Stainless Steel Auto Siphon

Anyone seen one at an online purveyor? I have looked and searched through the forums and haven't had any luck. I'm tired of breaking the cheap plastic ones.

If someone has other ideas/equipment for a higher quality auto siphon would be appreciated.

If you are breaking them trying to remove the hose for cleaning....

A good way to not break your autosiphon is to cut off the hose end about 1/2" from the end of the racking cane with scissors. once the majority is cut off, you can put a slice in it again with scissors and it will slide right off.

I've been using them for a long time, and have yet to break one. Perhaps sword fighting with them, not the best idea...

My problem is when I try to remove the hose from the racking cane after use. I now know to use a bit of mineral oil on the cane before putting the hose on but wanted to see if anyone has seen a better product/method than the plastic canes.

ChefMichael01 said:

My problem is when I try to remove the hose from the racking cane after use. I now know to use a bit of mineral oil on the cane before putting the hose on but wanted to see if anyone has seen a better product/method than the plastic canes.

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A quick soak in some hot water will allow the tubing to slide right off. Not sure about a SS autosiphon. I've seen SS racking canes, but fermtech seems to have a patent or something on the autosiphon, and from what my quick google ninja skillz turn up, they don't make them in SS.

Why don't you leave the tubing on? I just soak the cane and tubing in my mashtun (52qt. cooler), it has never been taken off.

I've broken two as well.

Side note: I thought about trying to make a temp safe more rigid one out of a cpvc housing and a SS racking cane, but never followed through. I used to want one that withstood hot temps to transfer wort straight from boil kettle through a plate chiller.

If the sink is close, just prime your SS racking cane and go to town. I went through 2 plastic racking canes then tried the auto siphon, it worked but I didn't like the air leakage so I went back to the cane in SS. I would be willing to trade my mother in law for another one.

Wild-I thought about just leaving it on but figured it would be much safer, sanitarily speaking, to remove it

Evan-I've heard and actually noticed that hot water makes the plastic racking cane more brittle so although it expands the tubing, it makes breaking the cane easier.

Thanks for all of the responses. I'm going to use some mineral oil on the cane before putting the tubing on and will report back.

I leave my tube on and clean it promptly after each use. I might suggest you do find one of the long racking cane brushes to help with any pesky bits.

How far do you push the tubing onto the siphon?

I slide my tubing on approx. 1/4''. It is on tight enough to not come off during the transfer and will pop off with a good 90 degree tug.

I've thought for a long time that it would be cool to actually have an SS autosiphon, then people could rack their hot wort without melting it....Since there has been a few people who attempt this on occasion.....

All you'd need is is two different diameter tubes and a high temp O ring, right? ANd maybe wrap or coat the outside of it with a heat resistant coating so noone burns their hands holding it...

Anyone out there willing to try making one?...I would buy one.....Not that I rack boiling wort anymore...just because as long as I have been brewing I've though it would be nifty.

I would be in for one as well. Someone with a lathe and a TIG welder should make these and sell them. BrewBeemer, wanna make some cash???

I wonder, if thios was called the "Syphone Automatique" would rayalties still have to be paid to Fermentec on the patent?

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

I would be in for one as well. Someone with a lathe and a TIG welder should make these and sell them. BrewBeemer, wanna make some cash???

Click to expand...

Did you just sketch this up, or have you been contemplating this as well???



I forgot about the check valve...

We'd also need high temp hose as well.

Also needs a swept 90 at the top to keep the hose from kinking.

You may have found something to make with those sanke dip tubes that are laying around.

hammer one said:

You may have found something to make with those sanke dip tubes that are laying around.

Click to expand...

I love it when a plan comes together...

anyone know what the material for the OV glove is? Is it just silicon? THere needs to be a cover on it for people to handle or we'll be having lawsuits...

I just did a quick search of the US patent system and Fermtech holds zero patents and has no pending applications.

The closest thing I could find was US Patent No. 4,112,963. It pretty much shows the above design and is expired. Free for all!!!

