Air lock HELP???

[Leesomers]

Evening all I brewed up my first cider last night in a fermenter with a air lock no I set the air lock to half and half with water last night and checked it this morning and it was fine I have come to check on it tonight and only one side had water in and it's bubble ing like mate I try topping it back up so it would go half and half again but only fills the first side and keeps bubbleing and the water spits out the top is this normal or am I doing something wrong help

 

[Mark1964]

take the airlock out then refill with boiled water its spitting out because there is pressure under it from whatever is fermenting

 

[Zedilly]

It sounds right although if it is spitting out of the top you may have too much water in it. The reason only one side is filled with water now is because the gas which is produced during fermentation is pushing the water out of the way. This is what is supposed to happen and is perfectly normal. :thumb:

 

[oldbloke]

It sounds right although if it is spitting out of the top you may have too much water in it. The reason only one side is filled with water now is because the gas which is produced during fermentation is pushing the water out of the way. This is what is supposed to happen and is perfectly normal. :thumb:

Yeh, rather than halfway up each side I usually go a third

 

[rangeroverman]

Just as they say above all mine end :thumb: up in side and if to much water in there it will spit out usually calms down after a couple of days :thumb:

 

[Leesomers]

Thanks got the quick answers just one more think I will keep topping it up as it gets low but what will happen if all water goes and I'm not around to fill it up e.g at work or asleep at night will any thing go wrong?

 

[WelshPaul]

Thanks got the quick answers just one more think I will keep topping it up as it gets low but what will happen if all water goes and I'm not around to fill it up e.g at work or asleep at night will any thing go wrong?

CO2 is heavier than air so will still form a protective layer on top of the cider with the air above it, even if the airlock is blown open. I've never had this happen though, even on the most vigorous fermentations. Just don't overfill the airlock and it will be fine.

 

[bottler]

Thanks got the quick answers just one more think I will keep topping it up as it gets low but what will happen if all water goes and I'm not around to fill it up e.g at work or asleep at night will any thing go wrong?

Dont worry mate , just top it up when your back. :thumb:

 

[Zedilly]

It is only the excess water spitting out of the top where it was initially overfilled, once this excess has gone you should be left with the right amount of water in your airlock and everything will be fine.

**edit** if you are unsure you could put "airlock bubbling" into the search on youtube so you can see what is "normal".

 

[rangeroverman]

Some FV vessels dont even have airlocks and just crack open a small part of lid to let co2 escape, i drilled my lids got grommits for
airlock mainly so i get to watch it ferment...sad eh. :rofl:

Kingkeg 1; empty
Kingkeg 2; Wilko's Hoppy Copper bitter :drink:
Conditioning; Honey Botchard :whistle:
FV 1 Woodfordes Wherry :whistle:
FV 2 Empty :? :?

 

[linearcraig]

I had the same question mate yesterday.

As long as there's a barrier of water you're ok