Lid on my fermenter popped off..wants to do it again

Cerpintine · Jun 10, 2009

My previous thread was of concern with my airlock. At the end of the thread I mentioned the water in it turning a milk chocolate color. Apparently that's normal/common. When I got home from work I immediately jumped in the shower and heard a loud Boom! I thought it was next door. About a half hour later I checked the basement and found the lid popped off.

Pics:

Apparently the airlock clogged up. A friend of mine said clean it up, pop it back on and roll with it :mug:

So I did, this time using whisky instead of water (currently I don't have any vodka and whatnot). But it turned chocolatey again (and also raised 1/3 level), and eventaully wants to clog those air holes up. It's a good thing I caught it, and slightly lifting one part of the airlock's lid relieved a lot of pressure. I cleaned the (airlock) lid and popped it back on, slightly not sealing one part.

What's the best thing I can do? Is seems ok now with the cracked lid but the bubbles keep overflowing and dripping and collecting on the bucket.

JMSetzler · Jun 10, 2009

You need to put a blow-off tube in the airlock hole and put the other end into a jar of water or starsan, or you will clog up the air lock again and blow the lid again too...

ifishsum · Jun 10, 2009

You need to replace that airlock with a blowoff tube for a couple of days. Sanitize your racking hose or something, stuff it in the hole (or over the inner post of the airlock) and put the other end into a container of sanitized water. That way your krausen can escape while still keeping nasties out. Once things calm down you can put the airlock back on.

Also check the bottom of your airlock - many of them are partially blocked by excess plastic (or a plastic cross molded into the tip) that get clogged easily. Remove any excess plastic so it's less prone to clogging.

Cerpintine · Jun 10, 2009

Yeah I haven't had time to search, but looking around now it seems pretty common :mug:

I'll have to rig up that blow-off tube.

Cerpintine · Jun 10, 2009

I'm looking here > https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/lid-popped-95289/ and there doesn't seem to be any way I can get my hose on the center post--it's much too small

knappster · Jun 10, 2009

I went to Lowe's and got a 3' section of 1/2" inner diameter tube that fit over the tube the airlock piece that sticks into the lid. Then I have a pitcher half full of star-san water that I set on the floor next to the fermenter and I stuck the other end of the tube into it.

2 things to think about if you're going to do this:

1) There is a small entry criss cross thingy in the bottom of the airlock piece on the end that protrudes into the fermenter. I cut this small piece off so that there is more space and it doesn't get clogged up as easily.

2) I have physically not been able to get the tube off of the airlock yet, so I am now purchasing another airlock and will be leaving my "modified" airlock permanently connected to the blowoff tube.

Munsoned · Jun 10, 2009

knappster said:
2) I have physically not been able to get the tube off of the airlock yet, so I am now purchasing another airlock and will be leaving my "modified" airlock permanently connected to the blowoff tube.

+1 I did the same thing about 3 months ago and I was never able to get the tube off mine either. It's now a permanent "overflow lock."

weirdboy · Jun 10, 2009

On my last few batches, after reading something related in a thread here in HBT, I have just been covering the top of my fermenter in aluminum foil until the vigorous fermentation dies down. I also put the entire fermenter in another container to catch run-off.

EDIT: To be more descriptive, I cover the top of the bucket with foil, then loosely place the lid on top to keep myself from accidentally knocking the foil out of place. Once fermentation dies down I remove the foil, put the lid on tight, and add the airlock.

Cerpintine · Jun 10, 2009

Yeah figures right after my brother gets rid of his fish stuff (plenty of siphon tubes) I'd need one

I have to wait until tomorrow to get to Lowes or something. The quick responses here are awesome though! At least now it's breathing, I just have to deal with overflow.

knappster · Jun 10, 2009

Cerpintine said:
Yeah figures right after my brother gets rid of his fish stuff (plenty of siphon tubes) I'd need one I have to wait until tomorrow to get to Lowes or something. The quick responses here are awesome though! At least now it's breathing, I just have to deal with overflow.

I think the other thing that people do is remove the airlock completely and shove the smaller siphoning tube in the grommet where the airlock was. I'm not sure how well this works as it is a pretty narrow opening, but it might be worth trying.

And I'm glad I'm not the only one that got munsoned on the "overflow lock". Nobody warned me about it, but luckily the air locks are cheap

COLObrewer · Jun 10, 2009

I just stick the tube in the lid and the other end in a jar o water, works great.

woollybugger2 · Jun 10, 2009

Cerpintine said:
My previous thread was of concern with my airlock. At the end of the thread I mentioned the water in it turning a milk chocolate color. Apparently that's normal/common. When I got home from work I immediately jumped in the shower and heard a loud Boom! I thought it was next door. About a half hour later I checked the basement and found the lid popped off.

Pics:

Apparently the airlock clogged up. A friend of mine said clean it up, pop it back on and roll with it So I did, this time using whisky instead of water (currently I don't have any vodka and whatnot). But it turned chocolatey again (and also raised 1/3 level), and eventaully wants to clog those air holes up. It's a good thing I caught it, and slightly lifting one part of the airlock's lid relieved a lot of pressure. I cleaned the (airlock) lid and popped it back on, slightly not sealing one part.

What's the best thing I can do? Is seems ok now with the cracked lid but the bubbles keep overflowing and dripping and collecting on the bucket.

yup, blow off tube!

Cerpintine · Jun 10, 2009

Quick couple of question as it may be building up too much in there: my local store has it (1/2") but does it have to be food grade or something? They just sell it by the foot. The second part is can I just stick it on the inner post and then into the container of water (not emptying or fooling around with the airlock at all)? Also, no star san but I do have a powder cleanser that came with the kit.

knappster · Jun 10, 2009

Cerpintine said:
Quick couple of question as it may be building up too much in there: my local store has it (1/2") but does it have to be food grade or something? They just sell it by the foot. The second part is can I just stick it on the inner post and then into the container of water (not emptying or fooling around with the airlock at all)? Also, no star san but I do have a powder cleanser that came with the kit.

