# Degassing with vacuum



## boudreaux (May 25, 2010)

I see post about using vacuum pump to degas, what kind of pump do you use? Would an A/C vac pump work?


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## Wade E (May 25, 2010)

It would but make3 sure there is a gauge and a limiter as you dont want to exceed around 22" of vacuum on a carboy.


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## boudreaux (May 25, 2010)

At what stage is best time to degas


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## Wade E (May 25, 2010)

I like to do it right when ferm,entation is done myuself so that it will start clearing faster as C02 stuck in suspension wont let a wine clear properly. Degassing is best done at 75*, If this is a wine made from grapes and was pressed thjis is not needed as the pressing and openess during this process does all the degassing needed hence why people who do not make kits see these posts and dont understand this process and think it doesnt need to be done.


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## Maestro (May 26, 2010)

Wade, is it possible to reach that level of vacuum in a carboy using the Vac U Vin wine pump?? We attached it to our carboy last night and gave the wine a last degassing before bottling. It took several pumps to get the bubbles coming up, which there weren't many so I think we degassed with the drill better this time. I just want to make sure that I don't over pump the carboy with this little handheld deal.


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## Torch404 (May 27, 2010)

Lots of people use the hand pumps to degass. I doubt you could make a vacuum strong enough with one to break glass. You might be able to suck in a plastic better bottle and spill wine everywhere. Most peoples electric pumps are medical grade aspirator pumps and can pull quite a strong vacuum.


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## Maestro (May 27, 2010)

That's what I was thinking. I have to BB's and a glass carboy. I tried the hand pump carefully on the BB and sure enough it was enough in just a couple pumps to start sucking the sides inward. The glass worked nicely, but still didn't seem to degass as vigorously as when I put the hand pump on individual bottles after bottling. Guessing I can give the glass carboy a few more pumps.


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## pmf2000 (May 28, 2010)

*Plans or Pictures?*

Does anyone have an equipment or materials list for doing this? I have a vacuum pump and a regulator. I'm not sure what else I need.


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## Lurker (May 28, 2010)

If you have the pump I'm sure that you have everything that you need except two corks with 2 holes each. You run your tubing from the pump to an overflow (I use an iced tea bottle) bottle through one of the holes in a double cork. Another line from the overflow through the other hole in the cork to another double cork in the receiving carboy. You now have an unused hole in the receiving carboy cork. Run a line from the bottom of the full carboy and through the hole into the receiving carboy. No cork needed in the supply carboy. Setup like that and all you have to do is throw the switch and lo & behold, the wine will move from one bottle to another. I cut a racking cane into some pieces that I put through the cork holes for an easy connection to tubing. The racking cane piece going into the receiving carboy should be longer than the vacuum tube. I did some test runs with water before I did it with wine. I found that 5” of vacuum was enough. I do not try to break speed records with it. It also will automatically degas for you. There is disagreement, but if any air is getting in, it is very little through the partial vacuum. Have fun.

I just went back and saw that you have a BB. I'm not sure that the BB will handle the vacuum. Be careful. Use the least amount of vacuum. Let us know how you make out.


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## Wade E (May 28, 2010)

1 of those carboy caps a few hoses and racking canes, hers a pic of my setup.


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## Lurker (May 29, 2010)

Yep, that'll work. See, its just what I said with too many words.


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## prickles (Jun 5, 2010)

Hello,

I'm about three months into this adventure and my first batch was very gassy. I have bought an aspirator pump to try this setup that Wade and Lurker are talking about. A bunch of questions...

The racking cane in the receiving carboy is to minimize splashing? I thought I read somewhere else that splashing might help with degassing?

The outgoing carboy is NOT sealed? If using the orange caps, one hole is left open?

The receiving carboy must be GLASS? The outgoing one can be PLASTIC?

Where do you recommend I purchase these orange caps? What are your favorite online vendors?

thanks so much in advance for your help!


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## xanxer82 (Jun 5, 2010)

Finevinewines.com is great for materials.


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## Lurker (Jun 5, 2010)

The racking cane in the receiving carboy is to minimize splashing? I thought I read somewhere else that splashing might help with degassing? Your choice, a short cane will splash and a long cane does not splash.
The outgoing carboy is NOT sealed? If using the orange caps, one hole is left open? There is no cap on my supply carboy, Wade uses a cap with one hole open. Again, your choice.
The receiving carboy must be GLASS? The outgoing one can be PLASTIC? All of the vacuum is in the receiving carboy which should be glass, the supply carboy has no vacuum, therefore, no pressure and can be plastic.


