Does anyone else hate their auto siphon?

[chefkdub]

Also, once I saw this video, siphoning for me changed forever:

MoreBeer!™ Sterile Siphon Starter Tutorial | MoreBeer

-Steve

Yeah, that's how I do it too. I like the auto siphon, but that way is sooooooooooooooo much easier.

 

[Bobby_M]

It just seems a whole lot easier to fill the tube with starsan, push it onto the cane, siphon into a glass until the beer starts flowing, then put the hose in the bucket.

One less thing to clean, no air bubbles and no clamps needed.

And yeah, mine might just be flawed, because I do get a lot of air bubbles.

I think you're over exaggerating the trouble of the A/S and vice versa.
Do you use a funnel or do you dunk it down into a bucket to fill the tubing? No clamps needed? If you needed a clamp on the autosiphon you'd need one on your racking cane too because...they are both racking canes. I clean my autosiphon as a single entity by pumping hot water through it and the attached tubing. If you get air bubbles with the autosiphon, you should check your tubing size. It's probably 3/8".

 

[IrregularPulse]

After racking I fill my carboy with Oxiclean to ...well..clean. Then after a hour or so soaking, the siphon the first half the carboy out with the siphon, to clean it and then dump. Then rinse the carboy with hot water and on the last hot water rinse, the siphon some out through the siphon. No extra steps.

And I don't understand how "It just seems a whole lot easier to fill the tube with starsan, push it onto the cane, siphon into a glass until the beer starts flowing, then put the hose in the bucket." is easier then sticking siphon in carboy, place tube in bucket, pump 2 times. and if you lose siphon instead of ""It just seems a whole lot easier to fill the tube with starsan, push it onto the cane, siphon into a glass until the beer starts flowing, then put the hose in the bucket." you pump 2 times....

but everyone has their preferences and to each their own. I just think people that don't like them have to be using them wrong somehow or haven't used one. Only way I can understand it.

 

[SavageSteve]

Yeah, that's how I do it too. I like the auto siphon, but that way is sooooooooooooooo much easier.

I actually felt kinda stupid when I first saw it-- I studied physics in college and I should have figured that one out on my own.

-Steve

 

[cdburg]

If it helps anyone using the Auto Siphon, one of the guys at the LHBS showed me something I should have thought up a while ago. He put the tube from a bottling wand (minus the spring piece) on the end of the outflow tube (opposite end from the auto siphon). With the plastic tube, it makes the end it a bit heavier, helps keep it in place and makes it easy for the end to reach the bottom of the bucket/keg/etc.

A piece of a racking cane (or the whole cane) would work too. Again, it's a simple idea, but it gets rid of the movement of the outflow end when you start the siphon and makes sure you're reaching the bottom. It's made my life much easier.

 

[tenglert]

A piece of a racking cane (or the whole cane) would work too. Again, it's a simple idea, but it gets rid of the movement of the outflow end when you start the siphon and makes sure you're reaching the bottom. It's made my life much easier.

That's how I do mine. I use a broken racking cane and either use a clothespin or a racking cane clip to hold the tip just off the bottom carboy or bucket so I get a good flow without splashing. The hose can't fall out of the vessel so I have both hands free to work the auto siphon.

Another plus is the outside of the hose never comes in contact with the beer. Better sanitation.

Back to the auto siphon. I have issues with bubbles sometimes, but I just stop the flow by pinching the hose or raising the wand and then just fix the problem. I couldn't imagine ever going back to priming the hose unless my auto siphon were to break just before use.

 

[Pappers_]

Luv the autosiphon!

 

[yeoldebrewer]

I'll be snarky and say: I know how to siphon, with our without the auto feature. I just don't find it all that enjoyable. The autosiphon is a good design and mostly works as advertised.

To siphon or not to siphon: Who cares as long as your process works?

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I have never tried one. It looks like way too much trouble. Cleaning, etc.

This is my only issue with the AS. From other threads on infections caused by a contaminated AS, it seemed that unless you disassemble and clean the AS and store it disassembled that the AS had caused some infections (and there could be scores of others that are so slight or subtle as to go unnoticed). So when I add up all the extra cleaning time and consider that I've used a SS racking cane for years and using it is a breeze, I think a SS racking cane is easier in the end.

The problem with a SS racking cane only occurs if you let it lose siphon and then have to restart it when there's only a little bit left in a 6 gal. carboy. So I make damn sure I don't lose siphon.

But I certainly don't hate the AS...it def seems to satisfy many. Maybe I'm just an old dog that can't/won't learn new tricks.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

"You know how to siphon, don't you? Just put your lips on it and suck."

(With apologies to Mae West)

 

[brewt00l]

My only complaint about my autosiphon is that occasionally the little valve pops out of the housing and I have to go through a semi-tedious process to get it back in place.

 

[mb2696]

I just used the 1/2"er for the first time and I like it. My only complaint is that 1/2" ID tubing is too big. Just like how 5/16"ID fits the 3/8" cane better, I need to find some 7/16" ID.

