Extremely long siphon tube

[Ramitt]

Silly question probably, but is there an issue with running a 20+ foot tube from my BK down to the cellar to the fermenter? I am tired of lugging 5 gallons of wort in a carboy down the stairs.

 

[kyleobie]

I don't see why not assuming you can keep the tube clean.

 

[ere109]

My biggest concern with that would be sanitation. It would be really difficult to completely clean out 20 feet of hose, plus running it along floors or through windows would give lots of room for debris to infect. Lastly, if you're brewing alone, you wouldn't be able to monitor both at the same time. If a hose comes out on the other end, you're sunk. That said, I'm all for experimentation. Give it a shot and report on the results.

 

[Ramitt]

That could be an issue, but running a buckt of starsn through it should help?

 

[WhineinAlbany]

I'd love to see pictures once you rig this up. Seems crazy, but it may work!

 

[WhineinAlbany]

Also, wouldn't it be really hard to get a vacuum with that much tubing? That's a lot of pumping!

 

[runningweird]

sounds like a good idea, pics please when you get it up and running. if you had the space and means you could set up a dedicated line, something with a pump at one end and a sanitary enclosure at the other. fill the line with starsan or line cleaner when not in use. then when you want to transfer set up the carboy downstairs and the pump upstairs then let er rip.

overcomplicated for my uses as I ferment in the garage where I brew but I am hoping you get this up and running so I can see some pictures!

 

[brewmasterorr]

I was thinking you could run a 1/2" or 3/4" PVC pipe a feed the tube inside so you could run some starsan down first.

Sent from my Motorola Atrix using Home Brew Talk

 

[jonmohno]

I give this a big wow! Maybe even a really? But do what you gotta do.

 

[Ramitt]

Also, wouldn't it be really hard to get a vacuum with that much tubing? That's a lot of pumping!

Maybe, I don't know. That is why I am asking the question. I can't believe I am the first guy to think of this. I am just really not enjoying carrying fermenters to the basement and the garage is not an option right now for ferementing. It may be a few weeks, but I promise to post pics if I do this thang. Hell I guess I am just out a few bucks in tubing, I should try it with water first.

 

[eastoak]

Also, wouldn't it be really hard to get a vacuum with that much tubing? That's a lot of pumping!

actually it would be pretty easy to get it started and once it was going it would probably suck the universe into his basement.

 

[Ramitt]

actually it would be pretty easy to get it started and once it was going it would probably suck the universe into his basement.

That may be a concern.

 

[Ramitt]

Well I tried it with 30 foot of tubing and it worked very well. Moved 3 gallons in about 3 minutes, much faster than normal. After the first gallon got it up to speed you could really hear it whizzing. Getting it started to just the first plunge of the racking cane and off it went like crazy. No more carrying 6.5 gallon carboys full down the basement stairs. Hurrah!

 

[mccumath]

Hah! Try carrying 5.5 gallons of boiling hot wort to your brew room sink so you can cool it with your IC!

Always living on the edge!

 

[ere109]

Next big question/concern: how much volume does the tube contain? With that much excess wort traveling down the tube, you'll have to know the exact spot to shut everything down, or run the risk of dumping a lot of wort on the basement floor.

 

[Ramitt]

I do 5 galon batches and ferment in 6.5 galon carboys and ale pale, overflow should not be an issue unless I move up to 10 galon batches.

 

[Revvy]

If you're using an autosiphon, you'll have no trouble. I have pictures someplace but when we brewed a 30 gallon batch of beer for Terrapinchef's wedding we had to use an autosiphon with 35feet of hose to transport the beer from the brewkettle through the basement window into the conical below.

We had no problem whatsoever.