Tips for getting airlock pulled out of lid?

iheartcraftbeer · 10-13-2011, 03:49 PM

Did a search for this and came up empty. My apologies if this has been discussed before.

I have a hell of a time getting my airlock pulled out of the hole in the lid of my primary bucket. I have even cracked the lid by pulling on the airlock so hard. Am I just pushing the airlock in too tight? (I thought you are supposed to push it down as far as it will go.) Twisting the airlock as I pull up on it doesn't seem to help either. Any tips on getting the airlock out of the lid?

Thanks,
JB

**two_hearted** · 10-13-2011, 03:51 PM

You don't need to push it down as far as it will go. I push mine in only enough to make it stand upright. Then a little twist and pull and it comes out.

...oh the inuendo!

**Daybis** · 10-13-2011, 04:36 PM

Don't push it down too far. Like Maxam said, I push mine far enough in until it stands on its own.

**unionrdr** · 10-13-2011, 04:37 PM

I just push it in far enough to seat it firmly so it doesn't leak. Just wiggle it while gently pulling up,& it comes right out. After that,as long as it doesn't go from suck to blow,you're cool.

**Bmorebrew** · 10-13-2011, 07:15 PM

My little trick - just the tip, just for a second, just to see how it . . .

Wait. Like above, just push it in until it seals, then when you want to pull it out, put some prepared (meaning mixed with water, not concentrated) sanitizer on it where the stem meets the o-ring, twist it inwards a little and then pull it out. The sanitizer will lubricate things nicely and if any gets in, no problem.

**TromboneGuy** · 10-14-2011, 01:58 AM

Lubricate the gasket where you insert the airlock with glycerin.

I do the same around the seal on my primary, because otherwise all the pressure escapes there and my airlock never even moves.

hoppymonkey · 10-14-2011, 02:03 AM

The 3 piece airlocks are slightly bigger than the S shaped ones. That could be the problem if the hole was drilled for the smaller.

porterguy · 10-14-2011, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unionrdr

I just push it in far enough to seat it firmly so it doesn't leak. Just wiggle it while gently pulling up,& it comes right out. After that,as long as it doesn't go from suck to blow,you're cool.

Talk about INNUENDO!

**biochemedic** · 10-14-2011, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoppymonkey

The 3 piece airlocks are slightly bigger than the S shaped ones. That could be the problem if the hole was drilled for the smaller.

This. Also, at least at my LHBS there are two different versions of the S-shaped airlock, and one has a slightly larger diameter than the other...

iheartcraftbeer · 10-14-2011, 04:22 PM

Thanks guys. I figured I was doing something wrong. In my excitement, I have a tendency to push it in too far too fast.