Silencer for an airlock?

[justflow1983]

I'm the kind of guy who can't take a ticking clock.... that burb burb burb in the next room is driving me crazy... Doesn't anyone have any tips on how to make it a little quieter? Would a blowoff tube make less noise?

 

[elpresidente]

I would just say find a deeper spot in the closet or something...a blow off tube would probably be the same amount of noise. It usually dies down after the first couple of days. Maybe try covering the fermenter to muffle the sound a little bit. It can't be THAT loud.

 

[Revvy]

Evidently you're not the only one....check this out...especially my post in there. You don't HAVE to use one.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/quiet-alternatives-airlock-140838/

 

[JOHN51277]

Take an empty 5 gallon bucket and put it over your carboy, and cover it with 2 towels. It will kill all the noise. For even more sound deadening properties, take Dynomat and line the bucket before using it! Viola!

 

[chuggs]

Wow...wish I could still hear like that!

Spend about 32 years around airplanes... I can't hear an airlock bubble unless I put my ear directly against it.

I guess having good hearing has it's drawbacks...

 

[Edcculus]

foil or a blowoff tube

 

[woollybugger2]

turn the music up louder

 

[MarcJWaters]

As a musician by trade, I do have perfect pitch. This DOES drive me crazy. My suggestion is that you learn to live with it. If you can hear that well, then my guess is that lying in bed, despite the amount of padding, you will be able to hear it.

Ive learned to deal... drinking helps.

 

[CodeRage]

The sound drove me crazy! So I put them in a fridge...

 

[bronzdragon]

It used to kind of bug me, but after a few years I got used to it, and now if I don't hear it the first few days of the fermentation then I'm on the case to see what's wrong with the batch, hehe. I've even taught my daughter to keep an eye on the airlock and let me know if there's a problem.

As far as making the sound lower, if you've got a fridge to lager in, the fridge will insulate the sound. If you don't, the above suggestions are good ones, but remember, the more you wrap that bucket up, the higher the temp is going to go.

~r~

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

The Tell Tale Airlock.....

 

[stevea1210]

The Tell Tale Airlock.....

exactly what I was going to post

I personally love the sound. BTW, a blowoff will be much louder.

 

[justflow1983]

Thanks for all the posts guys... I love the sound too, during the day. I'm more concerned about it annoying my housemates, they've been great about the brewing since it keeps them in good beer, but i don't want to wear out my welcome. The extra bedroom in the house is where I'm leaving the fermenters for the winter, so I'll try some of the tips here.

I've wrapped just the airlock in a dishtowel, and that seems to at least bring down the resonance if not the volume, so that should help a little.

 

[niko]

It's music to my ears!