Well THAT sucked...

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JeffoC6

JeffoC6

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I use a 1" diameter blow off tube that I dip in boiling water (to make it pliable) and then fit it right into the neck of my 1-Gallon carboy. Well, I just had to remove the blowoff tube to put the airlock on and I couldn't. It must've expanded back to it's original size and there was simply no pulling it out. It wouldn't come out as hard as I twisted/pulled/turned it. So I had to slice through it with a razor blade, leaving the end stuck in the neck of the carboy. I then screwed on my cap and put on the airlock.

I hope this doesn't happen ALL the time...That true sucked.
 
even if it expanded, it should be able to come loose.

i understand that you probably didn't want to do to much with it with an active brew going but i'm sure it can be pried off when you are done.

the trick next time might be not heating it up and forcing it in cold...that way maybe it won't get stuck?
 
kurtism said:
even if it expanded, it should be able to come loose.

i understand that you probably didn't want to do to much with it with an active brew going but i'm sure it can be pried off when you are done.

the trick next time might be not heating it up and forcing it in cold...that way maybe it won't get stuck?
Click to expand...

I may have to try that. Either way, it simply wasn't budging. I even had a "gripper" and was pulling/twisting and it wasn't even moving. F.
 
I never did understand why people use such huge blow off tubes when a 3/8" OD works just fine and fits easily and snug though the hole in a bung on your carboy.
 
Jayhem said:
I never did understand why people use such huge blow off tubes when a 3/8" OD works just fine and fits easily and snug though the hole in a bung on your carboy.
Click to expand...

Because, when I did that I came home to a clogged 3/8" tube that I had to change out for another. 2 hours later, I had the same problem. I had to stay up through the night making sure I didn't have a blowoff.
 
JeffoC6 said:
Because, when I did that I came home to a clogged 3/8" tube that I had to change out for another. 2 hours later, I had the same problem. I had to stay up through the night making sure I didn't have a blowoff.
Click to expand...

That's odd. I ferment my 5 gal batches in a 5 gal carboy, get 2-3" of krausen in there but none of it has ever come out my blow off tube, only CO2. Maybe I've just been lucky? Or maybe it's because I use pelletized hops and they don't clog tubes like leaf hops?
 
It must be the curved top of the carboy causing the krausen to concentrate as it moves toward the blow off. Causing it to clog up faster. My plastic fermenters take a lot more to clog,if they do at all with the same 3/8" tube.
 
unionrdr said:
It must be the curved top of the carboy causing the krausen to concentrate as it moves toward the blow off. Causing it to clog up faster. My plastic fermenters take a lot more to clog,if they do at all with the same 3/8" tube.
Click to expand...

Yea, that would probably make sense.

Maybe Fermcap S is the answer for me since I'm only doing 1-Gallon batches with minimal headspace?
 
I've noticed with blow off tubes that fit the neck of a carboy that they sometimes form some kind of seal over time. It can be very hard to remove them. When I insert mine, it is usually wet from Starsan, which makes it slippery and it goes right in. Couple of weeks later, I am pulling and twisting that SOB like crazy and it won't budge. Finally I get it to "crack" the seal and it will come out. So I feel your pain on this. I wonder if you could use a sanitized screwdriver or other tool to insert down the sides of the tube at several places to break the seal prior to pulling it out.
 
dbrewski said:
I've noticed with blow off tubes that fit the neck of a carboy that they sometimes form some kind of seal over time. It can be very hard to remove them. When I insert mine, it is usually wet from Starsan, which makes it slippery and it goes right in. Couple of weeks later, I am pulling and twisting that SOB like crazy and it won't budge. Finally I get it to "crack" the seal and it will come out. So I feel your pain on this. I wonder if you could use a sanitized screwdriver or other tool to insert down the sides of the tube at several places to break the seal prior to pulling it out.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking I must have the same issue. To be honest, it's not worth it if Fermcap S will basically control my krauzen, however, I've never used it before...Can anyone endorse it?
 
That's why we used soapy chemicals like that at the plant when installing the vacuum lines on the engines. As soon as they hit hot test,it dries up & sticks the tube in place.
I tried using a lube even with airlocks to make them easier to install without pushing the grommet through. But the co2 pressure bubbled around the grommet,showing a less then stellar seal. So no go there either. I just cut the end off the old airlock cooper's gave me,& stuck that in one end of the blowoff. So it stays in place nicely. I was just thinking maybe the same could be done with the end of a baster of the right shape in a bung with a larger hole? That'd allow the use of a larger ID tube that'd be easy to install/remove.
 
Fermcap S works pretty effectively with most yeast strains. Some yeasts will foam no matter what you do, specifically for me high gravity brews with 3787 (and likley other Top Cropping belgians). I'm expecting the RIS that I brew early this spring will also have some foaming issues just due to the extreme gravity.

But it should really help with 95% of the fermentations out there.
 
Hmmm. I don't know why I've never had this problem with my BO tube. It's a tight fit, but it comes right out. I am tempted to heat it next time, so it will be easier to bend down to my BO bucket.
 
Here's my normal setup:
-1-2.jpg


Like I said, the reason I've had to do it this way is because I used to have this setup:
-1.jpg


Setup #2 was getting clogged to death with one of my brews. I had to check it literally every 30 minutes and change blowoff tubes 3 different times. Not something I ever wanted to go through again...Soooo, I started using setup #1. And now this problem with not being able to get the blowoff tube out *sigh*

Fermcap S.
 
