Auto siphon leaking

[-TPM-]

Does anyone have any tricks to fix a leaking auto siphon? I tried a bit of keg lube, but it didn't seem to help much. It's leaking at the rubber stopper inside the main tube (air's getting sucked in).

 

[Reedwalker]

Are you sure you have a positive seal from the hose to the racking cane? When mine appears to be sucking air through the cane/big tube connection it has ALWAYS been at the cane/hose connection.

How many uses? Which brand?

Mine is a fermtech, 10 batches and counting.

 

[-TPM-]

Yeah it's defiantly coming in at the rubber washer, if you pump it hard if fills up inside.

I've done about 10 batches with it so ~20 uses. There's no brand on it that I can see, it came with a starter kit. If all else fails I'll just buy a new one....

 

[michael.berta]

Yeah it's defiantly coming in at the rubber washer, if you pump it hard if fills up inside.

I've done about 10 batches with it so ~20 uses. There's no brand on it that I can see, it came with a starter kit. If all else fails I'll just buy a new one....

+1. They are cheap. If it doesn't work. Toss it and buy a new one. I've gone through 3 or 4 in the last two years...

 

[mattjmac]

Don't toss it. Seems to me like you've got a decent way to aerate the wort you siphon from you brew kettle. Probably not highly effective, but definitely better than not aerating. Just buy another one that doesn't suck in air for racking to secondary/bottling bucket.

 

[samc]

Mine leaked in the same part. When I looked at the rubber closely I noticed some rough spots which I cleaned up with an Xacto knife. Has worked well since. For the future are you storing it with the two pieces apart? That helps keep it from failing.

 

[-TPM-]

Mine leaked in the same part. When I looked at the rubber closely I noticed some rough spots which I cleaned up with an Xacto knife. Has worked well since. For the future are you storing it with the two pieces apart? That helps keep it from failing.

I didn't notice any rough spots, but I'll take a closer look tomorrow. No I had them together, I didn't really think about it causing problems, thanks for the tip.

 

[liquiditynerd]

Mine almost always leak from the tube/siphon connect. when i assemble them i dip the tubing in hot water to make it pliable, when it cools it will contract, and i slap a small hose clamp on it.

 

[Garyius]

Teflon tape. Dry it, then apply.

 

[pjj2ba]

I used a small amount of keg lube on the seal. I've also found that if I let the siphon sit in the carboy/pail for a minute or so before starting it, some beer will leak past the seal so it is above the piston. Now when you start, that layer of beer on top of the piston will help to keep air from getting in there.

Also, don't rush the siphon. The greater the difference in height between the donor and receiver vessel, the more prone it is to sucking in air. I found that by making the height difference less, I could prevent any air from leaking in.

 

[-TPM-]

I used a small amount of keg lube on the seal. I've also found that if I let the siphon sit in the carboy/pail for a minute or so before starting it, some beer will leak past the seal so it is above the piston. Now when you start, that layer of beer on top of the piston will help to keep air from getting in there.

Also, don't rush the siphon. The greater the difference in height between the donor and receiver vessel, the more prone it is to sucking in air. I found that by making the height difference less, I could prevent any air from leaking in.

Yeah that's pretty much what I tried, I'll try to keep them height difference down a bit in future and see if that helps though.

 

[paul7]

thanks, now i dont have to post the same question.