Leaking Bottle Filler?

[Schlenkerla]

Those of you who use bottle fillers, does yours leak?

I have one but never use it because the thing dribbles on the floor. It continuously drips a few drops every 2-3 seconds. I could easily loose 12oz while bottling.

Just wondering if this is normal or has my filler always been defective.

Thanks.

FYI - I resorted to using 8" hose on the end of the spigot.

 

[ScoutMan]

All three of mine must be defective, cause they all leak same as yours. I use the plastic racking clip to help cut down on the leakage. I also use a shallow pan to fill the bottles in and after bottling 5 gallons, I doubt there is more than a couple of oz's lost to the dripping.

 

[Walker]

Is it leaking from the tip or up where the hose connects?

Mine have always leaked (heavily) at the top, so just use a hose clamp to stop it.

Actually, my tips might leak, too. I'm not sure... at a rate of a couple of drips every few seconds, I doubt that I would even notice it.

-walker

 

[magno]

One of mine leaks. I just keep an extra bottle to the side while Im filling them. In between bottles I put the wand in the extra bottle, and that one becomes the last bottle to be filled.

- magno

 

[Schlenkerla]

Mine leaks from the bottom.

Just back from LHBS with a new filler! This one is spring loaded. The other leaky one doesn't have a spring.

Do any of yours have a spring keeping the check in place?

Oh! The spare resting bottle idea sounds like a pretty good work-a-round.

 

[Walker]

LOL... mine are spring loaded. I've not see one that does not have a spring. That should help with the leaks.

Mine leaks from the bottom.

Just back from LHBS with a new filler! This one is spring loaded. The other leaky one doesn't have a spring.

Do any of yours have a spring keeping the check in place?

Oh! The spare resting bottle idea sounds like a pretty good work-a-round.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Well.....

I did a side by side test. I have a bucket of sanitizer sittling idly by, dropped both in, both dribble to a point then stop. Huh???

The last I remember the non-spring one was a non-stop leaker. I'll be trying the new one shortly.

 

[Hopfan]

Mine doesn't leak and it isn't spring loaded. Guess I must be lucky.

If you're using a spare bottle to put the wand in, wouldn't that activate the valve and just dump your beer? I put one of those little red racking cane clips (the ones to hold your cane on the side of the bucket) on the hose, just above the filler. When I need to stop, I just hand that on the spigot. Works great.

 

[magno]

If you're using a spare bottle to put the wand in, wouldn't that activate the valve and just dump your beer?

No, you have to press down on the wand to depress the spring. Just setting the whole contraption in a bottle will not.

- magno

 

[Schlenkerla]

No, you have to press down on the wand to depress the spring. Just setting the whole contraption in a bottle will not.

- magno

Now that you mention it, I seem to remember doing that.

Yes, on the one w/o the spring it will pop open if you set inside a bottle. There isn't enough back pressure to keep it checked. I usually have a length of hose on it so the weight of the hose counter acts the back-pressure.

I also used it w/ less than 3". I'll have to try it. - Either way I think the spring loaded one should be much better.