SPIKE Flow Brew Pump User Guide
- June 12, 2024
- SPIKE
Table of Contents
User Guide
Congrats on securing your new Spike Flow!
We know you’re anxious to get brewing, so we made these assembly instructions
and Brew Day Guide easy for you to follow and threw in a few pro tips along
the way.
Grab a beer, and let’s get started.
Assembly
Ready to get your Flow up and running? This guide will show you how to assemble each piece of equipment with step-by-step instructions and key visuals.
Flow
Flow TC
| ITEM | DESCRIPTION | QTY |
|---|---|---|
| A | Pump Motor | 1 |
| B | Drive Magnet | 1 |
| C | Motor Adapter | 1 |
| D | Rear Housing | 1 |
| E | Impeller | 1 |
| F | 3” Tri Clamp | 1 |
| G | Front Housing | 1 |
| H | Front Housing Seal | 1 |
| I | Impeller Shaft | 1 |
| J | ARV – Air Release Valve | 1 |
| K | Power Switch | 1 |
Flow NPT
Note: wrap the threads with pipe tape to ensure a leak free connection.
| ITEM | DESCRIPTION | QTY |
|---|---|---|
| A | Pump Motor | 1 |
| B | Drive Magnet | 1 |
| C | Motor Adapter | 1 |
| D | Rear Housing | 1 |
| E | Impeller | 1 |
| F | 3” Tri Clamp | 1 |
| G | Front Housing | 1 |
| H | Front Housing Seal | 1 |
| I | Impeller Shaft | 1 |
| J | ARV – Air Release Valve | 1 |
| K | Power Switch | 1 |
Recommended Flow Configuration
Brew Day Guide
Now that your flow is fully assembled, it’s time to put it to work.
Follow the steps in this user guide for a simple and easy Brew Day experience.
Mounting
The pump head can be rotated by loosening the 3” tri-clamp slightly. The Flow can be used while on the ground or the mounting holes can be used to secure the pump to your brew stand For best performance, direct the pump outlet upwards (see Figure 1). This will make it easier to bleed air out during operation.
A flow control valve can be attached to the outlet of the pump or the inlet of your kettle. Ball valves will provide much better control than butterfly valves. Never throttle the flow before the pump as this can cause the pump to run dry.
Figure 1
PRO TIP : Minimize hose lengths as much as possible and avoid large loops and dips where air can become trapped, especially on the inlet side.
Operating
-
Attach fittings and tubing to your pump and kettle.
Add a ball valve to the outlet of the pump (not included) so you can control the flow.
Note: Never throttle the flow before the pump as this can damage it, always throttle from the outlet. -
Start with empty hoses and all the valves closed
-
Open the drain valve on your kettle so that liquid fills up the hosing between your kettle and pump, filling the pump with liquid. Then open all valves between the pump outlet and kettle.
-
To remove air from your pump head, unscrew the Air Release Valve (ARV) a couple turns until you see liquid starting to come out of the bleed port. Tighten the ARV. Your pump is now primed.
-
The pump can now be turned on by flipping the power switch on the pump.
-
After your brew day is completed, you can clean by disassembling your pump and soaking its parts in brewery wash. Another option is to clean your pump by running hot brewery wash through it for 5 minutes.
PRO TIP: The bleed port fits 1/2” ID tubing, which can be attached to
recover any wort that was lost during the air bleed process.
Note: Never run the pump while it is dry. Doing so can quickly damage the
pump.
PRO TIP: The o-ring on the ARV comes lubricated with keg lube. Over time,
it may dry out, making it more difficult to turn the ARV.
If that happens, completely unscrew the ARV and apply keg lube to the o-ring.