Here you go. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-6-Gal-Water-Jug/16537207
I also highly recommend this water faucet pump if you aren't going for a full plumbing set up. It's great and I just extended the line into one of the jugs. Only needs charging once a month. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H4WMK37/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_6TKZP3959APJC3ZZDPEE
You need one of these. It will keep the water hot at a distant tap. It also cuts down on wasted energy heating water that eventually just get cold anyway. Insulating the hot water supply line to the bathroom will help too.
The MkII pump is actually just a "ripoff" as well, if you want to look at it this way. KegLand (AU) did not design or manufacture that pump.
The MkII, the pump in the Grainfather, and many similar looking pumps are all part of the Chinese-made MP-series magnetic drive pump, or knockoffs. There are many manufacturers in China making these. An American company can travel to China or work through an agent in the U.S., EU, AUS/NZ, etc. to contract for a private label pump based on one of this family of pumps. As a part of it, you can choose which pump from this series you want to use as the base model, customize it, get your own decal put on, and then use another agent to have them shipped to your warehouse.
In the case of OP /u/sktyrhrtout, it looks like they made the SS pump head standard equipment rather than an upgrade, and to have a different cord put on (a switched cord). This one's specs seem to indicate it uses less power to get the same flow rate and head, so it's possible the impeller design is a little different. But it's the same or close to the MP-15R pump. Compare this similar product, where the label clearly identifies it as a MP-15RM-110 model pump.
Considering that Amazon protects you from fraud (I think), it seems like a good deal for someone looking for this type of pump. I have a Riptide and a little solar pump, so I'm not in the market.
Yep, and in the showers. I'm not sure what happened with the plumbing in this house, but we used to have to turn the shower on full hot, wait 4-5 minutes, then get the temperature right and get in. It took forever and was a huge waste of water. A hot water re-circulation pump and hooked up some automation. No more waiting for hot water anywhere.
^ this holy crap my efficiency went up a lot after just adding rice hulls.
If you got the one without a pump and would like to add a pump you can get this pump for 26$, and upgrade later to something a bit more tolerant of heat. It worked just fine for me for some time, and I've still got it in the drawer as a backup. You'll also see a lot of the reviews are from brewers.
Honestly I love the system the only thing that ever bugs me is it's 16lb max grain capacity with the basket, and it's tendency to scorch during the boil.
If you have access to the pipes behind the bath you could add the bypass valve and a recirculating pump. That's what I did to my bathroom and it's awesome. I put the pump on a smart outlet and tell google to turn on the hot water a few minutes before taking a bath or shower and it's been a hand changer. We no longer run the water for 2-3 minutes just to get hot water. It was super easy to install. I put the bypass valve under the bathroom sink because it was a lot less work then to add it to the bathtub pipes. The sink is only a few feet from the tub. If you have individual pipes running to the sink and run it won't work for you, but my sink and tub are connected to the same hot water pipe from the basement.
This is what I installed.
Congrats! I too got one for my birthday and have put two all two all-grain batches through it in March. It’s super convenient but even with all the reading and YouTubing I did before using there was still a bit of a learning curve.
If you did not get the version with the built in pump, I would highly recommend getting pump recommended on amazon to help with recirculation during mash. I had a pretty difficult time the first time since I had decided not to use it. I noticed the built-in sensor kicking on the heating element on even though I was measuring a correct mash temp. On the second brew day I used the pump and the heating element did not kick on as much.
If you are using the amazon pump, I’d also recommend running it with the valve 50-75% open or to have the tube reach into the mash. I slightly modified my lid by drilling out the hole in the top to fit a 3/8” stainless barbed elbow. This was done to avoid kinking of the silicone tubing and to be able to keep the lid on during mash. The problem I ran into by doing this is the flow from the pump was too high and the splashing cause a foam to build up. The foam easily rose to the top with some bits of grain and husks, and could have easily spilled over the sides of the basket. I noticed this about 30 minutes into the mash and adjusted the valve to lower thr flow. I will likey test adding 6-12” of tubing on the other end of thr elbow so that the tube end is in the mash and not above to cause splashing.
My mashes have been full immersion using a bag and I’m temped to sparge with it to see if I can get more efficiency above 75%.
Your sink and shower have water-saving flow limits (usually under 3gpm). It can take a long time for them to pass enough water to clear the the pipes of the room temperature water (that cooled standing in the pipes between uses) so you start getting hot water from the heater.
There are a three solutions.
The easiest thing is to turn on the tub hot and let it run until hot. That will bring the hot water from the tank, and your sink and shower will be warm within a few seconds.
