# vacuum pump for bottling?



## MJOl (Sep 20, 2009)

Do any of you who have vacuum pumps to do your racking and degassing also use it to bottle your wine? If so, how do you do it? I'm just not happy with the wand-type bottle fillers and would like to use my vacuum pump to try to bottle. The stoppers that fit a 750ml wine bottle are pretty small, so I'm not sure how you would go about this. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!


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## Wade E (Sep 20, 2009)

I dont have the set up yet but my friend does who uses this site sometimes and uses this setup below in the link.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=4887


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## Woodbee (Sep 21, 2009)

Howdy. Out of curiosity, I have my neighbors A/C vacum pump and am trying different things. For racking I use a stopper with two holes in it. I place a tube from the bottom of the empty carboy through one of the stopper holes onto the racking cane into the bottom of the full carboy. Then a tube through the second stopper hole onto the pump. Make sure that the second tube only just goes through the stopper as to not get any wine into the pump. Turn the pump on and you will empty the 5 gallons in about a third of the time a siphon will take (less than 2 min.). I screwed up the first time by putting a stopper in the full jug so as to hold the cane just above the lees. I created a total vacume where no wine was flowing. When I realized what was going on, I loosened the stopper and blew tons of air into the second jug.It was like an air hose gone wild.I created quite a head of foam on my wine. So after I was done with the transfer I took a stopper with a single hole in it and stuck the pump onto a small piece of tubing and ran a vacum on the carboy for about 10 min. I also have been degassing the same way.
Another mistake I made was degassing a wide mouth gallon jug with a stopper that didn't have a shoulder on it. I caught my error just before the stopper was sucked into the jug.
I considered trying to bottle with the pump but I think that I would need two extra pair of hands. That would mean that I would have to replace all of my shirts. So for now I will stay with siphon power. I hope this info might help others from making some of the same mistakes I did. Brad


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## surlees (Sep 21, 2009)

I have a vacuum pump and I've never been able to use it for bottling. It's good for degassing and for transfering between carboys, but the problem with trying to bottle with it is that the vacuum cannot be immediately released. So, if if you were trying to fill a bottle, the bottle would overflow before you could release the vacuum to stop the flow

I think the best setup for bottling is the one Wade shows in his post.

Fred


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## Wade E (Nov 14, 2009)

Okay, finally got my Buon Vino Automatic Auto Bottle Gravity Filler and hooked it up to my vacuum pump and bottled my Chilean Malbec. Took 3 bottles to get it set and am in love!!!!!!!!! I bottled this batch in about 5 minutes instead of 20 with the wand. For anyone with a vacuum pump I surely recommend this unit and Im sure it works as great without the pump. Just 1 more cheap tool that makes 1 of the not so fun parts of wine making better.


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## ferratus (Dec 15, 2009)

Well we started a nice concord grape must from our own grown grapes !!! at any rate.. degassing is turning out to be a nightmare...... 

Here is what we have come up with .

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD0EtkfnkDo[/ame] 

we are using a food saver but dog gone that foam is horrible.


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## rawlus (Dec 15, 2009)

surlees said:


> I have a vacuum pump and I've never been able to use it for bottling. It's good for degassing and for transfering between carboys, but the problem with trying to bottle with it is that the vacuum cannot be immediately released. So, if if you were trying to fill a bottle, the bottle would overflow before you could release the vacuum to stop the flow
> 
> I think the best setup for bottling is the one Wade shows in his post.
> 
> Fred



instant release of vacuum.


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## rawlus (Dec 15, 2009)

Wade E said:


> Okay, finally got my Buon Vino Automatic Auto Bottle Gravity Filler and hooked it up to my vacuum pump and bottled my Chilean Malbec. Took 3 bottles to get it set and am in love!!!!!!!!! I bottled this batch in about 5 minutes instead of 20 with the wand. For anyone with a vacuum pump I surely recommend this unit and Im sure it works as great without the pump. Just 1 more cheap tool that makes 1 of the not so fun parts of wine making better.



this is interesting as i have never been satisfied with the superautomatic, either gravity or with the vacuum. the contraption is clumsy and top-heavy to me and ive never been able to really dial it in to work as i expect it should... mine requires some force to open the valve and then invariably i end up dumping a good amount into overflow during a 30 bottle session as well as leaking down the sides of bottles... maybe mine is broken?

im using the 2-hole drilled stopper method now and that seems to work pretty quickly with less equipment to deal with, clean and fuss about. different strokes.


