# MityVac after Brake Job?



## kirbyclk (Dec 10, 2010)

I have a MityVac that I have used a few time before to bleed my brakes. Obviously this would be a concern to use it for winemaking but I have never "degassed" using a vacuum before. If I thoroughly clean the MityVac, do you think I can still re-use it?

Does the wine even come into contact with any parts of the pump? From my understanding I just stick the tube into the hole in the bung, pump it up to create a vacuum, and let it sit for a while holding the vacuum?


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## pightr (Dec 10, 2010)

kirbyclk said:


> I have a MityVac that I have used a few time before to bleed my brakes. Obviously this would be a concern to use it for winemaking but I have never "degassed" using a vacuum before. If I thoroughly clean the MityVac, do you think I can still re-use it?
> 
> Does the wine even come into contact with any parts of the pump? From my understanding I just stick the tube into the hole in the bung, pump it up to create a vacuum, and let it sit for a while holding the vacuum?



Personally I would still clean it just because but your right the pump does not come in contact with the wine at all, it just pulls a vacuum seal in the carboy. So I would still use it but I don't have a lot of experience here either but from what I know it should be a problem. 

I was told as well when you think you are done degassing your wine, hook up the pump one more time and bring the pressure up to 20 and wait 1/2 an hour and if it stays above 16 on the gauge then you are done degassing. Good luck and I'm sure someone on here with more knowledge will be alone shortly to help.


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## JohnT (Dec 10, 2010)

pightr said:


> Personally I would still clean it just because but your right the pump does not come in contact with the wine at all, it just pulls a vacuum seal in the carboy. So I would still use it but I don't have a lot of experience here either but from what I know it should be a problem.
> 
> I was told as well when you think you are done degassing your wine, hook up the pump one more time and bring the pressure up to 20 and wait 1/2 an hour and if it stays above 16 on the gauge then you are done degassing. Good luck and I'm sure someone on here with more knowledge will be alone shortly to help.



I do NOT agree!!! I would not even put anything like that in my winery!!! 

Let me put it this way. Would you feel right about smearing peanut butter all over it and then lick it clean? If the answer is "NO" THEN DON'T USE IT!!!!!!

Even if there is only a small chance at contact with the wine, why risk it? Pry open the pocketbook and purchase a food grade, food safe, vacume pump.


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## Tom (Dec 10, 2010)

Buy another!
It cant be sanitized enough. Whay chance price for a batch of wine.


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## winemaker_3352 (Dec 10, 2010)

I totally agree - even the proper cleaning products to clean the fluid or not good to be in contact with the wine.

Get another..


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## Runningwolf (Dec 10, 2010)

I agree with the above posts. For the $20 price tag at Harbor Freight why take the risk.


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## Wade E (Dec 10, 2010)

The only way Id feel safe is if you had a hydrophobic filter inline between the unit and your wine.


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## TStarr (Dec 10, 2010)

Good grief - how will a new one be any safer than an old one - I am sure the manufacturing process isn't designed to be anti-bacterial, so who know what could be in there. However, since nothing goes from the pump into the wine, what is there to be worried about? The idea is to suck FROM the dj or fermentation jar, not blow into it!! I use a normal rubber dj stopper, with "6mm to 8mm" plastic connector, attached to 1 metre of 6mm Auto vacuum hose. Pop it into any dj and suck away, sanitizing the bung and tube. If a new one was in any way 'better' than a used one, then would you only use it once and keep buying new ones? Sounds crazy!


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## xoltri (Dec 10, 2010)

I'd use it, just put an overflow container in line.


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## winemaker_3352 (Dec 10, 2010)

To an extent you are right - you can add an overflow in - there are some of us here that are just a little more cautious than others. 

However - i just wouldn't do it - you can sanitize a new one w/o the worry of brake fluid or cleaners that have come in contact with it. 

Ultimately it is your decision on what you want to do. 

These are just our opinions - most of which i value a lot - and I know most of the folks have been doing this long enough to have seen or done most of the mistakes that we are posting questions about.


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## BobF (Dec 10, 2010)

The way *my* mityvac is built, air flows through the mityvac chamber to the carboy when the 'trigger' is pulled to relieve vacuum. Mine was never used for anything else and has had so2 vapors through it many times.

If it had been used for anything else, I wouldn't be using it for winemaking


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## sly22guy (Dec 10, 2010)

TStarr said:


> Good grief - how will a new one be any safer than an old one - I am sure the manufacturing process isn't designed to be anti-bacterial, so who know what could be in there. However, since nothing goes from the pump into the wine, what is there to be worried about? The idea is to suck FROM the dj or fermentation jar, not blow into it!! I use a normal rubber dj stopper, with "6mm to 8mm" plastic connector, attached to 1 metre of 6mm Auto vacuum hose. Pop it into any dj and suck away, sanitizing the bung and tube. If a new one was in any way 'better' than a used one, then would you only use it once and keep buying new ones? Sounds crazy!



So say i pissed and took a crap on your pillow, would you still rest your head on it even after you washed it? No you'd go buy a new Pillow!


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## xoltri (Dec 11, 2010)

To put it in perspective, many of us (myself included) have purchased used medical vacuum pumps on ebay to degass / rack / filter and have no idea what the history of these pumps are. But they don't come in contact with the wine because there is an overflow canister so it really doesn't matter. This is not really any different.


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## TStarr (Dec 11, 2010)

sly22guy said:


> So say i pissed and took a crap on your pillow, would you still rest your head on it even after you washed it? No you'd go buy a new Pillow!



What strange habits you have your side of the Atlantic!

Strange analogy also since the wine is a metre away from the Vac pump, and never 'rests its head' on the pump. Guess you would have problems with surgery using disinfected scalpels - would u be lying on the table insisting on new blades?

Has anyone ever experienced a bacterial disaster from using a vacuum pump in this way, or are we just playing safe/scaremongering for the sake of it?


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## KSmith3011 (Dec 11, 2010)

My cats often pee on our pillows. I think it softens the sheets to give me a better nights rest. 
I vote for using the MityVac after a complete cleaning.
Off topic- anyone looking to adopt a couple cats?


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## sly22guy (Dec 11, 2010)

Lol made that reply after sampling some wine and racking an such! Not sure were i came up with that analogy either. Anywho In retro spect yeah it is true that it will never come in actual contact with it, so i suppose with a good cleaning it should be fine. My only thoughts are that the fumes from the brake fluid could back feed to the wine. But there again if its been cleaned very well these should be gone. 

Make sure your good this xmas or ill come crap on ur pillow! Lol


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## Wade E (Dec 11, 2010)

xoltri said:


> To put it in perspective, many of us (myself included) have purchased used medical vacuum pumps on ebay to degass / rack / filter and have no idea what the history of these pumps are. But they don't come in contact with the wine because there is an overflow canister so it really doesn't matter. This is not really any different.





sly22guy said:


> Lol made that reply after sampling some wine and racking an such! Not sure were i came up with that analogy either. Anywho In retro spect yeah it is true that it will never come in actual contact with it, so i suppose with a good cleaning it should be fine. My only thoughts are that the fumes from the brake fluid could back feed to the wine. But there again if its been cleaned very well these should be gone.
> 
> Make sure your good this xmas or ill come crap on ur pillow! Lol




Thats why I have a hydrophobic filter in between along with the overflow canister. I do think that if you are fine if youve had a overflow canister in betwen the whole time and arent using that hose to do anything with the wine.


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## St Allie (Dec 12, 2010)

ok the pissing and crapping comments are rather unnecessary to the discussion..

let's keep the posted comments practical people..

cheers

Allie


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## kirbyclk (Dec 12, 2010)

I ended up going to harbor freight and got a new MityVac MV8000 for $39.95. I degassed all of my wine that I had already degassed with a drill bit stirrer.

WOW!!!

The MityVac is definitely the way to degass. There was still a TON of CO2 left that I thought was gone. 

Work smarter, not harder!


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## Tom (Dec 12, 2010)

be careful you can suck all the flavor out as well. Look and see what size bubbles you get


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## Arne (Dec 12, 2010)

Methinks occasionally on this forum there are some strange posts. Then I get to thinking whomever has had his nose in the wine cellar. Think I have been guilty of it occasionally. Makes life interesting, tho. lol. Arne.


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## KSmith3011 (Dec 12, 2010)

The MityVac was the best thing I got for equipment so far. I do still need a vacuum pump and floor corker.
You can read post on the best way to use your new MityVac. Basically, get it to hold at 20 for 20-30 minutes and you are good to go.


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## JordanPond (Dec 12, 2010)

Looks like Wade has a great deal on a use vacuum pump setup. He's posted it in the classifieds.


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## Wade E (Dec 12, 2010)

Yup, I have a few models for sale and getting more as the week progresses. Its one of the banner links above!


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## JohnT (Dec 13, 2010)

One last thought. Are you going to handle the pump with your hands? Is there a chance that nasty stuff gets on you hands and then introduced to the wine? Are these the same hands you plan on using to replace the stopper in the jug when finished? 

I would not even allow the thing into my winery!

Even if there is only a 1 in 10,000 chance that anything bad will result in using the pump, with my luck I would be number 10,000!


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## Sirs (Dec 13, 2010)

just wondering how many suit up and go thru the sterile wash before doing stuff with their wine?? Anyone?? God forbid can you just imagine how wine probly tasted years ago when they did the stomping by feet and all and put wine in skin bags instead of sterile bottles can we all say ewwwwwwwwww LOL I'm being sarcastic if none noticed. I think it is funny how we can be anal in some respects and not others we all have our own things we go nuts over. Me I'm really picky about certain things and not about others.


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## TStarr (Dec 13, 2010)

JohnT said:


> One last thought. Are you going to handle the pump with your hands? Is there a chance that nasty stuff gets on you hands and then introduced to the wine? Are these the same hands you plan on using to replace the stopper in the jug when finished?
> 
> I would not even allow the thing into my winery!
> 
> Even if there is only a 1 in 10,000 chance that anything bad will result in using the pump, with my luck I would be number 10,000!



LOL I thought this was an attempt to say "How silly to worry about things when your hands and bits under your nails are probably highly contagious"! but no, it really wasn't. 

To para-phrase an old song "Well, clean it dear Liza, dear Liza, dear Liza, Well, clean it dear Liza, dear Liza, Clean it!"


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## kirbyclk (Dec 13, 2010)

Tom said:


> be careful you can suck all the flavor out as well. Look and see what size bubbles you get



Can you please elaborate on this more?


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## xoltri (Dec 13, 2010)

Tom said:


> be careful you can suck all the flavor out as well. Look and see what size bubbles you get



I'm not sure I agree with this, although my opinion isn't worth much since I am new. But this article in the winemaker magazine (written by Tim Vandergrift from Winexpert) basically says that you may lose a couple of alcohol molecules if you overdo it on the vacuuming but you are not going to change the wine in any noticeable way...other than removing the CO2.


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## sly22guy (Dec 13, 2010)

I would tend to agree with you, all the vacuum would do would remove co2 & some alcohol molecules. Which in turn would not affect the flavor let alone suck it all out. The only thing it would possibly do is alter the taste. ie champagne that is bubbly vs champagne that is flat. no flavor difference but it will have a noticeable difference. 

Now if you have a filter that ur running it through that would affect the flavor.


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## Wade E (Dec 13, 2010)

I will add to this that using a pump with no more then 25" of vacuum will not do any harm to your wine. if you are using a model designed for AC units then I beleiev those units can go much higher and you surely need a regulator on it to limit the amount of vacuum so as not to possibly ruin your wine and 2 so as not to implode your carboy and cause serious injury to you.


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## mlr77062 (Oct 4, 2011)

*Permissible vacuum on carboys*

I am considering purchase in the future of a vacuum pump. The Harbor Freight one looks okay. You mentioned use of a regulator to avoid problems with carboys. Could you elaborate on limits of pressure or vacuum in carboys? In my searches I have not found much in specifics.


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## rhoffart (Oct 4, 2011)

JohnT said:


> Would you feel right about smearing peanut butter all over it and then lick it clean?



It depends on what she looks like.


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## chris889671 (Oct 4, 2011)

Ive been a mechanic for more years than I wanted, but I do know brake fluid is nasty stuff that will eat paint. Good choice in getting a new MityVac. As far as clean hands, are we suppose to wear food grade gloves. After sterilizing equiptment repeatedly my hands are usually very clean and sterile. Maybe better than most doctors. Just my 2 cents.


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