronze Grundfos there.


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## wantstoburnwood (Jan 1, 2010)

I run a taco bronze pump. I was advised not to use a cast one because of the colored water and corossion


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## MNBobcat (Jan 1, 2010)

huskers said:
			
		

> Don't you have Menards in Minnesota?  I thought I saw the stainless or bronze Grundfos there.



I called Menards before I made this post and they said all they had were cast pumps.  Yesterday I went to Menards for something else and while I was there I looked at their pumps and you're right -- they have a stainless and also a composite grundfos.  It has threaded connections rather than flanges but I can certainly make that work.  I don't know what the guy I talked to over the phone was thinking (or not thinking, in this case) but he definitely sent me on a wild goose chase.  I called Lowes, Home Depot, and about a half dozen plumbing/hvac distributors in the area and could not locate a pump.  Ironically, one distributor had the pump -- the company for which my uncle was vice president for about 30 years and for which he now sits on their board of directors.  They wouldn't sell me the pump because I'm not a plumber or HVAC company/person.  

I'll use the grundfos from Menards.  Should work fine.


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## mr.fixit (Jan 1, 2010)

I used the composite grundfos from menards on my open solar heating system,been going about 3 months now no problems. I thought it was a reasonably priced.


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