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## Boyd (Dec 15, 2009)

rawlus said:


> this is interesting as i have never been satisfied with the superautomatic, either gravity or with the vacuum. the contraption is clumsy and top-heavy to me and ive never been able to really dial it in to work as i expect it should... mine requires some force to open the valve and then invariably i end up dumping a good amount into overflow during a 30 bottle session as well as leaking down the sides of bottles... maybe mine is broken?
> 
> im using the 2-hole drilled stopper method now and that seems to work pretty quickly with less equipment to deal with, clean and fuss about. different strokes.



*I use my minijet to filter and bottle at the same time. Works fine.*


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## ERASMO (Dec 15, 2009)

*raw*

I need that stopper setup. Who sells that?


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## Wade E (Dec 15, 2009)

You could buy a solid rubber bung, freeze it, and drill it!


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## mjdtexan (Dec 18, 2009)

Wade E said:


> You could buy a solid rubber bung, freeze it, and drill it!



How come you have to freeze it? Is rubber to soft to drill?


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## Fiftyoon (Apr 19, 2011)

rawlus said:


> instant release of vacuum.



rawlus, I just bought a Gomco vacuum pump and would really like to build and try this for bottling my wine. Did you buy or make your 2-hole stopper? What size is the stopper? What size are the holes? Are the ell and tee 1/4" fittings? Are the fittings installed friction fit or with adhesive? Source for the stopper and fittings? I haven't been able to find any local stores that carry this stuff. Thanks, Bob!


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## Lurker (Apr 20, 2011)

I use this exact system with my vacuum pump. However, I don't have a 2 hole bung that will fit into a wine bottle. I have the 2 hole bung (#6) pushed into a cutoff funnel. It works just fine for bottling. Freezing the rubber does not work. I drilled small holes then enlarged them with my dremel. Wade can probably do that for you.


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## winemaker_3352 (Apr 21, 2011)

I use the same thing wade has - the Buon Vino Automatic Bottle filler - hook it up to the vacuum pump and off you go. Works great!!


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## ibglowin (Apr 21, 2011)

Buon Vino all the way!


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## Runningwolf (Apr 21, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Buon Vino all the way!



Thats a 10-4 here also


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## ffemt128 (Apr 21, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Buon Vino all the way!



Still need to order one of those.


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## BobF (Apr 21, 2011)

ffemt128 said:


> Still need to order one of those.


 
I ordered one yesterday. My Ferrari works well with gravity, but I'm trying to elimnate as many steps as possible.

I already have the vacuum racking/degassing going, so this is a no-brainer, IMO.


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## Wade E (Apr 21, 2011)

Boun Vino would be much better, this way you can cork the previous bottle while that one is filling. It will also fill to the right amount unilke holding your finger over that 3 way and guessing!


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## Lurker (Apr 21, 2011)

Wade E said:


> Boun Vino would be much better, this way you can cork the previous bottle while that one is filling. It will also fill to the right amount unilke holding your finger over that 3 way and guessing!


No guessing with my finger on the 3 way, I can see it, and the cost is zero.


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## Wade E (Apr 21, 2011)

Some bottles are very dark!!!!!! Maybe if you had a pce of racking cane in the bottle to displace the room needed for a cork just like a bottling wand!


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## Lurker (Apr 22, 2011)

Wade E said:


> Some bottles are very dark!!!!!! Maybe if you had a pce of racking cane in the bottle to displace the room needed for a cork just like a bottling wand!



Don't need it! After you do one bottle, you know where to stop. I will admit to using a light behind the bottles, but I do it for all bottles. Why do you have a problem with such a simple, no cost system?


