Siphon Trouble

[flaminpi3]

I am currently using an auto-siphon, and I can never seem to get a air-tight siphon. The length of hose I have fits snuggly on the racking cane and I have even tried using a hose clamp to seal it even tighter, but I still draw in a lot of air and I lose the siphon every few minutes . I have tried to slow it down by pinching the tube where it meets the cane, but it only prolongs losing the flow. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MgMt_Home_Brew]

You mean you get all sorts of air bubbles flowing with the beer? If so I had a little crack in my larger outer piece of my auto-syphon. I never noticed the crank until it got even bigger so I went to my LHBS and asked if they had just that one piece which they did and it was win win cause they had been sitting on it for a while.

 

[Slipgate]

Yep, the hoses that come or are sold with the auto siphon SUCK! And are not the right size. Go to your local aquarium shop and get another tube. I did and it fits PERFECTLY.

 

[FireBrewer]

The length of hose I have fits snuggly on the racking cane and I have even tried using a hose clamp to seal it even tighter, but I still draw in a lot of air and I lose the siphon every few minutes .

Are you sure the air is coming in at the cane/hose connection? A leak there shouldn't break the siphon. The AutoSiphon is notorious for leaks around the rubber seal where the seal meets the outer barrel or where it meets the racking cane.

I posted a thread a while back with similar questions about a similar issue with it involving the black rubber seal. One suggestion that worked was drawing off wort and putting some into the barrel so that it drew in wort and not air. This has fixed the problem for me.

 

[flaminpi3]

Are you sure the air is coming in at the cane/hose connection? A leak there shouldn't break the siphon.

The wort coming up the cane is solid. A bubble starts forming right at the cane/hose joint and then gets bigger and bigger until eventually the flow stops. Even when it's flowing strong there are still a LOT of small air bubbles running down the tube.

 

[flyangler18]

The wort coming up the cane is solid. A bubble starts forming right at the cane/hose joint and then gets bigger and bigger until eventually the flow stops. Even when it's flowing strong there are still a LOT of small air bubbles running down the tube.

Pinch the hose between your fingers right at that junction. The backpressure should eliminate any bubbles.

 

[springer]

You need to use smaller tubing on a 1/2 inch auto siphon. I used 3/8 and warmed the end in boiling water and put it on the racking cane. No more bubbles from the joint but like FireBrewer I have to put a little wort in the tube to keep the seal on the pump from sucking in air

 

[CnnmnSchnpps]

or use more hose clamps.. mine needed 3 to not draw in air and keep a stable siphon

 

[flaminpi3]

You need to use smaller tubing on a 1/2 inch auto siphon. I used 3/8 and warmed the end in boiling water and put it on the racking cane.

I racked my 60 minute IPA to secondary last night and used springer's advice. It worked perfectly; a one-pump, no bubble siphon. I never knew siphoning could be so beautiful. Thanks!