which size auto siphon?

[neldred]

Hi all,

What size diameter auto siphon would you recommend (and why, just for my own learning)? I noticed there are 2-3 available. Thanks in advance.

 

[Bobby_M]

If you keg, get the 1/2" cane one because it's fast. If you bottle, get the 3/8 cane because it's compatible with bottle filling wands.

 

[Talloak]

I just broke my 3/8" and replaced it with a 1/2". The 1/2" is much larger and faster which I appreciate greatly. I bottle my beer, but I use a bottling bucket, as I think most people do. But as Bobby_M alluded to, if you use a siphon to bottle beer, the bottle wands are usually 3/8", not 1/2". However, I would recommend you just buy a bottling bucket with spigot and the 1/2" siphon.

 

[Bobby_M]

And I'll add that you can adapt 1/2" ID tubing to fit a bottle filling wand just by using a short piece of 3/8" tubing as a bushing. You're right, the 1/2" A/S is awesome.

 

[weirdboy]

I didn't even know there was a 1/2" version. Now I'm going to have to upgrade.

 

[neldred]

However, I would recommend you just buy a bottling bucket with spigot and the 1/2" siphon.

I have a bottling bucket with spigot (the kind that tapers to very small on the bottom of the spigot), and I have a bottling wand, but the wand can't be put on the spigot, so I guess I need a tube? I was thinking of the siphon for getting from the primary to the secondary, or from the boiling pot to the primary, or for general purpose usage (anything that I'm missing?). I probably won't keg for a long time, just bottle.

 

[IrregularPulse]

My A/S finally failed and it's time to replace. I'll be getting a 1/2 this time.

 

[businesstime]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[neldred]

I wonder if no rinse sanitizer would get it clean enough?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[wing-it]

I have a bottling bucket with spigot (the kind that tapers to very small on the bottom of the spigot), and I have a bottling wand, but the wand can't be put on the spigot, so I guess I need a tube?

I have the same problem, but found that the rubber stopper for my fermentation bucket fit snug enough on the spigot and wand to bridge the difference in diameter.

 

[BrewStooge]

Half inch bottle wand would be just the thing?

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=7176

Haven't tried one myself yet but maybe once the old tubes/cane/etc wear out I'll upsize.

Edit: check that it lists for 7/16th tubing.

 

[Talloak]

When I first started brewing, I got a bottling bucket with spigot, bottling wand, and 3/8" auto siphon. I cut about 3 inches of hose off of the hose that comes with the 3/8" siphon and use that to bridge the gap between the bottling bucket spigot and bottling wand. Works great.

In my previous post I was saying 'just buy a bottling bucket' because I was suggesting you use a bottling bucket instead of trying to attach a wand to an auto siphon and filling bottles like that. Thats silly. A bottling bucket is like $25 and is worth about $1,000 for the trouble it saves you. But you aren't doing that anyway.

So what you need to purchase, unless you already have it on hand are:
Bottling bucket w/ spigot
3 inches of 3/8" compatible hose
Bottling wand
1/2" auto siphon

The only tricky thing there is the 3 inches of hose. Just buy a couple different sizes of 3 inch lengths to be sure, use the one that fits best. Your LHBS will probably give you that small amount for free.

 

[IrregularPulse]

So are the 1/2" actually 1/2" or are the 7?16th or some other odd fraction. I came across two size last weekend at a shop and was gonna buy one, but either was actually 1/2". I'm think they were 3/8" and 5/16"

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

So are the 1/2" actually 1/2" or are the 7?16th or some other odd fraction. I came across two size last weekend at a shop and was gonna buy one, but either was actually 1/2". I'm think they were 3/8" and 5/16"

Yeah. IIRC they are not actually 3/8" or 1/2" nominal but, sized to fit a 3/8" or 1/2" OD hose.

OP: Why not both? You'd be surprised how handy they can be and it's always nice to have a backup.