Siphoning to the secondary

[WalterSobcheck]

OK. Real newbie question here, and I'm in no friggin mood to joke around with it. The same tool who told me cats and dogs would be sleeping together if I used a 6.5 as a secondary told me the Easy Siphon was the way to go for racking. I bought the $15.95 wonder-tool, and despite what the directions tell me, the only way I can get it to work is to actually pump it, and in a vigorous manner. KNOWING that aeration is bad, I know that this is not what the makers of Easy Siphon had in mind. How.....in THE Hell.....do I get a damned siphon going?

 

[Lounge Lizard]

OK. Real newbie question here, and I'm in no friggin mood to joke around with it. The same tool who told me cats and dogs would be sleeping together if I used a 6.5 as a secondary told me the Easy Siphon was the way to go for racking. I bought the $15.95 wonder-tool, and despite what the directions tell me, the only way I can get it to work is to actually pump it, and in a vigorous manner. KNOWING that aeration is bad, I know that this is not what the makers of Easy Siphon had in mind. How.....in THE Hell.....do I get a damned siphon going?

Not sure if mine is an Easy Siphon, but two pumps will usually get the thing flowing. I have a fairly long siphon hose stuck to it, that drops down and curls around a bit in the bottom of the carboy. The hose certainly needs to be long enough to create good suction. If it is sanitized, it doesn't matter if it gets into the beer. Works like a charm....

 

[dangermouse]

have u got a leak in your pump thingy me bob thing!...

 

[RichBrewer]

How far below the primary is the secondary? The greater the distance the better a siphon works. Are you getting bubbles in the tubing? If so you might have a leak in the seal around the racking cane.
Hope this helps. I know siphoning can be a bit stressful when you first get started.

 

[jazzbass]

If you fill the outer tube with water will it hold? (center cane removed)

It's possible that the check valve is stuck open or missing.

Remove the bottom cap and see if the little check valve is there.

I pull the center cane about 6 to 8 inches push her down and good to go.

 

[cweston]

Also, if your siphon tubing is 3/8 ID and not 5/16 ID, it won't fit very snuggly on the end of the racking tube: in order to get a good seal, you may need to really shove it on there or maybe use a hose clamp.

 

[MrEcted1]

Is Easy-Siphon the same as auto-siphon?

If so, then I have a couple tips that helped me out when I first started using it.

Make sure you slip the tubing around the racking-cane part really far... get the tubing so it's at least 2 inches over the racking cane.

Second, don't be shy when pushing it down after you suck the water in. When I first started using this thing I would push down sorta lightly and I would always have air-bubbles (luckly I practiced with water until I got this thing down). But when I would push it down nice and firm it would force the liquid through a bit faster and I wouldn't get any bubbles what-so-ever.

 

[El Pistolero]

Carboy caps are so much easier than auto-syphons, IMHO.

 

[Walker]

Carboy caps are so much easier than auto-syphons, IMHO.

AMEN!

-walker

 

[Kaiser]

Carboy caps are so much easier than auto-syphons, IMHO.

I second that. Except that they might be a b!tch to get onto the carboy. I stopped forcing them onto the carboy for that matter. I just press them on to get a good seal while I start the siphon. Then I let go.

Kai

 

[WalterSobcheck]

Carboy caps are so much easier than auto-syphons, IMHO.

I recall you saying that in a previous post. I checked out your pics and actually went to the HB store to get them but they only had the siphon so I went with it. You guys are awesome though. Thanks for answering my question without making me feel like a jacka$$. I'll set the primary higher and push the secondary out a little from the table. :rockin:

 

[El Pistolero]

Except that they might be a b!tch to get onto the carboy.

You trying to use the 6.5 gal size on a 5 gallon carboy? Mine fit snuggly, but I've never had a problem getting them on.

 

[El Pistolero]

I checked out your pics and actually went to the HB store to get them but they only had the siphon

Order them online, along with a SS racking cane. You'll be very much happier on racking day, I promise.

 

[Kaiser]

You trying to use the 6.5 gal size on a 5 gallon carboy? Mine fit snuggly, but I've never had a problem getting them on.

I use the for the 5gal carboy. The problem is, that is rubber is fairly stiff.

Kai

 

[Walker]

Like, EP, mine go on and off pretty easily. The rubber for my 5 gallon cap is extremely flexible. The rubber on the 6.5 gallon cap is a little stiffer, but it still goes on the 6.5 gallon carboy easily.

Now.. if I tried to put the 6.5 cap on the 5 carboy, I think I would break a healthy sweat and curse a lot.

-walker

 

[BrewStef]

It was mentioned that a carboy cap (along with a SS cane) helps with siphoning. Please explain how for us noobz.

Thanks!

BrewStef the Noob

 

[El Pistolero]

Walker has some detailed pics on here showing how all that works...here's the thread.

Edit: Walker, did you know the pics have disappeared out of the post?

 

[Desert_Sky]

Carboy caps are so much easier than auto-syphons, IMHO.

Best news Ive heard all day. Mine its out for delivery as we speak. The one that came with my kit didnt work for anything. I do have a question though. That anti bacteria filter you blow through to get it started. How many times can you use that before you need to replace it?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I don't use a filter at all...but I only use this cap for secondary to bottling bucket at the moment, so the beer should have plenty of alkiehol at that point.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't use that filter either...I just blow through a long sanitized piece of tubing.

 

[Pumbaa]

I use the for the 5gal carboy. The problem is, that is rubber is fairly stiff.

Soak that bad boy in some hot water I bet it will be a bit more flexable

 

[Walker]

Walker has some detailed pics on here showing how all that works...here's the thread.

Edit: Walker, did you know the pics have disappeared out of the post?

i fixed it.

 

[Robbw]

I just fill my racking cane with water, pinch the end, put the cane in the wort bucket, let go of the end and let the water go into a little pot I'm holding, then when the beer flows, it goes into the Carboy. Not exactly the question but pretty simple.

 

[SteveM]

RichBrewer hit it, I bet - the container being emptied has to be positioned higher up - as much higher as possible - that the one being siphoned into.

 

[WalterSobcheck]

Thanks fellas. Turns out the auto siphon was the culprit after all. It sucks being new because I always assume it's me doing something wrong, and never the equipment. Anyway, I used straight tubing primed with sanitizing solution and just did it old school. Hopefully I didn't contaminate anything, as I had to stop a couple of times to unclog the end in the primary then reprime and restart. Not too difficult, just left both ends exposed to room air a little longer than I wanted. We'll see I guess. Thanks for the input though. I'll let you know in a month or so.

Did a porter up last night, too. Airlock looks like it's boiling. Can't wait.

 

[boo boo]

OK. Real newbie question here, and I'm in no friggin mood to joke around with it. The same tool who told me cats and dogs would be sleeping together if I used a 6.5 as a secondary told me the Easy Siphon was the way to go for racking. I bought the $15.95 wonder-tool, and despite what the directions tell me, the only way I can get it to work is to actually pump it, and in a vigorous manner. KNOWING that aeration is bad, I know that this is not what the makers of Easy Siphon had in mind. How.....in THE Hell.....do I get a damned siphon going?

For a start, as been mentioned, you need to have your origional vessel higher than the receiving vessel. Then you simply pump 2 times to start a flow. Anything more than that would suggest a faulty auto siphon. Perhaps the end of the siphon was plugged with gunk, that would stop the siphon.

 

[Lost]

Thanks fellas. Turns out the auto siphon was the culprit after all. It sucks being new because I always assume it's me doing something wrong, and never the equipment. Anyway, I used straight tubing primed with sanitizing solution and just did it old school. Hopefully I didn't contaminate anything, as I had to stop a couple of times to unclog the end in the primary then reprime and restart. Not too difficult, just left both ends exposed to room air a little longer than I wanted. We'll see I guess. Thanks for the input though. I'll let you know in a month or so.

Did a porter up last night, too. Airlock looks like it's boiling. Can't wait.

So, I'll bite. What exactly was wrong with the autosiphon? I must say, I do love mine and it hasn't ever given me any problems but I'd like to know what went wrong with yours.

 

[WalterSobcheck]

According to the owner of the HBS I get my stuff from, the rubber ring on the tip of the plastic cane that forms the seal on the inside of the large outside tube just wasn't making a good seal. He said it wasn't anything wrong with the product line in general, just that one in particular, hence my comment about being new and thinking it's always your bad when something goes wrong. He said it was one in a million, that I was THAT guy, and that it would only happen to a new guy who didn't know any better.

In the end, I siphoned using just the tubing, and exchanged the bad siphon for a new one, and will use it this weekend when I rack my newest beer into the secondary. No big deal really. Just caused some doubt and confusion in my cherry mind.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I always allow the outer tube to fill up with beer then push in the inner cane. It works the first time every time.