Safe blow off?

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Terrawynn

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Hi, this is my first time ever brewing anything, and I messed up the headspace and wound up having to use a blow off set up. Everything was looking ok at first, but now I've noticed a lot of liquid in the tubing, and I'm worried and wondering if I should change something in the set-up. I have a picture to show the amount of liquid; I was wondering if it's fine like it is, or if I should disconnect the tube from my carboy and let it drain out? (The carboy is inside the box) Thanks! (=
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It is probably fine. You could use an empty jar or big cup and lower the end of the blowoff tube to drain, then put the tube back where it was.

The way you set up is fine. Just dont put the receiving jar/container too low on the off chance it starts a siphon. Ask me how I know ;)
 
I'd remove the hose, clean it out and sanitize it and the bubbler jar even though it looks like nothing got in it.

I also recommend two things... cut the tubing so that it goes straight into the jar and won't let liquid get trapped.

Also, don't put so much liquid in the bubbler jar. Leave more room for blow off crud coming from the fermenter and maybe you won't have a mess if it ever is that bad to blow a lot of stuff out.

IMO, you only want enough liquid in the jar to prevent air from infiltrating the FV under normal changes of atmospheric pressure and perhaps changes of the pressure in the FV from temps changing. Remember the thing in school about gasses expanding when heated and contracting when cooled! You don't really want so much that the liquid might get sucked up and back into the fermenter.

IMO, I'd rather it be air in those rare instances than old sanitizer or even the bad tasting 10 year old scotch someone gave me that I used at times. For drinking, Scotch should always be 17 or more years old. 21 is better still. :bigmug:
 
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I've noticed a lot of liquid in the tubing

It was recommended to me by one of the HBT members (sorry don't remember who) to put the jar/pitcher above the fermenter and stretch out the tubing so anything that works it's way into the tube can possibly go right back into the fermenter. Here is a pic on how I do it.

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I do take my blow off tubes straight up for 6 or so inches before they turn down toward the bubbler jar. But I probably wouldn't let liquid that collected in them and sat for a time get returned to the FV.

Probably no reason for my belief in this, but it satisfies me that I'm going a little over and above in insuring nothing bad gets in the FV. I'm never too certain how clean my tubing is since I only visually inspect it, rinse and sanitize. I suppose I should get a soft bore brush to run through them.

In the picture above this reply, one thing to consider is that if a lot of liquid and solid stuff did get up in the tubes, then a siphon might get started and the entire content of the pitcher returned to the FV. Though I can't really imagine enough actual liquid getting pushed up into the tube to start that siphon. More of just a what if.
 
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It was recommended to me by one of the HBT members (sorry don't remember who) to put the jar/pitcher above the fermenter and stretch out the tubing so anything that works it's way into the tube can possibly go right back into the fermenter. Here is a pic on how I do it.

View attachment 767518

That also creates a potential siphon--going back to the fermenter. If you are planning to cold-crash, be sure to disconnect the blowoff tube first, and replace with an airlock.
 
Keep the pitcher at the same level as the bottom of the fermenter. Setting it high like in your pic could start a siphon back. When cooled, contraction inside the fermenter can draw liquid from the pitcher. Once that liquid starts running back through the tubing, a siphon starts and it could empty the entire pitcher back into the fermenter.
 
Don't let the end of your tube in the container be but a little bit below the surface level of the sanitizer. That way if it tries to siphon, it'll suck air before it does sanitizer or whatever you put in the container.

You could check on that by sucking on the other end of the tube that you put in the FV. Though, not with the one you have in there now. Do a dry run some time. If you can suck liquid over the top bend, then raise the end of the tube in the container.

However some people might be okay letting the stuff in the container get into their beer. Me, I'd rather it be the air.
 
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