[ajk]

My first Autosiphon developed crazes similar to what you're describing.  I replaced it with the larger Autosiphon (the extra throughput is nice, btw) and have been careful never to use it with hot wort or clean it with hot water.  I guess I keep the cleaning water under around 120º.  It has lasted several years with no crazes.

That said, the Autosiphon is a few too many parts touching the wort for my taste, so I'm considering switching to a stainless steel racking cane or, better yet, just a length of tubing.

[ryan6458]

I'm not convinced that leaving the tubing attached is sure to keeps bacteria from developing.

I understand your concern, but like I said, I've been using mine for years without issue. Contamination or otherwise. I rinse it thoroughly with warm water when I'm done and then I hang it to dry.

[beersk]

I know most people are going to freak when they know what method I use for starting a siphon, but it works.  I use a stainless steel racking cane, clip for the neck of the carboy, and suck on the hose to start the siphon.  Let it drain, initially, into a bucket, close off the clip on the tubing.  Then let the end of the tubing sit in sanitizer for a couple minutes.  Then when I'm ready to rack into the keg or secondary, just unclip and go.  I'm surprised not more people use this method.

[tschmidlin]

I know most people are going to freak when they know what method I use for starting a siphon, but it works.  I use a stainless steel racking cane, clip for the neck of the carboy, and suck on the hose to start the siphon.  Let it drain, initially, into a bucket, close off the clip on the tubing.  Then let the end of the tubing sit in sanitizer for a couple minutes.  Then when I'm ready to rack into the keg or secondary, just unclip and go.  I'm surprised not more people use this method.

It's rare, but when the wort doesn't flow from my kettle through the CFC (full of sanitizer) I suck start it and stick it in some sanitizer for a few seconds while the sanitizer empties from the CFC. But I don't put my mouth directly on the hose, I dip my hand in starsan, wrap my hand around the hose tightly, and put my mouth on my hand.  It works fine, as long as you don't need to much suction to get it going.

[bluesman]

I'm not convinced that leaving the tubing attached is sure to keeps bacteria from developing.

I understand your concern, but like I said, I've been using mine for years without issue. Contamination or otherwise. I rinse it thoroughly with warm water when I'm done and then I hang it to dry.

I am also a proponent of the autosiphon. I've been using the same siphon now for going on four years and I love it.
It's easy to use and easy to clean AND no infections.

[dano14041]

Maybe it is the heat, I wash the "dishes" with very hot water (over 125).
The cracking isn't on the racknig cane, but on the siphon tube. I try to be very careful attaching and removing the tube from the racking cane, I can see myself snapping it into at the bend.

[thirsty]

I too have been using the same auto siphon since I started brewing in 06 or so.

What in hell are you cave men doing to the poor things?

 

[beersk]

I know most people are going to freak when they know what method I use for starting a siphon, but it works.  I use a stainless steel racking cane, clip for the neck of the carboy, and suck on the hose to start the siphon.  Let it drain, initially, into a bucket, close off the clip on the tubing.  Then let the end of the tubing sit in sanitizer for a couple minutes.  Then when I'm ready to rack into the keg or secondary, just unclip and go.  I'm surprised not more people use this method.

It's rare, but when the wort doesn't flow from my kettle through the CFC (full of sanitizer) I suck start it and stick it in some sanitizer for a few seconds while the sanitizer empties from the CFC. But I don't put my mouth directly on the hose, I dip my hand in starsan, wrap my hand around the hose tightly, and put my mouth on my hand.  It works fine, as long as you don't need to much suction to get it going.

I think people are more paranoid than they need to be.  I don't think sucking on the hose is a problem, then dipping the end in sanitizer for a bit.  It's not like you're blowing bacteria back up into the tube and into the beer. 

[tschmidlin]

I think people are more paranoid than they need to be.  I don't think sucking on the hose is a problem, then dipping the end in sanitizer for a bit.  It's not like you're blowing bacteria back up into the tube and into the beer. 

I agree it's probably ok, but the lactobacillus and other things in your mouth would be a potential concern.  To me, it's a small thing to sanitize my hand briefly rather than put my mouth directly on the tube.  But maybe it's not actually doing anything, it's not like I've tested it.

