Sterile Syphon Starter

[thekraken]

Any one use one of these? I just got one per the glowing reviews from brulosophy.com. For the life of me I can not clear the line of air. Per the instructions I pinch the hose closed near the end of the cane and it still gets a huge air pocket stuck right at the end if the cane/start of the hose.

Am I doing something wrong or is there a trick to this? This is about to get returned.

 

[acidrain]

Try pushing the hose on further. It sounds like it is sucking air.

 

[Hoppity]

I use a worm clamp in addition to pushing it further as suggested.

 

[thekraken]

Try pushing the hose on further. It sounds like it is sucking air.

I don't think that's my issue. The hose is several inches up the cane and the hose clamp is on tight.

Here is as small as I've managed to make the bubble. Not sure if you can see, I'm posting this with my tablet.

 

[thekraken]

Any ideas? Or should I just send this thing back and get another autosiphon?

 

[mr_samsonite]

Is it possible that's just co2 leaving soluton?

 

[thekraken]

This is just a water test.

 

[IslandLizard]

Auto siphons suck, literally.

A little air bubble in your line is not going to oxidize your beer. And it will remove itself once the beer flows. It's the end of the process, when the cane sucks air and blows bubbles through your beer, you got to watch out for. You've got to pull that cane up fast, and pull the tube out of your racked beer just as fast. Or clamp the tube shut.

 

[thekraken]

That picture you see is as small as I was able to get the air bubble after a significant amount of fiddling with it. And that was after a couple gallons had been flowing though it. The bubble wouldn't remove itself as the test water was flowing.

 

[IslandLizard]

That picture you see is as small as I was able to get the air bubble after a significant amount of fiddling with it. And that was after a couple gallons had been flowing though it. The bubble wouldn't remove itself as the test water was flowing.

You're doing it right. Don't fret over it, how much oxygen do you think is in that little bubble? It totally pales compared to oxygen exposure during the whole bottling process.

Make sure the tube is long enough to curl up on the bottom of your bottling bucket. Raise the bucket onto a chair, that's why I used to do.

I really love those SS canes. You do need to use a long (draw) brush once in a while to scrub the inside. I used Barkeepers Friend in the brush, and the amount of grey paste coming out was a wake up call.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Honestly, with that little air in the line I wouldnt worry much. That small amount of air really shouldnt oxidize your beer that badly. Do you have problems with oxidized beer?

If it really does bother you though you can start the siphon with the top of the racking cane just barely submerged and at an angle so the beer is travelling up, make a hump in the tubing and kinda move the high spot down the line until you clear the bubble out. You may see it re-apper though that is nothing to worry about as there is still some dissolved CO2 in solution that can be knocked out while travelling down the tubing.

 

[thekraken]

Okay, understood about that small bubble. BUT, that small air bubble was after a lot of jacking with it and a couple gallons had flowed by! It starts out about ~3/4+" long and is the diameter of the whole tube, yet liquid is flowing, it's really weird... Ill take a picture of that when I get a chance. That said there aren't any bubbles or a lot of agitation behind the big bubble so maybe there is no problem.

I haven't had a chance to use this with a beer yet so I don't know what kind of oxidizing to expect.

 

[LKABrewer]

Try pinching the tubing just past where the bubble is. For some reason, this will cause the bubble to move through the tube instead of staying put.

 

[acidrain]

If beer is flowing, exactly what is your concern?

 

[orangehero]

It's caused by a poor the seal between the tubing and racking cane. Smaller 5/16" ID tubing will solve your problem. Or a bigger racking cane. It's a common problem, if you can push the tubing up the cane several inches it's too big.

 

[thekraken]

If beer is flowing, exactly what is your concern?

Oxidation, of course!

It's caused by a poor the seal between the tubing and racking cane. Smaller 5/16" ID tubing will solve your problem. Or a bigger racking cane. It's a common problem, if you can push the tubing up the cane several inches it's too big.

I'll see what I can do to remedy the tube size. Note that the worm clamp is on there tight.

 

[orangehero]

Oxidation, of course!



I'll see what I can do to remedy the tube size. Note that the worm clamp is on there tight.

Try using two rotated 180° from each other.

 

[thekraken]

I got some more tubing from the store, it fits just a bit tighter on the cane and the air bubble issue now seems to be gone.

Now, anyone know where I can get a replacement plastic tip that goes on the bottom of the racking cane?