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## roblloyd (Apr 22, 2011)

Lurker said:


> Don't need it! After you do one bottle, you know where to stop. I will admit to using a light behind the bottles, but I do it for all bottles. Why do you have a problem with such a simple, no cost system?



Because it's just not cool! No blinking lights, no complicated valves, no automated do-hickeys to go wrong. Who wants that? We need complications, we need things to break, we need ... ok it's simple, cheap and it works! What do you want a medal?


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## Wade E (Apr 22, 2011)

Dont have a problem with it. Ive just used the wand for a few years and I know that without that light it can be very difficult to see where the level is. Im all for the do it yourself cheaper person!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## rhattin (Apr 27, 2011)

*degassing, filtering and filling with a vacuum system*

The Enolmatic system is probably the most popular vacuum filling system, and it has a filtering option. However it is very expensive - about $550. 
There are other options that can be assembled, using a separate vacuum pump. The challenge is the filler nozzle. I have built a couple of these from food grade plastic and stainless steel tubing that will fill a 750 ml bottle in about 7 sec, after evacuating air from the bottle with a 28 in mercury vacuum. 
The fill level is adjustable as is the fill rate. The other function it performs is degassing wine during glass carboy to glass carboy transfers. It is very dramatic to see the amount of gas it gets out of the wine. Need to do it twice, and takes about 5 minutes each time. 
Whole system is available for about $250, and if you want you can add your choice of filters inline. This slows the fill rate but it makes the system a 3 in one system. 
The major expense is the vacuum pump. 
I have yet to find any taste tests that compare vacuumed degassed wine with normally degassed ( stirred) wine. 
Can anybody point me to any comparitive tests done??
Ric


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## SarahRides (May 15, 2011)

I use and love the Buon Vino as well, does anyone else find that there is always a little bit of residual liquid in it though when you are done? I can never seem to get it out, and end up rinsing it out with sanitizer when I'm done. (I figure I'd rather have sanitizer in there than wine or water that could grow bacteria)


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## chachi44089 (May 16, 2011)

I use my vacuum pump to bottle all the time. I use the same stopper I use in my carboy to vacuum rack. You dont have to seat the stopper in the bottle, just hold it on top. No need to hold your finger over anything, just rock the stopper a bit to controle the flow. I can hold it on the top fully sealed with almost no pressure for a full flow, then just gently rock the stopper to get just a trickel when almost full. Lift up when full and vacuum is broken and flow stops. Only thing to remember is to have the full carboy below the level where you are filling bottles or else it will siphon..ooops..I dont keep the racking tube deep in the bottle I am filling because you then have to fill to almost the top because the hose displaces the wine and you wind up sucking some into the collection canister. I just fill to the shoulder and lift. Easy! And FAST!

This is the position for full flow..





And this is how I stop or lower the flow..


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## Lurker (May 16, 2011)

chachi, that's the way I was doing it before I switched.


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## chachi44089 (May 17, 2011)

Lurker said:


> chachi, that's the way I was doing it before I switched.



I might switch to your design.. My hands were pretty sore today after bottling 30+ bottles of wine.. I need to make a little table that fits over my utility sink so I can rest the bottles "my hand" while the fill.. But I must admit, Wades pumps make it sooo fast to bottle, rack, transfer, ect.. Thanks Wade!!!!


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## rhattin (May 18, 2011)

*The three in one vacuum system.*

I use my vacuum system for bottling all the time. In fact, it will continue to remove a surprising amount of gas as it bottles the wine. 
however, the result is well worth it. 
the technical issue is the filler head, and seals. Other than that, hookup your vacuum pump and diverter carboy and off you go. About 6 sec a fill. I can send pictures if you wish. 

'Good luck
Ric


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## Runningwolf (May 18, 2011)

We love pictures and video's are even better. You will need 5 posts though before you can add pictures.


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## Fiftyoon (May 19, 2011)

*Vacuum bottling*



rhattin said:


> I use my vacuum system for bottling all the time....I can send pictures if you wish.



