Starting Siphon with a Vacuum Cleaner

I searched to see if this had been covered and I didn't find any threads that seemed to talk about this specifically. A lot of stuff about vacuum pumps and seal a meals. So, I figured I'd post this.

I usually use my autosiphon to transfer, but I somtimes ferment in some small one gallon jugs. The autosiphon is too big to fit into the mouth of these and I have to use a normal racking cane. I hate starting a siphon. I've tried the turkey baster method with no luck. I tried a pipe in the end of the tubing so that I could suck and then quickly remove the pipe when the siphon started. It kind of worked. However, my brother mentioned that he uses a home vacuum cleaner. I tried it last weekend. I just cupped the end of the transfer tube in my hands, I dunk them in Star San first, over the end of the attachement hose on the vacuum and WOW. Just be ready to drop that hose on the ground once the flow starts because it takes off like a rocket!!!

EDIT: So, of course, the search function didn't bring up ANY of the threads listed below. A couple of them do address this to some degree. Anyway, it works great and is worth covering again.

They do make a mini auto siphon. I use it for draining off gallon starters.

wildwest450 said:

They do make a mini auto siphon. I use it for draining off gallon starters.

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Where did you pick it up? I looked for one at the More Beer shop in Concord, CA, but quickly realized that the 3/8 one, I have the 1/2 model, has the same outer barrel size as the bigger model. I will look into it.

In the meantime, that vacuum, WOOSH!!!

Vacuum could work but you do want to make sure the tube doen't touch the inside of that hose, those things are dirty! I'd want to just get the mini-autosiphon or build Fly-guys T-siphon.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/flyguys-t-siphon-3-replacement-autosiphon-25774/

here's the thread!

It took me a while to find it.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/mini-auto-siphon-3-8.html

wildwest450 said:

It took me a while to find it.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/mini-auto-siphon-3-8.html

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For some reason I went right to Northern Brewer to check there after reading your original post. Maybe because I've never seen it on any of the sites I have ordered from and realized maybe it was something they had there.

conpewter said:

Vacuum could work but you do want to make sure the tube doen't touch the inside of that hose, those things are dirty! I'd want to just get the mini-autosiphon or build Fly-guys T-siphon.

Click to expand...

Yes, you have to cup it in you hands over the siphon tube and then bridge the gap between that and the hose with your hands. If you do it that way, it's not likely to touch the inside of the hose. I agree, that could be a bad thing! I have also tried the T-siphon and that seems to work as well, figured I'd throw this out as an option, but if that mini-autosiphon works I'm definitely going with that!

This is how I start my siphon...
To pause the siphon i have to turn the lever up. NOTE, not completely down to off because of the little drying hole in the tap, where the wort or beer will come out