[seajellie]

I too am a cave man who regularly breaks or cracks an auto-siphon, and have eliminated them from my life now with one technique or the other.

On those occasions when I have to rack from a plastic bucket, I use a lid with two holes so that I can mimic the carboy cap/sterile filter/stainless steel racking cane method. One hole to blow through a sterile filter, and the other for a stainless steel racking cane. It's worked with every lid & bucket combo I have (except for one where I drilled the second hole a bit too big and the air escaped).

Sometimes I'm organized enough to have the cane in there during the fermentation, and when ready to rack I only have to pull out the air bubble lock to insert the sterile blow apparatus. Gotta watch the sanitation, but it's way easier for me than dealing with the siphon pump.

[beveragebob]

I've used AS's for years and have had them break. I recently broke my last one. I still have a regular "hard plastic" racking cane. I devised a new method of racking from my buckets to my kegs with no direct mouth contact to the siphon hose. Here's what I do(this is a big help when dry hopping in the keg also) I have the racking cane attached to tight fitting hose so no air is introduced. On the end of the hose(where the beer comes out) I put a keg fitting and attach it to the "out" post on my keg. With the lid firmly on, I have a qd gas fitting with a snug hose on it and put it on the gas "in" side of the keg. I suck on the hose on the C02 "in" side creating a vacuum in the keg so the beer starts flowing down the hose, into the keg, down the dip tube and with the C02 side "open" it bleeds the air in the keg to keep the flow going. I love this new method because with dry hops, you don't have the hose to pull out making a mess with hops spilling out of the keg.

[roguejim]

Auto siphons are ill-designed.  Way too fragile.

Get one of these.  They are foolproof.
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=29128&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse

Based on this, "NOTE: Not for use with salt water aquariums or copper eroding chemicals", I wouldn't use it to siphon beer, only wort.  But the pic shows one with a plastic-looking fitting at the end, that might be fine if you can sanitize it.

I've had beers that were exposed to copper briefly (less than 1 minute), it was a very noticeable off flavor.

I have the model with the red plastic end.  Again, it is foolproof.  There's nothing to break unless one stepped on the plastic end.  No silly sucking either.  I was introduced to it by homebrewer Bill Pierce.  He warned me that the copper ended model draws to quickly, sucking up too much trub/yeast.  It is simply great.

[Gary Glass]

...I put a keg fitting and attach it to the "out" post on my keg. With the lid firmly on, I have a qd gas fitting with a snug hose on it and put it on the gas "in" side of the keg. I suck on the hose on the C02 "in" side creating a vacuum in the keg so the beer starts flowing down the hose, into the keg, down the dip tube and with the C02 side "open" it bleeds the air in the keg to keep the flow going.

This is a great idea!  You could do the same thing when racking from a bucket to a carboy. Use a carboy cap and a second racking cane to fill the carboy, then suck on the other end of the carboy cap (or better yet, attach some hose to that end and suck on the hose) to start the flow.

Now, if I could only remember to put the fruit for my meads into a mesh bag before putting them in the bucket I'd be all set.  I've been putting the mesh bag around the bottom of my racking cane, but often have trouble maintaining the flow as the fruit and bag get sucked around the end of the cane/thimbal.  If anyone has figured out a way to deal with that, I'll be much more enthusiastic about racking that peach mead I've got going now!

[thirsty]

It occurs to me now that I haven't really looked closely at my AS in a long time. Maybe years. I guess mine could be falling apart too, but it still seems to work just fine.

[beersk]

I think people are more paranoid than they need to be.  I don't think sucking on the hose is a problem, then dipping the end in sanitizer for a bit.  It's not like you're blowing bacteria back up into the tube and into the beer. 

I agree it's probably ok, but the lactobacillus and other things in your mouth would be a potential concern.  To me, it's a small thing to sanitize my hand briefly rather than put my mouth directly on the tube.  But maybe it's not actually doing anything, it's not like I've tested it.

I suppose one could gargle Listerine or something beforehand to kill off most of those germs...