Airlock problem - bulk storage

[tonyportale]

Hello,

I had a similar problem during bulk aging and I'm not sure why it happens. I noticed last night (for the second time) that water got inside the inner tube of my 3-piece airlock. This kept the inner dome piece from floating. For the life of me I can't figure out how this is happening and/or if this is a problem. I had to remove the airlocks and re-fill them so the inner tube could 'float'. I'm going away for 10 days and I can't worry about this happening again. Any thoughts and / or should I be worried if this happens again.

details....(2) - 3 gal carboys and (1) - 5 gal. carboy. Temp is 55 deg. humidity is 45.

Thank you,
Tony

 

[Arne]

I have never used the three piece airlock. I was looking at one of them the other night. Could it be a barometer thing. Probably high pressure going thru after low pressure. Pushes the water backwards. Not sure, but this is anidea what might of happened. It could happen with a temperature difference also, but would probably take a pretty big temp. change. Fill your airlocks with a k'meta solution or rum and it shouldn't hurt anything if it sucks a little back into your carboy. Arne.

 

[tonyportale]

I have never used the three piece airlock. I was looking at one of them the other night. Could it be a barometer thing. Probably high pressure going thru after low pressure. Pushes the water backwards. Not sure, but this is anidea what might of happened. It could happen with a temperature difference also, but would probably take a pretty big temp. change. Fill your airlocks with a k'meta solution or rum and it shouldn't hurt anything if it sucks a little back into your carboy. Arne.

My airlocks are filled with K-meta.
Thx,
Tony

 

[FTC Wines]

tony, I'm headed to Fl. for 2 mo. so I have similar concerns about my 22 airlocks currently in use. My temp. & humidity is similar to yours, air locks go very low in 4 weeks. I also use a K-meta solution. Finally I decided to hire friend to check on the house & airlocks. With over 70 gals. at stake, I didn't want to take any chances. Roy

 

[Olbuscap]

FTC, you are so lucky to spend those two months in Florida. We have to endure six months down here and how we miss the icy roads, slippery sidewalks, sprained knees, and broken hips!!!
Seriously though, that makes the bulk aging even more difficult. 2010 was our first attempt at non FoP fermentation. We had one six gallon batch of Vintner's Reserve White Zin that I did not want to bottle prior to heading South. I used a solid bung weighted down with a seven pound brick. That worked and the wine turned out great.
This fall we had three 6 gallon batches of reds in carboys, a CC Old Vines Zin, a Gamay Nuveau,and a backsweetened Bergamais. Trying something else with less risk of the weight falling for any reason, I used a two foot length of duct take folded in half lengthwise, sticky side to sticky side. Drive the solid bung in tight with a 6 pound hammer (OMG!!! NO!!!)-- OK, just follow others advice of drying the bung and inside of the opening and insert tight. Drape the duct tape over the bung and hold in place with a carboy handle, tightened securely while pulling the tape down tight.
We'll see how that works, about the 1st of May.

 

[grapeman]

If you have some vodka, refill them with that. That way if a bit gets sucked in, it is not a problem.

 

[Turock]

We use the 3 piece air locks too. Yes--barometric pressure can affect them. Also, it seems temp can make the fliud go backwards too. Be sure to put the caps on so the fluid doesn't evaporate. Every now and then, especially when the secondary fermentation is young, you'll see the fluid moving around--altho we don't seem to have severe issues with them going dry in sort time periods.

 

[FTC Wines]

Olbuscap, 6 lb. hammer on a glass carboy bung, OMG! That's too radical for me. Topping off all the air locks this AM, leaving in tomorrow, can't wait for sunshine, 80's temp. & fishing! Roy PS neighbor say's he doesn't drink much-we'll see!

 

[Sammyk]

I do not mean to butt in but have a related question. Reading here about Vodka for the airlock, I tried it.

It evaporated in just a few days.

And I do have a related question about taping down the cork. If the pressure were to build up, would that not cause the carboy to burst?

We will have to store our wine under the house in a crawl space because our home is too warm in the summer so I wondered about the tape.

 

[saddlebronze]

I hate 3 piece airlocks. I know its a personal thing, but being around engineering all my life, why would you ever design something in three pieces that could be one? Also, one quick look at the one piece and you can see all is well. throw them out and for 99 cents apiece, get some peace of mind! JMHO

 

[pete1325]

Just a thought..........how about a baggy and a rubber band? Leave some airspace in the baggy so it's not too tight around the top of the carboy.

 

[grapeman]

Sammy you must have some crazy heat and dry weather to evaporate the vodka in a few days. I replace mine every few months to refresh it and have never had one go dry. Do you put the cap on the top?

 

[robie]

Just a thought..........how about a baggy and a rubber band? Leave some airspace in the baggy so it's not too tight around the top of the carboy.

A balloon works even better, but only as a last resort. Stretch the balloon over the top of the carboy. When it balloons just a slight bit, poke a tiny hole in it. When it deflates, because of the elasticity of the balloon, the hole will close up completely. When it balloons back out, the pressure inside the carboy (CO2) will escape through the tiny hole and not allow any air to be sucked back in.

If barometric pressure should go the other way, it would take enough difference in pressure to cause the balloon to inflate inside the carboy before any air would be sucked in.

Again, this is an emergency technique, only.

 

[Sammyk]

No not really on the hot dry heat. And yes I had the cap on the airlock. I check all my airlocks a couple of times a week. I was surprised that the one with the vodka was gone.

 

[Wiz]

I also use the 3 piece and only check and add to if necessary every couple of months. I use water.

 

[Olbuscap]

Sammyk,
Thanks for the question. As I said, we will see around the 1st of May. These batches are post racking, stabilization, degassing, etc. and then topped off within 2 inches of the bottom of the bung. That leaves only a few cubic inches of open space -- in our case I flood the open volume with CO2 prior to installing the bung. These carboys are kept in the basement where the temperature should be a constant 50 to 55 degrees temperature. Those couple of degrees would provide minimal volume changes as would any atmospheric pressure changes. Providing I tightened the carboy handles sufficiently, and the duct tape, doubled, is plenty strong, I am not anticipating any problems. If a glass carboy will survice a negative
22" Hg it should survive a 1/2"Hg positive. If it is a Better Bottle, it also should survive the very slight positive atmospheric pressure increase.
Upon arrival back in Michigan in May, if I have really messed up, I will admit to it.