Here we go:

Mcmaster 5233K43
Masterkleer PVC Tubing 7/16" ID, 9/16" OD, 1/16" Wall Thickness
In stock
Quantity Per Ft.
1-99 Ft. $0.34

Sorry to bring up and old thread, but I had this problem and came across this thread and wanted to share this:

If you want the proper size tubing (7/16" I.D.) for your 1/2" auto-siphon, you can get a 10' section here (for $3.76 at time of post):

http://www.amazon.com/Clear-General-Purpose-Tubing-Length/dp/B000FMUMD8/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=industrial&qid=1258060935&sr=8-12

Mcmaster makes you order at least 25' ($8.50) and with amazon, this item is eligible for free super saver shipping. I just got the hose and it fits perfectly. It's twice as thick as normal racking hose -- 1/8" thick instead of typical 1/16", but the I.D. fit is all that really matters IMHO.

 

[rico567]

No I absolutely love my Fermtech autosiphon. I would buy another one if this one broke. If I weren't already married.....well, maybe not.

 

[sudbuster]

Well, all I can say is IMHO, auto siphonns suck. Sorry, no pun intended. there are better ways of transfering than with an autosiphon, that is if you have C0 2.

 

[remilard]

Well, all I can say is IMHO, auto siphonns suck. Sorry, no pun intended. there are better ways of transfering than with an autosiphon, that is if you have C0 2.

There are better ways if you don't have co2.

Stuff likes to flow downhill, it shouldn't take gaskets and moving parts to make it happen.

I do think that c02 is the best solution for the home brewer that has it around anyway. Not sure I would recommend someone drop $150 on a tank and regulator just to move liquid around. You could get a pump for less than that.

 

[nickpgoodman]

My biggest complaint is the crappy plastic it's made out of. I bet I have replaced 3 autosiphons due to cracking, I'll never buy another one that's for sure. I'm moving to co2 transfers.

 

[weirdboy]

WTF are you people doing to your autosiphons to break them? I've had no problems whatsoever. I think people who complain about them cracking are the same people who break their hydrometer time after time. Just be a little more careful with it.

Personally I love mine. It's easy to use and really saves my butt on batches where I've got hop residue or other sediment that keeps breaking the siphon while I'm racking.

 

[Hophunter]

Reviving an old thread just to say f the fermtech autosiphon. Getting ready to transfer from secondary to bottling bucket. Reached for brand new AS that I had just carefully sanitized and see that it has a bunch of cracks along the bend and then I notice that the bottom of the thicker piece is cracked. Sanitized with 70% EtOH if that makes a difference. Had to go old school siphon. I don't think they could have made this thing out of cheaper more brittle plastic. I know a lot of people here have no issues with it but I don't see myself buying another.

Ahh. I feel better.

On a good note. Just picked up a craigslist kegerator for $200 that same night.

 

[rico567]

Can't understand that. I love my (Fermtech) autosiphon. Probably have made 40 batches and no troubles. You don't say if you have used it with any liquid hotter than tap water. I've read somewhere that they won't take very hot temperatures. I do all my sanitizing with the recommended solution of Star San.

 

[Pick]

Auto siphon rocks!!! I have used regular siphon and sucked it with my mouth. Never had an infection. But I throw the first cup out when doing that.

 

[weirdboy]

They should make a stainless steel version of the auto siphon.

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

I melted my autosiphon trying to use it in the kettle.
Now I fill my CFC and tubing with StarSan and let er rip.
Works every time and easier to clean up after.

 

[RichBenn]

I don't see what the big deal is. No problems here with the autosiphon. I use it for all gravity transfers for both beer and wine.

 

[Hophunter]

Only room temp water. Was excited about the prospect of using it. Maybe I just got a bad one. Maybe I'm not as careful as I thought but I doubt it as the night before I tested it out and cleaned it and it was fine. Mostly ranting out of frustration. It helped. Glad it works for a number of others.

 

[jldc]

The 3/8" model is preferable IMO, mostly because it provides a more gentle transfer and doesn't suck up a bunch of yeast and trub from the bottom of the fermenter like the bigger 1/2" model can. Your concerns are justified!

I love my 1/2" AS, but Bobby is right, you need 7/16" ID tubing, not 1/2". I got mine from MoreBeer I think.

No problems with trub and much faster.

AHS just came out with a clip designed specifically to hold AutoSiphons. I haven't tried it yet, but I may. However, with the 1/2" model it takes a very short time to drain the carboy and I like to be able to direct the end of the siphon tube to the last little puddle of beer.

Nerd point: Flow through a tube is proportional to the radius to the 4th power, so small increases in diameter produce large increases in flow. In this case (3/8" to 1/2") the rate of flow more than triples.

 

[samc]

Finally got the hang of using it recently with a batch of wine. Properly fitting hose with clamp and getting the seal wet prior to use. I don't use it much but no longer hate the thing. For beer I much prefer the CO2 push.