Ric: would love to see pics of your vacuum bottling system...thanks!


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## vacuumpumpman (Jan 5, 2019)

Wow - 
I was surprised to see this post at the bottom of the page - as it is almost 8 years old.

For anyone needing a vacuum pump to bottle or just an accessory to their own vacuum pump in order to bottle = https://www.allinonewinepump.com/


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## sour_grapes (Jan 5, 2019)

vacuumpumpman said:


> Wow -
> I was surprised to see this post at the bottom of the page - as it is almost 8 years old.



I am merely speculating, but I suspect a spam post got it bumped, then a moderator removed the spam.


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## winojoe (Mar 22, 2019)

What really makes the Buon Vino Filler work so well is the Fill-Head. 

You can get the fill head



or the complete assembly



which makes bottle filling really great. The full assembly is about $75. A lot cheaper than buying the complete filling system.

The only thing missing is a vacuum adjustment. The Buon Vino Filler uses a vacuum bleeding needle valve.


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## Rice_Guy (Mar 23, 2019)

chachi44089 said:


> I use my vacuum pump to bottle all the time. I use the same stopper I use in my carboy to vacuum rack. You dont have to seat the stopper in the bottle, just hold it on top. No need to hold your finger over anything, just rock the stopper a bit to controle the flow. I can hold it on the top fully sealed with almost no pressure for a full flow, then just gently rock the stopper to get just a trickel when almost full. Lift up when full and vacuum is broken and flow stops. Only thing to remember is to have the full carboy below the level where you are filling bottles or else it will siphon..ooops..I dont keep the racking tube deep in the bottle I am filling because you then have to fill to almost the top because the hose displaces the wine and you wind up sucking some into the collection canister. I just fill to the shoulder and lift. Easy! And FAST!
> 
> This is the position for full flow..
> 
> ...


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## FTC Wines (Mar 23, 2019)

We use the All In One bottle filler system. Works awesome been using it for at least 8 years. Actually we just received our 2nd in the mail today. Thanks Steve for the great service. After 8 years and over 3,000 bottles the vacuum release “switch” died. ($12.95) Most likely because I used to run K Meta then water thru it. Now I just flush with water and blow air thru to dry it. Roy


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## BABRU (Nov 3, 2019)

Wade E said:


> Okay, finally got my Buon Vino Automatic Auto Bottle Gravity Filler and hooked it up to my vacuum pump and bottled my Chilean Malbec. Took 3 bottles to get it set and am in love!!!!!!!!! I bottled this batch in about 5 minutes instead of 20 with the wand. For anyone with a vacuum pump I surely recommend this unit and Im sure it works as great without the pump. Just 1 more cheap tool that makes 1 of the not so fun parts of wine making better.



This post is pretty old but hoping you are still member who can answer a questionhave one but I’m not sure what to connect to the vacuum pump. I tried just hooking the short hose to the vacuum and liquid flowed but when bottle filled the auto shutoff did not close and liquid started to suck toward the vacuum pump. 
Can you explain the setup?


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 4, 2019)

BABRU said:


> This post is pretty old but hoping you are still member who can answer a questionhave one but I’m not sure what to connect to the vacuum pump. I tried just hooking the short hose to the vacuum and liquid flowed but when bottle filled the auto shutoff did not close and liquid started to suck toward the vacuum pump.
> Can you explain the setup?


Can you explain please post a pic ?


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## jgmann67 (Nov 10, 2019)

It sounds like he just attached a single hose to the AIO and went to town. 

This pic on Steve’s site illustrates the proper set up:




The carboy on the right is the receiving vessel (I.e. wine is being vacuumed in). 

The bottle at the pump is for overflow, just in case, to keep wine out of your pump. 

The pump connects to the bottle, the thin hosing (with valve) runs to the receiving carboy. 

The large hose runs between the receiving carboy and the racking cane in the sending carboy on the left. 

When you use your AIO, you should place your receiving carboy on the table; and your sending carboy on the floor. Better for degassing and controlling wine flow. 

Did you push wine through the pump on your AIO??


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