airlock problem

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Joedub

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Jan 12, 2011
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Location
Cape Cod
This is the first time I have used a secondary and I had a question. I put a airlock on and filled it to the fill line with sanitizer. I checked it a couple days later and the level was low on the air lock so I thought it had cracked and was leaking. Put a new air lock on fill it to the line and the same thing happened what is going on here? Is the beer sucking up the sanitizer?
This is my bourbon barrel porter from NB that has been in the secondary since 2/14.

2011-03-15_21-38-36_906.jpg
 
In the secondary, there is not really any positive pressure on the airlock. If you move it at all, it will suck back in to try and get O2. As it sits, it will just stay and be wuiet unless you have some sort of hole in it.
 
are you picking it up after you add the sanitizer to the airlock ( i use vodka )? if so, what kayos said applies
 
So I had back to back airlocks leak? I haven't been moving the secondary.
 
It's probably temperature or pressure changes.
Wrong airlock for a secondary.
Use the "S" type.
It will bubble backwards.
Won't keep O2 out, but do a pretty good job with contamination.
 
atmospheric temp / barometric pressure changes are readily visible in the airlocks of secondaries, as the yeast are not actively pushing out CO2 anymore.

Suck-back is common. Keep the system closed - top off the airlock. Use distilled water, vodka, etc.
 
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