[majorvices]

If gimmicks make your life that much easier than count me in. Turkey baster ideas sound good, though. But I had great luck with my auto siphon and never could figure out the complaints. Just never added up.

[hopfenundmalz]

If gimmicks make your life that much easier than count me in. Turkey baster ideas sound good, though. But I had great luck with my auto siphon and never could figure out the complaints. Just never added up.

Keith - what's an Autosiphon? I know how to start a siphon many different ways. Of course, I am almost as old as Denny!

[punatic]

Auto-siphon is a larger diameter plastic outer tube with a smaller diameter inner plastic tube.
The outer tube has a check valve at the bottom and a collar at the top.
The inner tube has a o-ring gasket on the bottom end that acts to seal the gap in diameters between the two tubes (like a piston ring). 
The top of the inner tube is bent about 90-100 degrees (looks like a upside down J. 
The plastic racking hose attaches to the upper bent end of the inner tube. 

To start the siphon you pull the inner tube almost all the way out of the outer tube so that the o-ring stops at the upper collar of the outer ring. 

You place the outer tube into the carboy and allow to rest on the bottom.  The outer tube fills with liquid. 

Now you push the inner tube downward.  The check valve and o-ring force the liquid up inside the inner tube and out into the plastic racking hose, kinda like the exhaust stroke on a piston engine. 

Once the flow is started a siphon is created and the flow continues on its own.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have seen them at the LHBS, was busting a little on Keith. Always read about problems or breakage. Since I don't have problems I don't see me buying one.

[punatic]

I've had the same one for about five years.  It still works as well as it ever did.  I take the upper collar off, pull the inner tube out, and rinse everything well.  If it's going to be a while before I use it again I put a couple of drops of food-grade glycerin on the o-ring to keep it from drying out and cracking. 

[majorvices]

I have seen them at the LHBS, was busting a little on Keith. Always read about problems or breakage. Since I don't have problems I don't see me buying one.

I've never had problems starting a siphon either, but you can just sanitize the autosiphon, pump all the sanitizer out and with a single pump start the siphon without having to worry about putting you hands on the ends that will touch your beer or worry about what to do with the sanitizer or water in the line that you are using to start your siphon.

Yeah, they break after a few months if you are not really careful. And if you don't want to use one, ok. But why so many people have problems using them .... that's what I just don't get when it has been a really nice and functional too for me.

I ferment in sankes now and use co2 pressure to rack my beer so I don't even use them any more. But if I was in carboys or buckets I'd go back to the autosiphon because it is so darn convenient.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have seen them at the LHBS, was busting a little on Keith. Always read about problems or breakage. Since I don't have problems I don't see me buying one.

I've never had problems starting a siphon either, but you can just sanitize the autosiphon, pump all the sanitizer out and with a single pump start the siphon without having to worry about putting you hands on the ends that will touch your beer or worry about what to do with the sanitizer or water in the line that you are using to start your siphon.

Yeah, they break after a few months if you are not really careful. And if you don't want to use one, ok. But why so many people have problems using them .... that's what I just don't get when it has been a really nice and functional too for me.

I ferment in sankes now and use co2 pressure to rack my beer so I don't even use them any more. But if I was in carboys or buckets I'd go back to the autosiphon because it is so darn convenient.

Maybe someday if I run out of other gadgets to buy.

[theDarkSide]

My auto siphon starts sputtering with quite a bit of beer left in the fermenter. At about 1.5G I have to start tilting to keep the siphon going. Is that the problem other folks have? My auto siphon starts easy enough and gets the job done but I hate having to tip the fermenter so soon.

I use better bottles so my autosiphon sits on the punt on the bottom.  It's nice because all the trub has fallen around it and I only draw beer.  Towards the end I will tilt the BB to get the last of the beer out.  I also have the clip that hold the autoosiphon in place so I don't have to hold it and not worry about it slipping off.  Mine is also 1/2".

[denny]

You guys that have problem with the autosiphon ...  didja graduate from kindergarten? Seriously - put a gear clamp on the hose connected to the tubing.

I NEVER had a problem figuring out how to work my autosiphon. The only problem is they break after about 12-18 months but they are so damn easy to use I just have to scratch my head at those who can't properly use one.

Oh ... uhm, no offense meant.

Or just learn to siphon the way God intended...

[majorvices]

You guys that have problem with the autosiphon ...  didja graduate from kindergarten? Seriously - put a gear clamp on the hose connected to the tubing.

I NEVER had a problem figuring out how to work my autosiphon. The only problem is they break after about 12-18 months but they are so damn easy to use I just have to scratch my head at those who can't properly use one.

Oh ... uhm, no offense meant.

Or just learn to siphon the way God intended...

Sorry, I believe ion evolutioin. 

[fistfullofhops]

My method is to get my hands nice and clean and slosh them around in starsan a bit. Then, I make fist and insert the tube into the pinky side of my fist, then I put my mouth against the other side of my fist. I give it one good inhale and she's flowing. My mouth never touches the tubing.

[gmwren]

I leave the hose filled with Starsan just like you had sucked fluid into it. Keep one end down plugged with a finger and snake the other end into your beer. The siphon starts easy, but you need an extra vessel to drain out the sanitizer until you get beer. Years ago when I transferred and bottled, I would do it over an open dishwasher. I never cared if I made a mess, I just closed the door and walked away.

[klickitat jim]

My method is to get my hands nice and clean and slosh them around in starsan a bit. Then, I make fist and insert the tube into the pinky side of my fist, then I put my mouth against the other side of my fist. I give it one good inhale and she's flowing. My mouth never touches the tubing.

This is what I do except the turkey baster instead of lips and bulb instead of lungs