# Silly question about S shaped air lock



## Neviawen (Feb 25, 2012)

Ok, I'm going to just come out and ask a silly question because it has me a bit stumped. 
I have both types of air locks- the barrel-style air locks w/ the floatie piece inside and the S shaped airlock.
My question is: How do you get the fluid in the S shaped air lock to be even on both sides?
When I put it in the bung and place it on top of the carboy the pressure from pushing it into the carboy moves all the liquid out of the second chamber of the air lock and into the first chamber. When I pull it back out of the bung it levels itself out if I tip it on it's side.
When I put the air lock on the carboy without liquid in it and then proceed to put the liquid into the top of the air lock it only wants to fill the first chamber and not the second.
Am I doing something wrong? The man at the store told me that these are better air locks than the other type but harder to clean. (Which I could understand, I am using vodca inside it in leiu of water just to be safe.) 
Any ideas or tricks that I have not thought of or does it not matter that both chambers are not filled even to the "fill line"?
Thanks for any help you guys can offer!
~Katie


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## Deezil (Feb 25, 2012)

Due to the pressures building in the carboy, it will never even out.. As the pressure builds, it'll push the liquid to the one side of the airlock. When the pressure becomes too great, the co2 will escape and the levels will move back closer to being even - but never quite even. It's due to pressure. 

The expressed opinion might be because you can see the pressure build, you can see the release. One quick look at an S-type will show the pressure in the carboy - meaning theres a seal between the bung & carboy; wines safe.

Keep in mind, barometric pressure works both ways as the weather changes. Atmospheric pressure changes, combined with an overfilled airlock, have caused the airlock fluid to be sucked *into* the carboy.

Hope this helps clear things up a bit


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## Runningwolf (Feb 25, 2012)

Katie, Manley is correct in what he said. I also use only s shaped air locks as I think they look cooler also. I am always happy to see the liquid on the one side because I know there is pressure in the carboy and thats a good thing.


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## Neviawen (Feb 25, 2012)

Thanks for the quick reply. 
If I do get back pressure and the vodka gets sucked into the carboy will it affect the wine in any way?

Ok, I have one more question while I have the attention of someone so knowledgeable in wine making..  
I'm currently making a kit of "World Reserve- Vintner's reserve California Pinot Noir" and I am on the 3rd step (stabilizing and clearing). I added metabisulphite, potassium sorbate, and a packet of chitosan clearing stuff and I was supposed to stir it up vigorously for a few minutes to remove the gas from it and get the sediment from the bottom back up into suspension. The stirring stick I had was a pain in the butt so I kinda swished the carboy around a bunch until the top of the wine was foamy. I then topped the carboy up to 2" of the bung w/ cold water like the directions said to do. Is this what everyone else does? Was the wine supposed to have foam on the top or did I just ruin my wine?
Thanks! 
Katie


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## Runningwolf (Feb 25, 2012)

Neviawen said:


> Thanks for the quick reply.
> If I do get back pressure and the vodka gets sucked into the carboy will it affect the wine in any way?
> 
> Ok, I have one more question while I have the attention of someone so knowledgeable in wine making..
> ...



The wine is shot. I'll pick it up in the morning!

LOL, you are fine but you probably did not degas enough. Instead of stirring try going back and forth or side to side. I think this is easier and quicker. You really want to get a stir mix for a cordless drill or vacuum pump though.
The best practice for toppoing up is using another like wine rather than water. Not to worry, my first year I also used water but why water down a good wine? The foam you see is the gas your trying to get rid of! Thats a good thing.


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## Neviawen (Feb 25, 2012)

What happens if it isn't degassed enough? Should I go take the air lock off and shake the carboy up more?


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Feb 25, 2012)

Airlocks...I like the three piece, for the main reason you can take it apart to clean it, where the S type you can clean the two outer two sections but can not clean the center section ( aside from running solution thru it). the price is the same for both, and both do basicly the same thing... seal the caraboy to let CO2 out. After that choice is yours


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## djrockinsteve (Feb 25, 2012)

Neviawen said:


> What happens if it isn't degassed enough? Should I go take the air lock off and shake the carboy up more?



No don't shake the carboy. Degass with a pump, drill attachment or a long spoon.

When you insert your bung/airlock in place it on the carboy at an angle then straighten and twist.

Pushing it in at an angle (and squeeze the bung a bit) allows air to remain equal then when the bung is in straighten, then twist it a bit to snug it up good.

This way the liquid in the airlock will be more equal but it can and will change.

As mentioned above air pressure, temperature of the wine can effect the mass.

As long as the wine doesn't get into the airlock, the liquid doesn't make it's way into the wine and the airlock always has a good liquid in it you're fine.


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## GerardVineyard (Feb 26, 2012)

djrockinsteve said:


> As long as the wine doesn't get into the airlock, the liquid doesn't make it's way into the wine and the airlock always has a good liquid in it you're fine.



This has happened to me, where wine ends up in the airlock. The wine is an inch or so below the bottom of the bung, so how is wine getting up into the airlock and what kind of problem does this cause?


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## Deezil (Feb 26, 2012)

GerardVineyard said:


> This has happened to me, where wine ends up in the airlock. The wine is an inch or so below the bottom of the bung, so how is wine getting up into the airlock and what kind of problem does this cause?



Sometimes it occurs when putting a fermenting wine into secondary prematurely. If its rolling along still, and you force all the co2 to leave through a smaller opening, its going to build up foam. And the longer the foam stays foam, and doesnt have a chance to dissipate, it dries out - as this happens, it turns into a sticky goo . If that sticky goo gets into the airlock, it plugs the hole up - but the wine isnt gonna stop fermenting.

So pressure builds.. And instead of  .. You're washing the ceiling


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## djrockinsteve (Feb 26, 2012)

Often it's from change in temperature and or air pressure.


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## GerardVineyard (Feb 27, 2012)

are there any problems with this happening?


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## djrockinsteve (Feb 27, 2012)

Of the wine gets in the airlock but not mixed with the solution, carefully remove bung and airlock. Remove some wine and clean out airlock. Reapply.


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