That's why I mention the cut bit of baster idea. It would just be a larger version of the end of the airlock that goes in the usual grommet. But this one would fit a bung with a bit bigger hole in it for a larger diameter blow off tube to make it easier to get out. At the very least,it'd creat a venturie effect to help draw the krausen/co2 out during initial fermentation. Seems like less clogging to me...
 
unionrdr said:
That's why I mention the cut bit of baster idea. It would just be a larger version of the end of the airlock that goes in the usual grommet. But this one would fit a bung with a bit bigger hole in it for a larger diameter blow off tube to make it easier to get out.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but I'm not following. I don't use grommets or bungs or anything. I have twist caps with holes in the middle of them that twist on to the top of the carboy. The hole is a perfect fit for the blowoff tube (see my second picture).
 
Jeff I have the same set up as your #2 and I have never had a clog. Yes I get krausen in there all the time and it looks filled up but as long as I see bubbles in the bowl then I know gas is getting through.
 
JeffoC6 said:
I'm sorry, but I'm not following. I don't use grommets or bungs or anything. I have twist caps with holes in the middle of them that twist on to the top of the carboy. The hole is a perfect fit for the blowoff tube (see my second picture).
Click to expand...

I can't see it real well,but I meant the bungs usually used on carboys & better bottles that the airlock fits in. I don't use either of them,but from what I've seen,they have bungs/plugs whatever you want to call them with different size holes in the center.
If you look at an airlock,I'm refering to the end that pushes into the bung or airlock grommet as used on a pale. Cutting the end off a baster would be about the same as that end part on an airlock,but larger. You could then push the cut off end into a larger diameter tube for a blow off that's easier to work with. Not to mention,creating a venturi effect to help draw off the expanding co2 & krausen. The carboys' shape wouldn't be able to cause clogging so quickly in theory.
 
unionrdr said:
I can't see it real well,but I meant the bungs usually used on carboys & better bottles that the airlock fits in. I don't use either of them,but from what I've seen,they have bungs/plugs whatever you want to call them with different size holes in the center.
If you look at an airlock,I'm refering to the end that pushes into the bung or airlock grommet as used on a pale. Cutting the end off a baster would be about the same as that end part on an airlock,but larger. You could then push the cut off end into a larger diameter tube for a blow off that's easier to work with. Not to mention,creating a venturi effect to help draw off the expanding co2 & krausen. The carboys' shape wouldn't be able to cause clogging so quickly in theory.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...So take a turkey baster and cut the end off, about 2-3 inches from the bottom. Then, find a bung/plug that has a hole wide enough to fit the fatter part of the turkey baster tubing, and then, attached the 3/8" hose (in picture #2) into the tapered end of the turkey baster?

I respect the idea and all, but wouldn't just buying some fermcap s be a simpler solution? Or do you not recommend it?
 
JeffoC6 said:
Hmmm...So take a turkey baster and cut the end off, about 2-3 inches from the bottom. Then, find a bung/plug that has a hole wide enough to fit the fatter part of the turkey baster tubing, and then, attached the 3/8" hose (in picture #2) into the tapered end of the turkey baster?

I respect the idea and all, but wouldn't just buying some fermcap s be a simpler solution? Or do you not recommend it?
Click to expand...
You got it backwards. The small end goes in the bung. But you'd have to shop around for one with the right shape tip. And make 3-4" long,the larger end facing up. You could then find tubing of the right ID to fit over said big end. Small diameter going into large diameter creats a venturi effect,better known as scavenging.
And fermecap S works,but some yeasts will make a brewcano no matter what you throw at them. So coming up with an adequite blow off is def peace of mind...
 
unionrdr said:
You got it backwards. The small end goes in the bung. But you'd have to shop around for one with the right shape tip. And make 3-4" long,the larger end facing up. You could then find tubing of the right ID to fit over said big end. Small diameter going into large diameter creats a venturi effect,better known as scavenging.
And fermecap S works,but some yeasts will make a brewcano no matter what you throw at them. So coming up with an adequite blow off is def peace of mind...
Click to expand...

Wouldn't this be the same thing?

https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/data/1/Ailockbo1.jpg
 
My 7.5% porter had a lot of krausen, and I did the big blow off tube in my carboy, I think I let the iodophor dry and put it in, 5 days later it came right out
 
Almost the same,but that rig uses like 1/2" tubing. The rig I mentioned would use 3/4"-1" tubing. So about the same as the one folks jam into the carboy neck,but way easier to work with using a larger version of the airlock stem to fit it.
 
Fermcap works fine. I typically add some at the start of the boil when I brew to help control boilovers, but I have found that it carries over into the fermenter and keeps the krausen from going too crazy.

Another thing to try with the 1" blow-off is to slather some keg lube on the outside before you stick it in the carboy.
 
Jayhem said:
I never did understand why people use such huge blow off tubes when a 3/8" OD works just fine and fits easily and snug though the hole in a bung on your carboy.
Click to expand...

I normally would agree with ya, but here's a sequence of a blowoff arrangement that just wasn't getting it done:

San Diego Super Yeast with a Pliney the Elder variation:

2012-01-30_21-40-48_342.jpg


groundhog.jpg
 
I'm pretty sure it's fine, but I'm transferring to secondary tonight for dryhopping so if it's not I'll let you know. Palmer says there is so much pressure coming OUT of the fermentor at this time that there's not too much risk of infection getting in.

My fermenter is 2 way temp controlled chest freezer. I just used an aerosol sanitizer on the entire freezer interior and left the carboy open all night to avoid the blowout. So it was an open air fermentation for about 12 hours..but the chamber was closed..so...maybe not "open air" LOL.

The smell and progress of the fermentation is all giving me a good feeling about it though. I really hope it works. I've screwed several beers up recently (noob who jumped in with both feet last novemeber...so it was bound to happen) my kegerator has an empty tap right now though..so come on Pliney!
 

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