Airlock

[GhostShip]

Is it just me, or is the design of the two-piece airlock (which I got in my starter kit) pretty useless?

With every kit I've made so far, the fermentation has been vigorous enough to blow the top off. So, I check it in the morning and then when I come in from work, have to replace it again. This means that it's been off for the whole day which must surely leave the beer open to airborne infection?

Or am I worrying about nothing?

 

[sdt7618]

Is it just me, or is the design of the two-piece airlock (which I got in my starter kit) pretty useless?

With every kit I've made so far, the fermentation has been vigorous enough to blow the top off. So, I check it in the morning and then when I come in from work, have to replace it again. This means that it's been off for the whole day which must surely leave the beer open to airborne infection?

Or am I worrying about nothing?

I don't like them, and prefer the S shaped ones. however they are a bit shorter and suit my brew fridges. I tend to leave the lid a little bit off and that seems to help rather than constantly blowing off.

 

[WierdFish]

Ditto with leaving the lid cracked open, which then means the airlock is useless anyway. I don't bother with them anymore, preferring to go by FG readings to know when a brew is ready.

 

[OlliesDad]

I'm the opposite, I've recently switch to these and find them easier than the S type. Certainly easier to clean if you do get some froth up your tube!
I tend to leave a bit of space at the top of the FV anyway.


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[jeg3]

I've never bothered with an airlock, I just leave lid loosely on. 50 brews in so far...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have used the S type and the 2 piece ones and now only use the 2 piece ones, i have never had the top part come off but when i started using them i found putting too much water in made the inner sleeve rise too much and get hooked on the top edge of the other part the solution is to only put this much water in, as long as the lower end of the thinner tube is covered it works fine.

 

[sdt7618]

It always amazes me how a group of people can have such different experiences with such simple things like an airlock:lol:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It always amazes me how a group of people can have such different experiences with such simple things like an airlock

It would be boring if we all agreed on everything. :wink:

I originally moved from the S type as my DJ's would not fit on the kitchen worktop in the space under the overhead cupboards, the 2 piece ones are shorter and do allow them to fit they are also quieter.



.

 

[LarryF]

I selotape a folded tissue over the grommet in the lid, let's co2 out, and no nasties in. And, when I pick up the FV it doesn't suck liquid in and then worry me to death.

 

[RichK]

I can't use the S type ones as they bubble louder which annoys my wife when she wakes up in the night. Has to be a silent (or very quiet) one for me.

 

[terrym]

If the top part of a 2 piece air lock tries to detach itself from the bottom part, simply put a thin strip of insulating tape or similar over the top rim of the bottom part and that will mean the top part can't move about very much when in place, and certainly won't blow off. Works for me :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

These little air-locks are great bits of kit! :thumb:

All you do is saw the stubby end bit off and chuck the rest in the bin. :thumb:

You can then use the sawn off bit to connect your 8mm biow-off tube to the cork that fits into the FV.

Simples! :thumb:

 

[Bigjas]

I used to use airlock, then I read that some people just cracked the lid open, which seems nice and easy to me. So my last 4 brews have been fermented without an airlock at all. No problems so far.

 

[stevey]

I've got 5 of these, and somehow managed to lose the top part of every one of them. I keep them in case they turn up somewhere. I only use the s-shaped ones now, only the red top bit to lose.

 

[Clint]

Ditched airlock completely. Only use blow off tubes now pushed directly into the fv grommet one end and a bottle of star san solution the other.

 

[GerritT]

I started with the s-shaped. Glass ones. Very nice and shiny, dishwasher proof, excellent sound, fragile as frack :-(
Nowsome plastic s-shaped and some of these ugly things.

 

[GhostShip]

But going back to my original post, if the top is off all day (as has frequently happened), what is the risk of an airborne infection?

 

[Ajhutch]

But going back to my original post, if the top is off all day (as has frequently happened), what is the risk of an airborne infection?

The risk exists for sure, because you've got nothing between the air and your beer. So it depends what is in the air, which depends on where you keep your FV etc. But the risk is fairly low because you haven't exposed very much area of potential entry into the FV, especially compared to cracking the lid open for example. I personally prefer the one piece airlocks because as long as there is liquid in there, you have a barrier between the outside air and the beer.


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[sdt7618]

But going back to my original post, if the top is off all day (as has frequently happened), what is the risk of an airborne infection?

If she is still fermenting the the co2 will be co ing out the hole, not junk going in. So you should be fine

 

[Chippy_Tea]

But going back to my original post, if the top is off all day (as has frequently happened), what is the risk of an airborne infection?

If it is fermenting i would say next to no risk as the layer of CO2 will protect whatever is fermenting a lot of members don't use airlocks and leave part of the FV lid loose enough to let CO2 out but no bugs in and i cannot remember anyone saying it has caused an infection.