Were you using that much temperature through the pump even when the pump and hoses were warmed up?
I also use my pump to transfer to the MT, but for several minutes before I start the transfer, I use the pump to just recirculate back to the HLT - of course that immediately drops the HLT temp, but I keep recirculating and heating until it gets back up to the temp. I want and than i start the transfer to the MLT.
Brian.
I prewarmed the pump and other inline gear but circulating hot water back into the hot liquor tank before pumping to the mash tun.
In the attached picture, you can see the HLT behing the kettle connected to the pump which also has a therminator, inline temp gauge, valve and length of hose. The screwdriver is there for dramatic affect.
Surprised then that the temp drop is so much through the pump.
Just last week I decided to try a new method of mashing - instead of trying to work out the correct strike temp to warm a cold MT and cold grain to exactly the right temp for mashing, I decided to pump extra hot water into the MT and then just et it come down to the temp that Beersmith said I should need if the MT were preheated - then add the grain.
I put 18L of water into the MT at just over 180F, and even with the lid off and stirring, it was only down to 175 after five minutes, so it seems I didn't lose much heat through the pump and hoses.
Had to wait quite a while to get the water in the MT down to about 163F to add the grain, eve with the lid off and much stirring, so next time I won't heat the water quite as much! Maybe 175!
Brian.