Siphon

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IrritableGourmet

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Location
Rochester, NY
I'm just starting my first batch of hard cider today. I decided to practice siphoning before I try the real deal and found out I don't suck, or at least not well enough. I could not get the siphon to start, no matter what I tried. I also didn't want to be sucking up whatever I was siphoning.

So, being a hacker, I put together the following with some parts from my local Home Depot and my kitchen drawers. It's a 3/8" T, a soda bottle cap drilled with a 7/16" (slightly smaller than the 1/2" tubing diameter) hole, and a Ziploc Vacuum Bag pump. The bottlecap fits the rubber seal on the pump perfectly. The T cost about $2.00 and I got 20' of tubing for $7.00.

A few quick pumps and I have a nice strong flow going without a mouthful of water. The tube connecting the pump is about 3' long so none of the water makes it to the pump housing and as long as the pump line is above the level of the T no liquid gets into it and I can't see any bubbles going the other way.


Photo_090209_001.jpg
 
Thanks!

I've been testing it a few times now. It seems I need to pinch off the lower tube for the first few pumps, but after that it goes nicely.
 
Nice trick...basically you just made your own autosiphon!

A word to others reading this thread, however....Never try to start your siphon with your mouth, (unless you use a T). You will get bacteria on the end of the siphon, and could infect your beer!! Use The OP's method, a turkey baster, an autosiphon, or anything that keeps your mouth away from the beer end of the siphon!
 
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