Autosiphon Sucking Air

Has anyone noticed any off flavors with their beer if you had the auto siphon sucking air from transfer to secondary? I couldnt get a good flow.

I clamped it, with my hand, where the cane connects to the tube but I still had some guzzling.

Put 2 hose clamps on it very tight. I have had that happen a few times and haven't noticed any issues. When it happens just try to stop it fast and don't age any of those beers for any extended periods.

I 2nd the hose clamps, though you probably just need one. Keep making small strokes with the autosiphon until the air pocket disappears. I have this problem as well. I'm going to get some hose that's a little smaller so it will fit more tightly on the end of the racking cane portion.

Usually the air isn't coming from the hose connection, its collecting in the top bend near the hose connection. its coming from the inside of the large tube.

Pull the center tube out when you're storing it so the gasket doesn't take a set. When you put it back together to use it spray some starsan inside the tube on top of the gasket.

I had one that leaked at the gasket between the outer tube and the cane. I just would put a little beer above the gasket in the tube... problem solved.

You don't want air getting sucked into finished beer. The beer will oxidize and the classic description of oxidized beer is 'wet cardboard'.

If you need to put a hose clamp on your tubing/cane to keep it from sucking air in, the tubing is too big. You need to use tubing 1/16" smaller ID than the cane's OD e.g. 5/16" tubing on a 3/8" cane. You'll need to dip the tubing in hot water to get it on the cane a few times, but after that it should never leak.

The first time this happened to me I found the end of the syphon tubing was stretched oval. I cut off an inch to solve the air problem.

mresa641 said:

Has anyone noticed any off flavors with their beer if you had the auto siphon sucking air from transfer to secondary? I couldnt get a good flow.

I clamped it, with my hand, where the cane connects to the tube but I still had some guzzling.

Click to expand...

My first shiphin did that, so I used the hose clamp like suggested, and it cracked the plastic, my second one same problem, so I used rubber bands instead but use the wider ones. Works perfectly.

I also cracked the auto siphon tube when using clamps. I was using vinal tubing and always had bubbles in the auto siphon. Switched to silicon tubing. No clamp needed and no bubbles. :cross:

I bought my hose on the small side, heated up the end and slipped it on. No clamps needed.