siphon question?

[ddrayne10]

This might sound stupid but I have a question on siphoning the beer. I have done about 10 batches and continue to have this problem with air bubbles in my tube when i transfer my beer from primary to secondary and to kegs ect. I have an auto siphon and 1/2 inch tube fits around snug. But when i siphon the beer air bubble show in the tube where the auto siphon and tube connect. So for a while i stretched a 1/4? inch tubing around it and it worked with out any air bubbles but took around 20 minutes. I went back to 1/2 tubing but with a hose clam to around the 1/2 tubing to restrict the flow. This seems to work a bit but i am still getting air bubbles. I have to use the clamp and also squeeze on the tube to stop the air bubbles. Is anyone else having this problem? Is is just sediment getting into the bottom of my auto siphon and disrupting the flow, is it broken or am i just going about it the wrong way? Hope i explained it well enough to get a response. Thanks

 

[bullinachinashop]

It sounds like your auto siphon and tubing are incorrectly sized. I know of a 3/8 inch and a 1/2 inch siphon. If you're putting a 1/2 inch tube onto a 3/8 siphon, the larger size difference where they go together can cause and air pocket area to form and the wort passing by would appear to be bubbling.

I'd try to find some 3/8 tubing and use that. The flow should be pretty quick as long as you keep the second vessel lower.

Hope this helps.

Bull

 

[wyzazz]

Lol, those probably aren't air bubbles! When you rack/siphon your beer your creating a disturbance in the FORCE, this disturbance releases some of the CO2 that's in solution creating the bubbles you see.

 

[Homercidal]

+1.

I measured the gravity of my finished Saison last night and it took a LONG time to get the residual CO2 out of the sample. When you siphon, the step from the autosiphon to the tubing creates turbulence and releases the CO2 from suspension. It's fine. If it were air, you might worry about oxidation, but it's not air.

 

[ddrayne10]

Sorry but I know the tubing is correct but it could be co2 then? So i should not worry about this at all? How can I tell the difference? And can I do anything to be sure? But on a side note there is no off flavors so far from the beer that i can taste....

 

[wyzazz]

Sorry but I know the tubing is correct but it could be co2 then? So i should not worry about this at all? How can I tell the difference? And can I do anything to be sure? But on a side note there is no off flavors so far from the beer that i can taste....

I wouldn't worry at all. You can't tell the difference but just step through the process logically, where would the O2 come from? Once the tubing/autosiphon is filled with liquid where would the bubbles come from but from within the liquid itself?

 

[frazier]

Once the tubing/autosiphon is filled with liquid where would the bubbles come from but from within the liquid itself?

They could come from a leak between the (oversized) tubing and the autosiphon. If cranking down on the hose clamp improves the flow, that's a clue that an air leak is present.

I would set up a test using water. If no bubbles arise, then it's almost certainly due to CO2 in the beer. If there are bubbles, find that leak!

As my former boss used to say, "One test is worth a thousand guesses."

 

[wyzazz]

OP said that his tubing is properly sized, if the clamp is on (I don't use one) it should be fine. The water test wouldn't work either, there is O2 in water unless it's been boiled vigorously then cooled in an airtight container.

 

[surreal_trip]

do you really wanna check? if so just connect the tubeing and the auto... and stopper up one end with your hand and blow into the opposite end.... if you feel air at the connection, voila! I've just gunked up mine with a polymer glue that stopped any possibility of a leak but also joined the two forever!

 

[wyzazz]

I just use a length of 3/8" ID tubing, heat the end up to fit it over my 1/2" autosiphon. I haven't worried about it yet!

 

[JJL]

Is it bubbles or is it a void, like an small air pocket in the tubing coming from the end of the autosiphon? I sometimes get a little air pocket at the beginning of the siphoning process where the liquid leaves the autosiphon and enters the tubing. I just pinch the tube a couple of times at the air pocket site and it fill in with liquid.

 

[Noontime]

Is it bubbles or is it a void, like an small air pocket in the tubing coming from the end of the autosiphon? I sometimes get a little air pocket at the beginning of the siphoning process where the liquid leaves the autosiphon and enters the tubing. I just pinch the tube a couple of times at the air pocket site and it fill in with liquid.

+1 That's exactly what I was picturing.

 

[BeerJorge]

Is it bubbles or is it a void, like an small air pocket in the tubing coming from the end of the autosiphon? I sometimes get a little air pocket at the beginning of the siphoning process where the liquid leaves the autosiphon and enters the tubing. I just pinch the tube a couple of times at the air pocket site and it fill in with liquid.

+2. Same here... many times it's because of the sediment at the bottom interrupting the flow...

To smoothen out the process, I place a book under my fermenter to tilt it so the sediment ends up on one side and I siphon from the clear side.

Also, when you go to push the tube to start the siphon, do a slow but firm push instead of a fast one...

 

[ddrayne10]

Yes it is bubbles not a void of air. So these bubbles would be co2? Cause yes sometimes at the start i get an pocket of air, but i was concerned with the bubbles.

 

[wyzazz]

If it's bubbles then it's CO2, no worries. Even if it was O2 that's not really enough to oxidize your beer...

 

[ddrayne10]

Thanks alot for the responses everyone, I just was a bit worried I will take a look at it but from what you guys say it must be co2. Thanks again