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## prickles (Jun 5, 2010)

thanks!

By the way, I also heard once is sufficient for degassing? Do you run it through several times or just the one time?


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## Lurker (Jun 5, 2010)

Each time I rack it gets degassed. Usually about 3 times.


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## Wade E (Jun 5, 2010)

I degas mine once and that is when its done fermenting and right after adding both sulfite and sorbate. I dont splash rack my wine as to me its unpredictable as too if Im over exposing my wine to 02. With the vacuum unit and a gauge I know exactly when its degassed enough for me and stop at that point. I like using the carboy caps to hold my racking cane right where I want it especially wheen racking off of sediement as I can slowly lower it down near the end and not disturb the lees at the bottom this keeping my clear wine clear.


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## prickles (Jun 14, 2010)

I'm really confused now. I thought the purpose of this vacuum racking was to degas your wine, but in another thread, I saw that it doesn't degas? If it doesn't degas, how do you degas with an aspirator pump?


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## Wade E (Jun 14, 2010)

I just answered this in your other post for you.


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## kerbos5 (Aug 26, 2010)

Quick question just bought and pump, and was degassing a we vr chard, I have the pressure up to 19-20 hg, and I still have lots of gas do you just let it keep going till there is no more gas or stop once you hit a certain reading? Thanks for all your help.


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## Lurker (Aug 27, 2010)

Kerbos5 & Pickles, Wade and I do not do it exactly the same, which shows that there is more than one way to skin cat. I don't think that I ever get much higher than 10 inches unless it was when I first got the pump. I'm sure that I never get that much vacuum now. I have taken the gage out of the system and just look at the speed of flow. I see no need to rush. Gas comes out each time that I rack and I just don't worry about it. After racking three times, all the gas is gone. The primary purpose of the vacuum pump for me is to rack without lifting, or spilling, or sucking, etc. For me it is easy, clean racking and the degassing is a welcome benefit. Soon you will have your own system and you will wonder how you ever did it without the pump.


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## robertb (Aug 28, 2010)

I am testing my new Invacare IRC1135 before I use it to degas a batch of wine. It doesn’t seem to hold a vacuum after it is shut off. So I am not sure how to leave a vacuum on the wine for a period of time to ensure effective degassing as Wade suggests. Do you have any advice on how long you run your vacuum pump after the bubbles stop? In addition, it is evident that it will not pull as much suction with the canister connected. It appears to have a hard plastic canister and lid, so it is not surprising that it would leak somewhat. Is there some way to seal it? I was thinking about trying Vaseline.


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## Lurker (Aug 28, 2010)

I googled Invacare IRC1135. If you mean that the top of the canister leaks, try a washer or if there is a groove use an "O" ring. Or, maybe even Vaseline or caulk. Whatever you do, do not take the overflow out of the system.


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## robertb (Aug 28, 2010)

Yes, it is the top of the canister that is leaking. Thanks.


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## grapeman (Aug 28, 2010)

You do not need to "hold a vacuum " on it. Begin at around 7-8 in vacuum and let it go to pull bubbles out. It will fizz up, but with that small amount, it shouldn't volcano. Once it tames down, keep upping the vaccum until you get to the max. When on maximum setting, it holds the vaccum much better. You just turn the adjuster knob in to increase the vac. It takes 5-10 minutes to get rid of all the gas. Anything more than that is not needed.


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## robertb (Aug 28, 2010)

Perfect, that is exactly what I needed to know. I haven't been convinced that I degassed my first 3 batches correctly using the stirring method. I am hoping this method works better.


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## Wade E (Aug 28, 2010)

Yes, I do it differently as I learned how to do it after using a Mityvac which is a hand held Brake fluid evacuater which you pump up and it will hold the vacuum. What I do with mine is do just as Grapeman does but when I get it up to around 18-20" of vacuum I max the knob and shut it off and only when the knob is maxed out will it hold a vacuum. If I have degassed my wine thoroughly it will hold a vacuum, if not it will drop below 16" and that tells me I need to further it a little more. I believe you do have to have the cotton silencer in the exhaust port to help it hold the vacuum.


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## TeamKA (Aug 31, 2010)

I was able to pickup a Invacare Aspirator Model IRC1135 last night for $40 on Ebay. =) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170513160397


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## UglyBhamGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

TeamKA said:


> I was able to pickup a Invacare Aspirator Model IRC1135 last night for $40 on Ebay. =) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170513160397


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## winemaker_3352 (Aug 31, 2010)

UglyBhamGuy said:


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Classic!!!


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