You can install a shunt that lets cold water in the hot water pipe go into the cold line, and put a pump at the hotwater heater. The drawback is these make your cold water side run tepid (from the warm water you've dumped into the cold pipe) for a few minutes. When the tepid water flushes out your pipes and the cold arrives, your shower is going to go COLD until you readjust the temperature. (My wife hated ours so much I had to take it out.) (LINK)
You can install a separate return hot line and install a recirculating pump. This is what hotels with large industrial water heaters have. You continually circulate hot water through the main pipe so when someone turns on a faucet anywhere along the line they get hot water fast. These consume more energy, because the water in the pipes is continually cooling, so you have to reheat it. Also, running the pipe can be a major expense and hassle because the pipes are are in the walls.
I ran that for years. My process was to heat strike water in my kettle (also I only have one burner), go 10 degrees above dough in, pump to mash tun and mash in. I generally heated more water than needed because I would then top up to my full hot liquor tank volume in that same kettle, bring up to 180 or more and then transfer over.
The problem comes when you go to sparge and run off. You can certainly pump the wort into the kettle, but you'll be pulling hard on the grain bed (depending on the pump). Then batch sparging by using that pump to pump more water into the mash tun. A 3-way ball valve may work, hooked up to the inlet of the pump so that you have two options to switch where the flow is coming from. Probably want an 3-way on the outlet as well to direct to either the kettle or mash tun.
I ended up buying a small pump on Amazon meant for solar water heaters to pump my wort to kettle. Main pump is used to "fly sparge" as I do so. Works well! But I didn't do that for YEARS of doing something similar to what you're envisioning.
Several amazon sellers stock them for similar prices, here's one example. I've seen them cheaper without the AC adapter. Plenty of reviews on there.
To parallel a couple of the other commenters, I have the M&B (no built-in pump) for about a year and a half and a half now and love it. It's very no-frills, especially compared to the Anvil or Grainfather, but you're also paying a much smaller price, leaving more funds for hops and other fun tools. I haven't tried the Robobrew for a brew, but I've checked one out while not in use, and it strikes me as just about the same at the M&B in terms of build quality.
I got a couple of the ubiquitous bayite pumps from Amazon and an inline controller for each, which I much prefer to having a built-in pump that would be harder to swap out in case of mechanical failure.
I had frozen pipes the first year in this house. after we thawed them out, I wrapped every cold water pipe i could get to with a pool noodle, added insulation to the wall where they entered from the street and installed a hot water recirculating pump. No problems still a decade later , including the -20c temps of 2019
https://www.amazon.com/Watts-500800-Recirculating-System-Built-/dp/B000E78XHG/ref=as_li_ss_tl
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whole thing cost me a days work and about $400, highly recommended
my bad. My kitchen is far from my hot water heater, so i used to have to run the water for a while to get hot water. I got one of these and use a generic smart switch.
https://www.amazon.com/Watts-500800-Instant-Recirculating-Install/dp/B000E78XHG
Now can just say " turn on hot water" and set an automation so that it turns off after 15 mins.
Here is what I installed: https://www.amazon.com/Watts-500800-Instant-Recirculating-Install/dp/B000E78XHG/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=water+recirculating+pump&qid=1669768961&sprefix=water+rec%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-2
I have mine set to run every half hour or so. You could probably do less. For me this is also the master bath that I use, so it is nice to have instant hot water.
It installs on the hot side and the main purpose of it is to help with hot water getting to the far end of the pipe system. But as it does cycle some warm water through the cold pipe system, it works for preventing frozen pipes too. The way it works is there is a valve that you re-route your lines to. Then it cycles hot water up the hot water pipes and the valve closes once water gets to a certain temp. So in operation it cycles water through the lines and also the valve closes once water gets to a 'hot' temp so to speak. So warm water ends up cycling back through cold water supply.
My first thought would be a point of use water heater, the little five gallon guys but I don't know of an efficient way to power it DC.
There is almost certainly one made for motor homes and RVs running 12v or 24v. You might want to call a local RV dealer and ask them if they know of such a thing. The cost of building what you want may very well exceed simply buying one already suited to your needs.
These recirculators are very quiet and don't run very fast making them efficient. They can be found for much less money, this is a higher end model.
I have one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Watts-500800-Instant-Recirculating-Install/dp/B000E78XHG
Basically uses the cold water line as a temporary hot water recirculation line. If you wanted to improve on it you could make it smart instead of just a dumb time clock on the pump.
Before I installed this thing, I would run the cooled-off hot water into the tank on my toilet using the handheld shower nozzle.
No, i would just dispense the hot liquor into the pitchers either by picking up the kettle (4 gal) and pouring in (if I wanted to be quick), or via ball valve. Eventually I got this little pump and took all the elbow grease and wet feet out of the process and pumped it into the mash tun directly from the HLT (kettle).