I hope someone with the means is willing to do this. All that would be needed was some stainless tube stock (~$15), a 1/4" section of stainless rod slightly smaller in diameter than the outer tube (~$2 per section), a silicon O-ring (~$0.25), a lathe, a TIG welder, and about 30 minutes of set up a turning, 20 minutes of setup and welding, and a new product is born!

The one way valve at the end is a bit tricky to do on the cheap... what about a SS ball and shaping the end to meet the ball diameter???

I just don't get why noone has thought of this before...I can think of a half dozen "I melted my autosiphon" thread sin the year I've been here...

So people do feel the need to siphon hot wort...like po folks who don't have march pumps...

I just broke my 1 year old auto-siphon this weekend attempting to swap the tubing out for a fresh piece. I'd be in for a stainless version.

Revvy said:

I love it when a plan comes together...

anyone know what the material for the OV glove is? Is it just silicon? THere needs to be a cover on it for people to handle or we'll be having lawsuits...

Click to expand...

I'd go with silicone for the cover - maybe use some of the silicone pot holders/trivets. Or is there a silicone dip? Like the rubber tool handle dipping stuff, but silicone?

The Ove Glove is two layers of fabric and I wanna say it uses Nomex (sp?) and Kevlar. I think the new versions have some silicone strips on the outside for grip, but I have an old school one that's just the fabric.

The check ‘poppet’ would need to be light enough that the flow of the siphon will keep it from closing on its own, but of course seal when pressure is pushed upon it. Maybe Teflon with a silicone oring.
-David

For the hot pad... what about just using a 4 inch section of silicon tubing large enough to stretch over the outer tube. You don't want the whole thing coated just a small hand hold.

You're probably looking at something like Viton for o-ring and seal material eh?

like this:

I was going to say SS ball bearing, but Teflon may work better.

I think that design would be good because you could replace the gasket and ball every year or whenever they wear out or look cruddy. The welded washer might be a pain but I don't know how else to form the lip...

I think a simpler/cheaper solution is to learn to siphon without an autosiphon.

That is what I do now. The autosiphon is really nice... I just refuse to use them because I have broken 2 and don't like them anymore. The idea is very good though and easier than any other IMHO. Although it is a close race with the carboy hood method, this could be done with a 1/2 diameter siphon (FAST!).

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

I just did a quick search of the US patent system and Fermtech holds zero patents and has no pending applications.

The closest thing I could find was US Patent No. 4,112,963. It pretty much shows the above design and is expired. Free for all!!!

I hope someone with the means is willing to do this. All that would be needed was some stainless tube stock (~$15), a 1/4" section of stainless rod slightly smaller in diameter than the outer tube (~$2 per section), a silicon O-ring (~$0.25), a lathe, a TIG welder, and about 30 minutes of set up a turning, 20 minutes of setup and welding, and a new product is born!

The one way valve at the end is a bit tricky to do on the cheap... what about a SS ball and shaping the end to meet the ball diameter???

Click to expand...

Justin;
On the above pictures that looks like too much work and parts, were not building a pump for NASA just a check valve. on the use of a ss ball that would weigh too much, even at a high siphon flow rate would not keep a ss ball off it's seat unless there was a 8-15 foot difference in container heights. Just a guess on these figures but not practical in normal use. Second to close or pinch down the end to hold the ball from falling out, this will cause a tapered end with sticking problems of the ball besides the tubes ID cross sectional area surface minus the balls diameter must be rather large to have the area and flow past the ball.
As a new project i'm facing this morning just getting up at 3 PM do to my back injury and meds i'm thinking a little slow here but follow me on this one on my idea. I would use a larger diameter ss ID tube with a plastic ball that is smaller in diameter than the ss tubes ID to allow a good volume fluid flow past the ball and the ID of the ss tube. This ball must have a specific gravity higher than the wort to sink down and seal against the seat but float up from a slow siphon rate past it.

