Beginners problem with airlock

Hi all, joined your site today as i have a problem with my airlock,
I have the 2 piece airlock with no instructions of use!

Ive half filled it with water, fitted it put the top piece on, got up this morning and it had pushed all the water out onto the lid of my bucket, is this normal? Do i have to keep topping the water up every few hours or am i missing somethin?

Any help apreciated thanks

is there still water in the airlock? You may have overfilled. This is the style right?



as long as the liquid level forces any pressure to bubble then you should be ok.

I'm betting it's the S-type airlock. I hate those buggers. They're *supposed* to have water in both sides, but mine always had it on the far side and not much of it.

It sounds like you had very active yeast. Sometimes when the yeast gets overly active you need a blow off tube. That is where you put tubing in the where the airlock goes and put the other end in a glass of water or someting. Sometimes the yeast just go crazy and there is just to much action for an airlock.

Out of curiosity, how do you know when you need a blow off tube or not? Is it certain types of yeast or does that knowledge just come with experience of watching the wort?

I don't have a lot of experience, but from what I figured out is you will need a blow off with certain yeast. The higher the OG the more active yeast you will need, so put a blowoff tube on. I did a batch that was a little over 1.060, so I decided to double pitch just in case it needed it. I put a blow off tube on it and it still got everywhere. I filled a mason jar halfway up and it was bubbling over like crazy the next day. Also temp has a part to play on how active it gets. Again I am no expert so if anyone can correct me please do. This is just what I have seen from my experience.

Doliss said:

Out of curiosity, how do you know when you need a blow off tube or not? Is it certain types of yeast or does that knowledge just come with experience of watching the wort?

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depends on available headspace. Honestly I don't think I ever used one in a 6.5g ale pale with a 5g batch, and now I have a 15g fermenter for 9.25g batches, so haven't needed one there. Carboys generally have more of a problem with the narrow neck, though.

I have made beers at 1.057 that went totally crazy and have done ones that were 1.088 that chugged along nice and constant in both buckets and carboys. The head space you leave in the primary will dictate as well as the aggressiveness of the yeast. Best case, you put on a blow off tube and nothing bad happens. Worst case, you don't use one and you wake up only to clean beer off the ceiling.

A blow off tube is just a 3 piece air lock with the lid off and guts removed. Then a 2-3 foot piece of hose going into water/starsan. I think the $2 for piece of mind is worth it. Just an opinion.

I never use an airlock on primary anymore. I've had so many problems with them blowing off, getting clogged etc. There is no downside to the blow off tube that I know off and I see no reason to risk having to deal with an airlock getting clogged. One tip on the blow off tube: use a giant tube that fits snugly in the top of the carboy, this helps prevent the beer from sucking in the sanitizer solution during temp. changes.

Hi guys, its the airlock as in the pic above, its calmed down a little now, bubbling every few seconds still, i have the airlock just bellow half full and its working great will keep you informed

Then you should be fine. Let us know how it turns out

DrunkleJon said:

as long as the liquid level forces any pressure to bubble then you should be ok.

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I haven't seen that 2 piece airlock before...must be a U.K. thing.

Me neither. I have seen 1 piece S shaped and the 3 piece ones which are similar.