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Author Topic: Autosiphon with bad seal  (Read 6689 times)

Offline colinhayes

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Autosiphon with bad seal
« on: April 03, 2011, 09:35:45 pm »
So my newish autosiphon has a crappy seal between the racking cane and the outer part and ends up sucking in a bunch of air through that seal.  Has anybody else had this problem?  Anyone know of a good easy fix for this?

beveragebob

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2011, 09:42:46 pm »
While it is seated and racking beer(when it happens), I used to hold the cane part and turn the outside part until it stopped. It worked most times.

Offline theDarkSide

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2011, 06:27:26 am »
I put my 5/16" autosiphon together dry once and that pretty much ruined it.  My solution - bought a new 1/2" version...much better.
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Offline chezteth

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2011, 07:51:09 am »
I haven't ever noticed air being sucked up with my auto-siphon.  However, I have found out in the past to be sure and wet the pieces before assembling.  Putting the auto-siphon together when dry does bad things to it.

Offline beersk

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2011, 08:42:04 am »
It's sort of the reason I bought a plain ole stainless steel racking cane, got sick of the auto-siphon being stupid all the time.  To start a siphon, I just put a 3 or so inch larger piece of tubing over the end of my siphon hose, suck to get siphon going, allow it to run into a separate vessel while I clamp the hose.  Then, I either spray the end of the hose or let it sit in sanitizer for a bit before siphoning the rest into my fermenter or keg.  My mouth doesn't touch anything the beer touches, voila, siphon started. 
Jesse

Offline colinhayes

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2011, 11:26:15 am »
I haven't ever noticed air being sucked up with my auto-siphon.  However, I have found out in the past to be sure and wet the pieces before assembling.  Putting the auto-siphon together when dry does bad things to it.

now they tell me...

Offline tallcall

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2011, 12:27:35 pm »
Mine was starting to leak air also. What I do now is when I take it apart to clean take you finger and gently press the sealing lip out. I then store it disassembled. Wet it and assemble when I need it and hasn't leaked since.

Offline Malticulous

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2011, 06:26:29 pm »
I've had two were out. I just use a cane now.

Offline geo1267

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2011, 07:48:30 pm »
It's sort of the reason I bought a plain ole stainless steel racking cane, got sick of the auto-siphon being stupid all the time.  To start a siphon, I just put a 3 or so inch larger piece of tubing over the end of my siphon hose, suck to get siphon going, allow it to run into a separate vessel while I clamp the hose.  Then, I either spray the end of the hose or let it sit in sanitizer for a bit before siphoning the rest into my fermenter or keg.  My mouth doesn't touch anything the beer touches, voila, siphon started. 

This is a good idea. My solution is to use a sanitized turkey baster to start the siphon, this way my mouth doesn't touch anything and I don't have to clamp the hose and sanitize anything else.

Offline rabid_dingo

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2011, 08:11:10 pm »
I've had some help with pouring some starsan solution into the gap between the outer AS and the inner cane.
it helps some...but replaced it when that stopped working. No sense in oxidizing a bunch of beer. A recent
Zymurgy has a method to start a siphon using the orange fermenter cap, cane and inline air sanitizing
filter of sorts..Tom Schmidllin may be able to elaborate...

I think my next siphon upgrade will go that route.
Ruben * Colorado :)

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2011, 10:52:51 pm »
I really recommend a stainless racking cane with a carboy cap and a sterile air filter.  After switching to this I would never switch back to an auto-siphon.  It doesn't break or craze, I can push it with CO2 if I want, the siphon starts every time without fail . . . it works best for me.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline Malticulous

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2011, 08:45:10 am »
I just fill my sanitized cane and hose with tap water and hold the hose end with my sanitized finger. A few oz of tap water doesn't do any harm.

I use buckets so the carboy cap trick is useless.

beveragebob

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2011, 08:50:56 am »
I use a stainless racking cane also, when I'm in a hurry, I use the brass thingy with the marble in it and get'r done. Besides, all the plastic stuff I've used always develops VCS(vertical cracking syndrome). I need to order a glass hydrometer holder thingy somewhere. Anyone know where to get one? I've checked Cynmar but, no luck.

Offline Will's Swill

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #13 on: April 05, 2011, 07:23:13 pm »
I definitely had the same problem.  I just poured water in the outer cylinder and it sealed right up.  That was only necessary twice I think.  No problem since then and I routinely assemble dry and do every other bad thing mentioned in this thread.  I'm kinda religious about the thing now kinda like those refractometer folks in another thread (btw I have one, but don't see it as anything to get excited about).  That dang autosiphon is just so good at pumping things around, like water and sanitizer and, oh yeah, beer...   Not to mention actual siphoning.  If I had to give up one single piece of equipment forever, this is the only one that would make me cry (well, brewing equipment that is). I LOVE it.  I mean really.  Bigtime.  

Ok, I'll stop.  
Is that a counter-pressure bottle filler in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Offline colinhayes

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Re: Autosiphon with bad seal
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2011, 08:34:16 pm »
I really recommend a stainless racking cane with a carboy cap and a sterile air filter.  After switching to this I would never switch back to an auto-siphon.  It doesn't break or craze, I can push it with CO2 if I want, the siphon starts every time without fail . . . it works best for me.

Do you just blow into the filter real hard if not using CO2?