Auto Siphons

[Wrongway]

I have come to the conclusion I hate auto siphons with a passion. Specifically the smaller ones designed for 1 gallon demijohns. Years ago I just had a simple glass u-bend type thing or one of those things that looked like an upturned drinks bottle cap on the end of a stick, with a bit of tubing and you sucked till it started. To be honest in all the hundreds of gallons we made I dont remember any infections.

I have two auto syphons, one large for a large 5 gallon transfer and a small one intended for the 1 gallon demijohns. It's made by Youngs. I tried using it again yesterday and nearly threw the thing out of the window. For a start if the removable clip is installed it doesn't reach the bottom of the jar. Must be well over an inch off the bottom. So I pulled the clip off so the thing would go the extra bit gently resting on the lees at the bottom of my crystal clear batch. Next I had to pump up and down like a mad man to try and get the wine to come over the top which then disturbs the sediment. When I finally got a flow the thing stops so high up the pipe that I am left with nearly 2 inches above the sediment. This thing is going in the bin, it's useless. After settling for a day I have just tried to recover the pint or so left in the jar with the auto siphon again. I had let the wine settle over 24 hours. Gently placed the demijohn on the kitchen worktop propped up at the back by two books. Very carefully with the dexterity a brain surgeon would be proud of placed the auto siphon at the bottom corner in about 3 inches of my precious brew. Wife holding the other end in the collecting bottle I gently operate the auto syphon. The liquid comes up a little but not enough to overcome gravity, so I pump a bit harder. And harder. Too late all the sediment now disturbed I am back with a murky mess. Gallon jar sealed for another 24 hours. Arghhhhh.

There must be an easier more reliable way without resorting to the big no no of using your mouth or this infernal contraption.

Breath.....Rant over. I feel a little better.

 

[Graz]

You can use a normal syphon without sucking, though I have done so for all my brewing life with no issues.

To syphon without the suck fill the syphon tube with something sterile e.g. StarSan solution, lower it into whatever your syphoning, then release the fluid at the other end. For this it might be easier to have a tap on the end of the syphon. Let the sterile fluid drain into a separate container, then as your wine/beer starts to flow quickly swap over to the whatever you are trying to syphon into.

 

[Wrongway]

I might try that. Practice with a water filled demijohn first. Though just seen this on eBay that looks interesting. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Automatic...ew-Wine-amp-Beer-Bottling-Syphon/231359851906

 

[Chippy_Tea]

My solution to not using your mouth on the syphon tube was to get a small piece of syphon tube and connect it to a syphon tap, i then connect this to the syphon tube keeping the end above the top of the neck of the DJ or top of the FV, i then start the syphon and once the tube is full i remove the tap and tube and connect my little bottler.

I also use a bucket clip on both FV's and DJ's, the bucket clip and little bottler makes the job a lot easier

Little bottler to syphon tube how to - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58393

Bucket clip - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58710

 

[Wrongway]

That could be worth a go :thumb:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have edited it a couple of times probably as you were reading it also the posts i have linked to, might be worth reading again. :thumb:

 

[Mikey]

I've never had trouble using my auto syphon I just place it in the wine leaving the end near the surface not down near the sediment, give it one hardish pump then carefully lower it down to the sediment, never had trouble doing that

 

[Wrongway]

I will probably give it another try. I think the frustration came from stopping syphoning a gallon demijohn with over 2 inches left. So all attempts at recovering whats left was nigh on impossible. Just seemed a waste loosing such a large portion of the jar.

 

[aamcle]

Get a 100 ml plastic syringe from Evilbay, sanitise it shove it in the end of your tube and suck - job done syphon started.

Aamcle

 

[Babs]

You can use a normal syphon without sucking, though I have done so for all my brewing life with no issues.

To syphon without the suck fill the syphon tube with something sterile e.g. StarSan solution, lower it into whatever your syphoning, then release the fluid at the other end. For this it might be easier to have a tap on the end of the syphon. Let the sterile fluid drain into a separate container, then as your wine/beer starts to flow quickly swap over to the whatever you are trying to syphon into.

Thanks Graz, just been looking up advice before buying an auto-siphon and found your post about this method of siphoning. Genius! Just tried it out for the first time and it worked a treat while de-gassing my Wilko home brew.

Thanks again!

 

[ScottE75]

Never had a problem with my 1 gal auto-siphon. I use it with a bottling wand, and it makes bottling easy. I do admit, trying to start the auto siphon with one hand and pressing down on the bottling wand with the other can be challenging.

 

[mgrds]

Have always sucked for 50 odd years of wine and bee making but never had problems..

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Have always sucked for 50 odd years of wine and bee making but never had problems..

I use the sterilised tap off my syphon tube to start it by sucking with the end of the tube higher than the bottom of the DJ/FV then remove the tap and put the end into the DJ i am racking to.

 

[Covrich]

Have always sucked for 50 odd years of wine and bee making but never had problems..

When I started I sucked without issue..

We have had a few brewers who have fell foul to this method however.. one did some extensive research and found some peoples mouths are more susceptible to infection based on their personal bacteria..

Maybe he never brushed his teeth I dunno

 

[Chippy_Tea]

We have had a few brewers who have fell foul to this method however.. one did some extensive research and found some peoples mouths are more susceptible to infection based on their personal bacteria..

I never used to use an aid to start the syphon but that thread made me think twice and i have done ever since.