Auto siphon to Ball lock liquid in...

I have the larger auto siphon from Northern Brewer. I want to siphon into a liquid in ball lock connector so I don't have to sanitize the outside of the siphon lines. The siphon uses 1/2" ID. I see that ball lock barb'ed connectors use 1/4" ID tubing. What's the best way for me to transition... or is there such thing as a ball lock that uses a 1/2" barb?


Here's the siphon
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/auto-siphon-1-2.html

here's the barb:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Corney-Corn...272?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e760844d0

 

You will probably have to use a 1/2" barb to 1/4" barb reducing coupler and 2 hoses. I've seen the couplers at either Lowes or Home depot. I think they were polypropylene or nylon. They may have them in brass too. I found a stainless one online but it was $20.

 

I experimented with this and found it very frustrating.

The outside diameter of my ball lock line was the same as the inside diameter of my siphon line. I attached with a pipe clamp but constantly struggled to keep air from leaking in. A good barb adapter would have avoided this issue.

The main problem was that the flow was awful slow. Eventually I was so impatient that I resorted to sucking on the air post line just to get the siphon to flow. Even though my beer was quite clear I think small amounts of trub were obstructing the ball lock post. The low pressure of the siphon just wouldn't push through.

 

You can try and fix your flow issues by increasing the height difference between your source vessel and the vessel you are transferring to.

I do successfully transfer my beer from the fermenter to my kegs through the liquid ball lock. I have a MFL style ball lock and I have both a 3/8" auto-siphon and a 1/2". I simply warm up the end of the tubing and then screw it onto the threads on the ball lock. I don't get any air from this system and no leaks or clamps needed.

I would do what Shelly Belly suggested and get a 1/2" to 1/4" barb adapter from home depot and use that to connect your 1/2" auto-siphon to your 1/4" barb on the ball lock.

 

Oh, well I have an MFL ball lock also. I'll try that first! Thanks!