where are the bubbles supposed to be coming from?

[elchico04]

I see bubbles coming through my airlock through the center tube. I have a feeling this is wrong because aren't the bubbles supposed to be coming through the sanitation solution?

I have it half filled

 

[hopsalot]

most likely a slow fermentation, a beer can ferment with no activity in the air lock

 

[Bluelinebrewer]

If you're seeing bubbles in your airlock, there's activity. I guess I don't understand where you're expecting to see the bubbles. The center of your airlock is where the gas is going to escape, so it would make sense to see bubbles coming from that area. But, I'm still a noob myself, so......

 

[double_e5]

Its ruined. Ship it to me.









RDWHAHB...isn't there something else you could be worried about? I'm not even completely sure what you mean.

 

[Coastarine]

I don't think this is just a "no airlock activity" thread.

Take a picture, otherwise we're gonna need a better description. Is it possible you are experiencing blowoff? (the yeasty foam creeping up and out of the airlock)

 

[elchico04]

 

[Coastarine]

Nicely done. It looks like you are missing a piece of your airlock. They call it a three piece for a reason! CO2 should be coming up through the tube and into the upside-down cup, pushing the fluid down and escaping through the slots of the cup. Doh!

If you don't have the piece at all it is OK. Just get a few feet of vinyl tubing and shove one end into the tube of the airlock. Put the other end in a pitcher/gallon jug/mason jar/ANYTHING so that the end is submerged in sanitizer or water. gas will come out of that end and bubble up

 

[elchico04]

there we go, i knew i had something wrong. Should I still be fine if I put it on now?

 

[llazy_llama]

Ahhhhh, I see the problem. Your airlock is missing a piece. There's a little piece that goes inside the airlock and rests on top of that inner tube. It looks sort of like a bell.

Yours is missing.

Edited: Coastarine beat me to it, and with a nifty picture to boot.

 

[Coastarine]

there we go, i knew i had something wrong. Should I still be fine if I put it on now?

Yes, highly doubtful that an infection set in during this small vulnerability. Nothing else you can do anyway. I would expect the beer to come out as planned.

 

[elchico04]

awesome, I kept thinking to myself this whole time how it was a "3 piece airlock"

 

[orangeandblue302]

you dont need it in that far either unless thats the only way you get a nice fit, in my experience that makes it easier to get a clogged airlock during very active fermentations. pull it out a bit if possible.

 

[elchico04]

edited: double post

 

[velotech]

CO2 flow: