# Zambelli Bladder Press



## BonnieJoy (Sep 18, 2010)

I just purchased a BP20 bladder press + am having trouble attaching the input water hose. The manual shows a quick connect on the input side of the pressure valve, which I have not been unable to remove. I'm rotating this plastic piece in the direction indicated - but the thing doesn't seem to be removable. Does anyone know what modification is needed to attach a standard garden hose to the input valve? I crushed whites today + should have already pressed them. Sure hope someone on this forum has an answer to my problem.


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## grapeman (Sep 18, 2010)

Bonnie why not just go get a quick connect end for a hose or a hose with one on already? Hope you get it figured out in time!


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 18, 2010)

Heading to a local "Do It Best" center w/ the press base in the AM. I like your idea. Was afraid to horse too much with the connection cap today for fear of busting it. And I thought this equipment was gonna make the task faster + easier. What was I thinking?


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## AlFulchino (Sep 19, 2010)

pictures?


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 19, 2010)

OK - Here are pics of the valaves on the press.


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 19, 2010)

Schematics of Bladder Press.


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## Wade E (Sep 19, 2010)

If you have bad water pressure does it matter or is the water pressure not a factor in this?


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 19, 2010)

Got brass fittings from the hardware store. That black plastic cap is for pressure relief. Did a test run. Water is NOT filling the bladder. Still trouble shooting the issue. I suspect timing between closing the air relief valve + turning on the water tap. Wade, per your question, I'm connecting to my outside hydrant before starting to press the whites by hand


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## Randoneur (Sep 19, 2010)

Based on your picture of the valve assembly. Supply water isconnected on the left side using a garden hose adapter. The bladder is drained on the right side after you complete the pressing. 
There should be an *air bleed valve on top of the bladder*. Water cannot enter the bladder if this valve is closed. 
Connect and turn on the water. Open the air bleed valve on top. Adjust for a small amount of pressure, indicated by increase reading on the gauge, and close the air bleed valve when the bladder is full of water (air from top valve changes to water). Adjust the pressure up as you press and taste samples after each increase in pressure. Stop when juices start to turn bitter. Adjust the pressure back down and then turn off and disconnect the supply water. Open the top right valve to allow the bladder to deflate and open the top air bleed valve if you want to drain the water out of the bladder.


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 20, 2010)

An update - all the whites werepressed yesterday afternoon. Had a few Marquette &amp;Steuben grapes that I also pressed &amp; blended w/ some Cayuga &amp; Vignoles to produce a Rose`. All the musts are quite floral. I'm praying that the24 hrs of cold soak do not cause any bitterness. It would be a darned shame to have to dump the wine after all this effort. Lesson #1 - check out all you're new equipment BEFORE you need to use it so you catch potential issues before they cause you delays. Thanks to all who provided suggestions to resolve my pressing dilemma.


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## grapeman (Sep 20, 2010)

So what did you need to do to get it to work?


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 20, 2010)

Sorry everyone, to be misleading, Kathy + I squeezed the grapes by hand Sunday using strainer bags. The only thing that's resolved was getting fittings to attach a garden hose to the water input. No matter what order the air release valve is opened or closed, the bladder isn't filling with water.

It's time to make some phone calls for help!


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## Wade E (Sep 20, 2010)

Sorry to hear about that, what was the total lbs you had to do by hand/


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 20, 2010)

Wade - so far, about 110 lbs. There's another 100 of reds fermenting on the skins that will need pressed in about a week.

I hope the issue is simple ignorance on my part + not equipment failure or low water pressure as you'd questioned.

When I finally have an answer, I'll post it on this thread so others have a resource, if they run into the same situation.

By the way, thanks for your compassion.


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## grapeman (Sep 21, 2010)

Oh man, that stinks! Have a shiny new toy and can't play with it! 


I hope they can help resolve your problem or are willing to exchange it for you without a hastle. Good luck.


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 22, 2010)

OK folks - we have liftoff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The fix was so simple, I'm embarassed:


Cut the male adapter off of a1/2" water hose (I used an FDA approved drinking water hose).


Attached it w/ a hose clamp to the brass barbed nipple on the pressure relief valve.


Open the air release valve on the top of the spindle.


Turn on the water faucet &amp; when water starts squirting out of the air release valve, shut it.


Pressure now builds in the bladder.


When pressing is complete, shut off the faucet, turn the red handle on the emptying tap to open, open air release valve &amp; drain the water out of the bladder.


Here's a picture of the correct setup.


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## ibglowin (Sep 22, 2010)

Hurray!

Is there anything left to press?


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 22, 2010)

YEPPERS - 6 Gallons of concord happily bubbling away; picking up 120 lbs of Lake Michigan grown Cab Sauvignon grapes next month.


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## Dean (Sep 22, 2010)

congrats, but that isn't what your schematics say. According to the schematics you posted, it looks like your hose is attached to the safety valve. Will that hose clamp actually hold when you have 3 or 4 bar of pressure on the press? 

Did the place you bought the press from provide you with the simple solution to the problem? I'm just curious because I've been thinking about getting a bladder press.


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## Dean (Sep 22, 2010)

well that is strange, but I've just looked at Zambelli presses online, and your setup is slightly different from this posted pic:






It seems your's is somewhat reversed.


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## Wade E (Sep 22, 2010)

Glad you got it resolved, did you use it on the Concord and if so did it work great.


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 22, 2010)

Dean - Yes, the place I bought the press at provided the info on the fix. The schematics were very misleading, whichI found to be quite frustrating. I'm pretty sure that hose clamp will hold because of the barbed nipple. We shall soon see.


Wade - The concord is still fermenting on the skins. They'll be the first grapes to go through the press, probably early next week.


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## AlFulchino (Sep 22, 2010)




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## Wade E (Sep 22, 2010)

Fingers are crossed for a non problematic pressing!


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 27, 2010)

Used the shiny new toy on the Concord last Sunday. It worked faster than I'd ever imagined it would. Took much more time to load the basket and allow thefree-run to collect in my bucket than to do the actual pressing. I'd highly recommend one of these to anyone wanting gentler pressing pressures &amp; faster procesing times. Oh, and they don't weigh much either. An important factor for some of us more mature folks.


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## AlFulchino (Sep 27, 2010)

what is the life expectancy of the bladder itself?


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## Wade E (Sep 27, 2010)

Glad to hear that, now bring it on by over here for me to test it out!


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## ibglowin (Sep 27, 2010)

Al Fulchino said:


> what is the life expectancy of the bladder itself?



Usually about 60-65 years, then you will probably need a lift......


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## AlFulchino (Sep 28, 2010)




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## Chatty Kathy (Sep 28, 2010)

We don't know yet how long to expect the bladder to last. When in storage, you are to coat it with vegetable oil to prevent it drying out and cracking. If it should spring a leak, you take it to a bicycle repair shop and they patch it like a tire!


Bonnie Joy and I will need to take photos of the process when we press the Cab Sauv. grapes she is purchasing so you can see how it works. It all happened so fast when we finally figured out how to hook it up that we didn't get any photos taken of the Concord pressing! I think we need to fine-tune the process a bit so that we can control the speed at which the bladder fills, and the Cab Sauv. will give us that opportunity.


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## Wade E (Sep 29, 2010)

Cant wait for more photos. I know exactly what you mean. Being in the middle of a learning process with a large job on hand is not the time to take pics.


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## BonnieJoy (Oct 31, 2010)

OK - now that I actually know how to use this thing I am really loving it. When theconcords were pressed we discovered that cleaning the green mesh basket liner was a pain in the patute. Itreally isn't needed andwe quitusing it. The cleanout between pressings is much faster without it. We just use a sanitized plastic spoon to scrape the skins into a bucket, remove anything on the baseand load her up again. Oh, and I reverse the basket end placed back onto the base because the holes aren't clogged. Here's some snapshots of the thing in action.


Pressing








Skins Clinging to Basket








Draining the bladder








Bladder between pressings


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## grapeman (Oct 31, 2010)

Looks great you two! Are you having fun yet?


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## BonnieJoy (Oct 31, 2010)

Yes, we're having Barrels &amp; Barrels of fun. I can't wait until next year's harvest so I can play with the toys some more. Sadly, the press is put to bed for another 11 months


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## AlFulchino (Oct 31, 2010)

wow, that looks great!!!!

but your shoulders and arms wont get a work out w that press you have


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## ibglowin (Oct 31, 2010)

They say a picture is worth 1000 words.

You pressed grapes wearing a white sweatshirt and some light grey sweat pants!





That says a lot about that press! 

Very Nice!


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## rrawhide (Nov 4, 2010)

I want one -I want one!!!


Dear Santa


I really have been good this year so could I please have one of these . . . . . 


rrawhide


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## Wade E (Nov 5, 2010)

Thanks for the pics as Ive never really seen one in action and had no idea how they work and now I do. Thats cool that it presses sideways!


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## BonnieJoy (Nov 5, 2010)

I have learned a lot on this forum and am happy to share my experiences for the benefit of others.


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