# Racking pump



## Stevew1 (Dec 3, 2015)

I am looking for a product to mechanically rack my wine. I have several 54L demis and they are too much to lift up and down to the height difference to do it by gravity. Does anyone have a recommendation on what I should get. I've read vacuum pumps should only be used on carboys but not demi


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## Rocky (Dec 3, 2015)

Steve, if you are only going to draw wine OUT OF 54 liter demijohns, a vacuum pump would work fine. It is pumping INTO a 54 liter demijohn using a vacuum pump which is purportedly a danger. That is because in a vacuum system, the receiving vessel is under pressure, the donating vessel is not. I have two demijohns which I use for bulk aging and I have them on furniture dollies ($8 at Harbor Freight) on the floor of my wine area. I put wine into them from carboys on a raised bench using an auto siphon. I pump wine out of them when necessary from the floor to a carboy on a bench using a vacuum pump.


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## sour_grapes (Dec 3, 2015)

A diaphragm pump can pump into or out of demis:

http://morewinemaking.com/products/selfpriming-shurflo-diaphragm-pump.html


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## NorCal (Dec 3, 2015)

This has served me well. Be sure to get a filter and spin on connectors


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## vacuumpumpman (Dec 3, 2015)

I sell a bottle washer / sanitizer with a very good shurflo pump.with all the adapters and it includes an inline screen to prevent any damage to your pump. So it can be used as a transfer pump or a bottle washer / sanitizer
It is the same price as Sour Grapes posted above

I will get a link up when I am able

http://www.allinonewinepump.com/product/pressurized-bottle-washer-sanitizer/


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## ibglowin (Dec 3, 2015)

@NorCal

What is the difference between your pump and this one?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E5UVXJ8?keywords=shurflo%20pump&qid=1449171048&ref_=sr_1_6&sr=8-6


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## NorCal (Dec 3, 2015)

IB, I can't tell by your link, but check the Shurflow pump number. Make sure the voltage, power cord etc is going to meet your needs and checkout what Steve has. My cost included the filter, spin on connectors, freight, etc.


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## ibglowin (Dec 3, 2015)

This is just the pump, same exact model# as yours, no extras but they can be added as well. Pump alone is $76 and its available via Amazon Prime so free shipping on everything.


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## vacuumpumpman (Dec 3, 2015)

@ Stevew1

I have known alot of people who have used vacuum to transfer into demijohns - you have to use 1/2'' racking cane and hose to reduce the vacuum within the demijohn but it also increases the volume of flow at the same time. 

Not a good vessel to put alot of vacuum on to degas your wine -


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## Dhaynes (Dec 4, 2015)

My other passion beside wine making is sailing so when I needed a pump my mind automatically went to the small diaphragm pumps that are used in boats & RV's to pump fresh water. Only problem is that they are all 12v DC. I bought one from eBay. Best I can remember I paid about $35 for like a 3GPM one but they come in a variety of capacities & prices. I wired a cigarette lighter plug to the wires from the pump and plugged it into an automotive jumper box that I already had. I just plug it in or out of the jumper box to start and stop it. So far it has worked great. Like any diaphragm pump you have to protect it from sucking in any solids. It is self priming so it will pull liquids from a container that is lower than the pump. I use mine with a whole house water filter and replaceable 1 micro filter to filter wine before bottling.

Here is a link to an article on the type of filter I use:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/entries/diy-wine-filtering.html


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## Stevew1 (Dec 4, 2015)

I wanted to thank everyone for the comments and infornation. This will make the process a little easier. I will be tetting a pump soon. Thanks again.


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## JohnT (Dec 7, 2015)

I know that I am coming in late to this thread but..

I have been using my enolmatic as a vacuum pump for at least 20 years.

It is great for transferring from one demi to another (especially when the wine needs to be pumped "up". 

IMHO, a vacuum pump is far better than using a diaphragm pump. I believe it to be more gentle on the wine and also gives the added benefit of degassing the wine too.

I have never had a demijohn break on me due to the pressure of a vacuum pump. Since wine is flowing in, the pressure never builds to the point of breakage.


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## Rocky (Dec 7, 2015)

I have never had a demijohn break on me due to the pressure of a vacuum pump. Since wine is flowing in, the pressure never builds to the point of breakage. 

I have only tried it once and had no issues but I have not tempted fate again. To effect the vacuum, I used a two holed carboy cap and held it against the wide top of the demijohn. I think that this may have protected by demijohn because the vacuum was not total and there was some leakage around the carboy cap.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31RbPLYOEGL._SX300_.jpg


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## GreginND (Dec 7, 2015)

I would never put a large demijohn under vacuum. The risk is way too high.

I agree that vacuum has advantages of degassing and being gentle. But the huge disadvantage is you need a sealed container to create the vacuum. A pump is more versatile in that you can pump into and out of buckets, barrels, carboys, demijohns, etc.


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## JohnT (Dec 7, 2015)

For the enolmatic, they have a "demijohn kit"...







This cap slips onto a standard 54 liter demi and has a large hole for your syphon hose and a much thinner one for the vacuum. I have been using this for 15 or 20 years without a single issue. 

I can more than understand why someone might be a bit concerned when using this type of setup. All I can say it that there has never been a problem.


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## vacuumpumpman (Dec 7, 2015)

I agree with John 
That's why I recommend to use 1/2" tubing to limit the vacuum and increase flow at the end sane time.

Yes you should always be cautious when dealing with glass.

And I highly using a regulated vacuum source.


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## JohnT (Dec 7, 2015)

vacuumpumpman said:


> I highly using a regulated vacuum source.


 

... Like the All-In-One pump!


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## Rocky (Dec 8, 2015)

For the enolmatic, they have a "demijohn kit"...

Well I'll be dipped in "ca-ca!" (I never really understood the meaning of that saying but I had a lot of friends from the South who used to say it.) Learn something new every day.


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## Stevew1 (Dec 8, 2015)

I have looked at several different pumps and pump types, and have still not a made a decision. I have time yet as the California wine in the demi is not in need of racking yet. Thanks for all the input.


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## ibglowin (Dec 8, 2015)

I snagged a Shurflow pump off Amazon for $69 Prime. Have to add a switch and power cord. Ordered a good pre-filter from Morewine and a couple of hose barb fittings as well.

My 2nd 15G Flextank arrives on Thursday! 

Will use this setup to rack from carboy on floor to Flextank on benchtop.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 8, 2015)

JohnT said:


> For the enolmatic, they have a "demijohn kit"...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



John when these came out I believe the Demi Johns were built with a lot thicker walls.


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## vacuumpumpman (Dec 8, 2015)

I noticed in the picture that they change from 3/8'' to 1/2'' inside the carboy - I am assuming like I mentioned before to decrease vacuum and increase flow. 

I can not recommend using the demijohns - but some of my customers have used them for transferring only - releasing the vacuum manually so they do not build much vacuum in the vessel. 

I have seen some you tube videos on this subject using this product shown above.


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## JohnT (Dec 9, 2015)

Runningwolf said:


> John when these came out I believe the Demi Johns were built with a lot thicker walls.


 
This might very well be. All of my demijohns are at least 15 years old and I have had this kit for about the same time.

One thing that I did notice is that the amount of vacuum in the demi is not all together that strong. It appears to me that the amount of stress of the vacuum is far less than the stress of 54 liters of wine (when filled).


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