Better airlocks ?

[theQ]

Hello,

I am looking for an airlock that would work well with positive and negative pressure without being worried of the liquid be sucked in.

When sour or lager the volume shrinks and the the liquid is being sucked in.

Q

 

[Radboud]

Have a look at this: http://www.sterilock.co.uk/

 

[cegan09]

What's wrong with the S shaped ones? Filled to the proper height they should not suck liquid when you lower the temp. They should just bubble in the other direction.

 

[theQ]

What's wrong with the S shaped ones? Filled to the proper height they should not suck liquid when you lower the temp. They should just bubble in the other direction.

Are you talking about these ?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Sourz4life]

Yes, those are S airlocks. If you fill way under the line it has on them to fill to then it will allow for both in and outflow of gasses.

 

[cegan09]

And if you overfill them they will self correct. You'll pull a tiny amount of liquid in until it's at the proper level, and then just allow air movement.

 

[maierhof]

I stopped using these types of airlocks a while back for exactly that reason.

The S versions are much better than the standard version - true. However, I could never find that equilibrium you are all talking about...

I just use a blow off tube for the primary - then before I cold crash I hook up a corny ball lock adapter with a piece of air tubing and attached a sanitary filter to it, and add a few drops of starsan to it and I am ready for the cold crash. OR - I just push about 3-5psi of CO2 into the top of it. (I use sankes to ferment)

 

[mredge73]

If you pressure ferment this issue goes away completely.

It really isn't an issue at all if you remember to remove the blow off prior to cold crash. The little bit of air needed to equalize pressure won't do you any harm.
However it does really suck to get an iodine solution pulled into your beer, ask me how I know.