Here's my thinking; I know 1" ss tubing has a .049" wall thickness so i'll use this as an example. SS tubing ID is .902", the check ball 5/8" diameter. I like delrin for a check ball. Any plastic, nylon, hard rubber or any other type of material ball that has a specific gravity greater than the wort that will sink within a reasonable rate inside the ss tube should also work. The grade of ss, diameter and wall thickness is printed on stainless tubing repeating it's full length.
The by-pass area between the 1.00" ID and the 0.625" ball is 0.277". The area of a 1/2" hole is 0.196" so the restriction past the check ball is less than the 0.500" washer ID welded to the bottom of the racking arm for the ball to seal against.
On the other end of the racking tube be it straight or with a bend to your liking just not crushed preventing the ball to pass thru it so your able to install and remove the ball for cleaning. Inside the racking arm I would install a length of 1/16" ss Tig filler rod, at the bottom near the ball bend a small ring 3/8" diameter flat to the ball to stop the ball from moving more than an inch up the siphon tube from the welded washer. Farther up this rod make little zig zags so the rod fits tight inside the 1" SS tube. At the top end add a loop to pull and remove the Tig wire and ball for cleaning. I would use a derlin ball of 5/8" diameter.
It has a density of 0.015 (lb/cubic inch). This comes to 82.128 pounds per/cu foot vs water at 62.4 pounds per/cu foot. Or a SG of 1.412. I like this weight.

Chech this; http://www.plasticballs.com/delrin.htm
Engineering Laboratories Inc.
Cheers. Carl.

Sorry this was a double post reply.
What's the secret to remove them without
typing like this reply?
Carl...

BrewBeemer said:

Sorry this was a double post reply.
What's the secret to remove them without
typing like this reply?
Carl...

Click to expand...

I don't think there is one...

Glad to have you on board our insanity!!!

BrewBeemer said:

Sorry this was a double post reply.
What's the secret to remove them without
typing like this reply?
Carl...

Click to expand...

If you upgrade to either of the paid memberships, you can delete posts.

yermej said:

If you upgrade to either of the paid memberships, you can delete posts.

Click to expand...

Really? I never noticed....Wow, you learn something new every day.

This is kind of an off the wall question.
Has anyone tried to put a siphon tube through the boil pot lid seal the lid to the pot?
The steam pressure should start the siphon.
(not sealed while boiling - after the burner is turned off)
Once the siphon starts the lid could be unclamped (or whatever) being that is just to start the flow.

tipicreeper said:

This is kind of an off the wall question.
Has anyone tried to put a siphon tube through the boil pot lid seal the lid to the pot?
The steam pressure should start the siphon.
(not sealed while boiling - after the burner is turned off)
Once the siphon starts the lid could be unclamped (or whatever) being that is just to start the flow.

Click to expand...

This does't offer any advantage over installing a ball valve and siphon tube in the side of the kettle, which thousands of people have done. This way the weight of the liquid starts the siphon.

You guys are pretty good at developing overly complicated solutions to problems that don't exist. You should be consultants if you aren't already.

Im a big autosiphon fan.
One tip I would suggest is buying the thinner diameter autosiphon..there is suppose to be less chance of breaking the valve. I tried out my new autosiphon clamp along with a stainless scrubby on the end of the autosiphon on my last brewday (worked like a champ..thanks for the tip Revy on the scrubby);



cheers
Steve

So the racking cane in my autosiphon set just snapped (it was realllllly cold out and the plastic must have been very brittle and it just cracked right off while I was setting up) and I want to replace it with a stainless steel cane - can I use it with my siphon tube, if so are there any modifications I need to do, and is there another way to start a siphon with one besides filling the hose full of sanitizer, etc.?

Edit: Nevermind, FlyGy has shown me the light. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/flyguys-t-siphon-3-replacement-autosiphon-25774/ I'll build one of these with a stainless cane on the "top" end and call it a day. Thanks anyways!