You don't need to be "ultra rich" to have instant, very warm water. I have the product linked below and if you install the accompanying valve at the faucet farthest from the hot water heater, every sink between the water heater and the valve will enjoy the benefit of the recirculation system. In California where drought is a real problem, this device is saving me perhaps 15-30 seconds of wait-time per person (4 in my household) per day. The water isn't instantly hot, but it is instantly warm enough to immediately start showering.
I was in your shoes earlier this year. I had a natural gas water heater in the garage and an electric heater at the opposite end of the house. I decided to go hybrid electric in the garage and completely remove the other one. I had to go under the house and run the hot water supply to the end of the house where the other water heater was located and also install a hot water recirculating pump https://www.amazon.com/Watts-500800-Instant-Recirculating-Install/dp/B000E78XHG/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1XHMWS0673C33&keywords=Watts+hot+water+recirculating&qid=1663447718&s=hi&sprefix=watts+hot+water+recirculating+%2Ctools%2C165&sr=1-... but I am super happy with this setup and we have significant energy savings monthly.
Watts Premier Instant Hot Water Recirculating Pump System with Built-In Timer 6" X 6"
This is going to be cheaper than replacing the entire heater, but also keep in mind you'll be losing heat by keeping hot water in the pipes.
https://www.amazon.com/Watts-500800-Instant-Recirculating-Install/dp/B000E78XHG/
this may be and idea something to start with and mod to work
https://www.amazon.com/Water-Dispenser-Gallon-Pump-Black/dp/B08H4WMK37/ref=pd\_day0fbt\_img\_sccl\_2/130-9886245-8302562?pd\_rd\_w=gtBHu&content-id=amzn1.sym.bcb8482a-3db5-4b0b-9f15-b86e24acdb00&pf\_rd\_p=bcb8482a-3db5-4b0b-9f15-b86e24acdb...
I'm using this pump. It's pretty nice.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076TGWYDK
Self priming, built in pressure switch shutoff, functions closer to a centrifugal and not a true PD pump. Flow backs down as you throttle it. Which is fine for this application. Can generate a smaller warmer stream which might be nice for the waterfall.
I have a 5 gallon jug of water in my office at work, and 2 at home with these on them https://www.amazon.com/Water-Dispenser-Gallon-Pump-Black/dp/B08H4WMK37/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=2877SIJ6LGCSX&keywords=5+gallon+water+dispenser&qid=1649606368&sprefix=5+gallon%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-6
My tap water and ice taste SO BAD...
I'm looking at this $80 pump thing they sell on Amazon to pump 5 gallon bottled water to the icemaker and disconnecting it from the house plumbing completely.
We already use bottled water (from a water station, .25/gal) for making coffee, tea, etc.
I'm limiting the ice in my soda's to like 2 or 3 cubes because it "contaminates" the taste of my beloved Dr. Pepper.
I swear to god when I brushed my teeth yesterday the tap water smelled like sewer.
Sun City, FWIW.
My favourite related scenario was when purchasing sent me some links to alternatives for a product I submitted a purchase request for because they found some cheaper options when they googled for it.
This: https://quantummicrowave.com/product/44-8-ghz-cryogenic-isolator-or-circulator/
vs.
It looks like a connection for a hot water circulation pump. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Watts-500800-Instant-Recirculating-Install/dp/B000E78XHG
When the pump runs it send hot water down the cold line to get the hot to the tap faster. It's a work around that requires less pluming. Usually the under sink connection is made on the fixture that is located farthest from the water heater.
I have had one of these for a few years. Absolutely love it.
Watts Premier Instant Hot Water Recirculating Pump System with Built-In Timer 6" X 6" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E78XHG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_CVDYZE31XSKT9ANHGSZF
The easiest and cheapest solution is to get heat wrap cable for your piping. If your building is anything like mine was in Chicago, the outside spigot is fed through a pipe that can be found in the basement. Even better if you put pipe insulation over the heat wrap cable. Get an outside spigot cover, plug in the heat wrap cable in the morning for a few minutes and you should be good to go. I wouldn't worry about the pipes bursting honestly If they were going to burst, they'd do it regardless of if you're using the spigot or not.
The expensive and PITA option is to get a water tank like an IBC tote. Once filled you can find "stock tank heaters" or "tank deicers" which are typically used on farms to heat the water just above freezing level for animals. You will more than likely have to use a pump to feed your PW with this option however. Personally, I use and recommend the link below. It's an on-demand pump with an adjustable pressure switch. I've had mine for a year and half and it lives inside my truck and hasn't failed me yet.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E78XHG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Only have had it for a year, but we have had zero issues. Reduced hot water time from a few minutes to 15 seconds. Yes, the tap water at the bathroom sink is warm when you first go for cold water, but it cools down pretty quickly.
Install is very easy, took me 1/2 hour, needed two fittings which cost about $20.