Busted Vinator

[JonM]

I sat down to bottle the other day, put my Vinator together (I always disassemble and dry it after each bottling day) and the darn thing won't work. Basically, the sanitizer won't shoot through the spout. Instead, foamy sanitizer squirts out from the seam where the spout meets the sleeve that holds the spout in place. I looked it over, and I can't see any clogs, I can't see anything missing, and there are no extra parts in the little container where I store it.

Anyone else have a similar problem before?

 

[gingerdawg]

I don't take mine apart after use, but it sounds like maybe there is some o-ring or seal missing or out of place between the plunger and body?

 

[JonM]

I don't take mine apart after use, but it sounds like maybe there is some o-ring or seal missing or out of place between the plunger and body?

You're probably right. I think I need to take a more careful look at the various hose clamps, o-rings, etc. in my little container and make sure I haven't overlooked a Vinator part.

 

[RM-MN]

There are no o-rings in my vinator. There are 2 balls that make the valves so that it will pump. It sounds like the upper ball of yours has become displaced and is plugging the spout.

The seal between the pump plunger and the body of the pump is not a perfect fit and mine always squirts a little sanitizer but it also squirts a lot up into the bottle.

 

[JonM]

There's one ball in the actual spout area and it seems to be rolling around freely with some clearance. There's a second one in the base.

A tiny bit of sanitizer sprays into the bottle, but most just squirts out around the sides.

 

[RM-MN]

That upper ball is captive on my vinator. Yours must have gotten loose. Try using something to push that ball back down to its holder.

 

[JonM]

That upper ball is captive on my vinator. Yours must have gotten loose. Try using something to push that ball back down to its holder.

Awesome - thanks for the tip! I'll try that tonight.

 

[JonM]

Update: After much puzzling, I realized that, inside the spout, there is a little sleeve with a ball inside, which works as a one-way kind of valve. Someone (ahem ... me) put that thing in backwards when it fell out last bottling day. So that means when I pressed the bottle down, it was making that little valve close, forcing the sanitizer to squirt out everywhere except through the right place. Anyway, problem solved.

 

[Rev2010]

Update: After much puzzling, I realized that, inside the spout, there is a little sleeve with a ball inside, which works as a one-way kind of valve. Someone (ahem ... me) put that thing in backwards when it fell out last bottling day. So that means when I pressed the bottle down, it was making that little valve close, forcing the sanitizer to squirt out everywhere except through the right place. Anyway, problem solved.

Good to hear you got it resolved. Personally, I don't take it apart after using it. I simply rinse it out then let it air dry. Hasn't been a problem.


Rev.

 

[weirdboy]

Yeah I don't really take apart my vinator. I figure it is probably the most sanitized piece of equipment I own.

 

[krenshaw]

isn't that kind of like washing your soap after using it?

 

[JonM]

I've heard that bad things happen if you leave that spring compressed.