Get the cheapest they have. I think it was 30 cents a foot. And the 1/2" should be inner diameter.

If it was me, I would stir up a batch of the powder stuff you have (one step?) and run some through the tube before putting it on, then just leave the free end in some type of container with the sanitizing or cleaning liquid that you just made. Make sure that the end of the tube is submerged in the water.

The risk you run without pulling the airlock completely off is that there is still the potential for that criss cross thing to get clogged up and you will be in the same boat you already are. As you see in the pictures posted by woollybugger, it may be easier to just pull the airlock out altogether and use the smaller tube that is used for siphoning and just stick it directly in the grommet. Definitely want to sanitize it first though.

Cerpintine · Jun 10, 2009

Yeah I missed woollybugger's and COLObrewer's post! That seems to be working quite nicely

This board is awesome :mug:

In the future should I just stick to this method? Is that what you guys do?

woollybugger2 · Jun 10, 2009

Cerpintine said:
Yeah I missed woollybugger's and COLObrewer's post! That seems to be working quite nicely This board is awesome

In the future should I just stick to this method? Is that what you guys do?

I do it every time now, no worries. I usually leave the blowoff tube in place for a week or so, Its just a big airlock. :ban:

weirdboy · Jun 10, 2009

woollybugger2 said:
yup, blow off tube!

Many years ago I was brewing with a roommate and we had a glass carboy sitting in the kitchen sink with a blowoff tube like that. I think either the same or slightly larger diameter than the one in your picture.

4:00 am we are awoken by a huge explosion. The entire ceiling, floor, and walls of the kitchen was covered in beer and glass, and the mess (and glass) had made it into adjoining rooms as well. Apparently, the blow-off tube had clogged and the pressure had built up until the carboy was turned into lots of glass fragments traveling at high velocity.

So, based on that experience, I would *never* use such a small diameter blow-off tube.

pen25 · Jun 10, 2009

clean it up sanitize everything sit the lid back on the fermentor if yuor using a bucket and set something like a 1 gallon milk bottle on the lid filled with water. setting all of this in a tub will prevent a mess. get a spray bottle and fill it with starsan and spray it clean in the morning and before going to bed. when the vigorous fermentation is complete clean it up sanitize and seal the lid.

before the next brew goto home depot. goto the plumbing dept where all there plastic fittings are. find one with a 3x4" or so id barb end and threaded end and nut. find a rubber washer that firs the thread in same dept. go home dril a hole a little bigger then the fitting and secure with the nut and gasket. attach hose the right size for the fitting and you have a nice built in blow off tube.

Brocster · Jun 11, 2009

Cerpintine said:
My previous thread was of concern with my airlock. At the end of the thread I mentioned the water in it turning a milk chocolate color. Apparently that's normal/common. When I got home from work I immediately jumped in the shower and heard a loud Boom! I thought it was next door. About a half hour later I checked the basement and found the lid popped off.

Pics:

Apparently the airlock clogged up. A friend of mine said clean it up, pop it back on and roll with it So I did, this time using whisky instead of water (currently I don't have any vodka and whatnot). But it turned chocolatey again (and also raised 1/3 level), and eventaully wants to clog those air holes up. It's a good thing I caught it, and slightly lifting one part of the airlock's lid relieved a lot of pressure. I cleaned the (airlock) lid and popped it back on, slightly not sealing one part.

What's the best thing I can do? Is seems ok now with the cracked lid but the bubbles keep overflowing and dripping and collecting on the bucket.

I had a Kolsch that detonated on me twice, the first blowing gunk all over the room and shooting the lid up to the ceiling, cracking the airlock. It was cool, even if it did get SWMBO riled up. The beer turned out fantastic, btw. Still in the Keg and tastes awesome.

So, the following picture explains what you should think of doing and it also is pretty self explanatory why...

desertbronze · Jun 11, 2009

Brocster said:
I had a Kolsch that detonated on me twice, the first blowing gunk all over the room and shooting the lid up to the ceiling, cracking the airlock. It was cool, even if it did get SWMBO riled up. The beer turned out fantastic, btw. Still in the Keg and tastes awesome.

So, the following picture explains what you should think of doing and it also is pretty self explanatory why...

What he said. Use a large diameter tube - less likely to clog - much easier to clean.

woollybugger2 · Jun 11, 2009

weirdboy said:
Many years ago I was brewing with a roommate and we had a glass carboy sitting in the kitchen sink with a blowoff tube like that. I think either the same or slightly larger diameter than the one in your picture.

4:00 am we are awoken by a huge explosion. The entire ceiling, floor, and walls of the kitchen was covered in beer and glass, and the mess (and glass) had made it into adjoining rooms as well. Apparently, the blow-off tube had clogged and the pressure had built up until the carboy was turned into lots of glass fragments traveling at high velocity.

So, based on that experience, I would *never* use such a small diameter blow-off tube.

well i've got plenty of headroom in the bucket, much more than a carboy, not much krausen gets to the tube, but it's better than an airlock by a long shot...

kinison_fan · Jun 12, 2009

Brocster said:
I had a Kolsch that detonated on me twice, the first blowing gunk all over the room and shooting the lid up to the ceiling, cracking the airlock. It was cool, even if it did get SWMBO riled up. The beer turned out fantastic, btw. Still in the Keg and tastes awesome.

So, the following picture explains what you should think of doing and it also is pretty self explanatory why...

That is exacly what my "primary" (and sometimes only) fermentation set up looks like...Never had a problem.

Lid on my fermenter popped off..wants to do it again

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