Filter Plus Pump - I Read and I Know Just Don't Get It all

[Famineguy]

Thanks Steve. That is what I was thinking from what I have read on this topic and some of the threads here. I saw one in Home Depot yesterday. Up until then, I also didn't know what a "whole house filter" was.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

I realized you both agreed on using the bottling wand vs the vacuum bottling attachement , can I as why ? have you tried it yet ?

Steve,
If I bought everything "just to try it out", I'd have a house full of junk and an empty bank account. I've gotten to the point in life that I don't buy everything I see any more. This more practical practice has gotten my house, student loans, and all vehicles paid off with us being debt free within 10 years. And we started our marriage with a lot of debt! I'm more of the "learn from the mistakes of others since life's too short to make them all yourself".

But to answer your question, it's mainly due to the fact that I haven't gotten a good understanding of that part of the bottling with a VP. I haven't seen a clear picture of it and haven't pulled up a good video of it being used. I've seen a couple of foggy vids on YouTube. The price seems fair but for now, I make enough of a mess if I don't catch the wine shooting up the neck of the bottle. I don't know what would happen with any more pressure added beyond gravity. I can sit on my stool, sipping samples of what I'm bottling, wondering if I have a chance to take one more sip before I have to yank the wand upward to stop the flow. I'm also still setting up my pump system. I still have to add the suction canister to it and I have to watch that closely as well to make sure I don't get moisture past the last vessel. I'm getting the canister on Friday.

 

[FTC Wines]

Randy, The All In One bottling attachment works great, with no mess, & it's so easy to clean after use. Fast, simple, easy & NO mess, how can you beat that. Roy Sorry, don't do pic's or video

 

[Chiumanfu]

I realized you both agreed on using the bottling wand vs the vacuum bottling attachement , can I as why ? have you tried it yet ?

It's really just personal preference. I have bottled one batch with my vacuum pump and found it quite messy and less control.

The main reason is that my vacuum pump setup is quite a bit less polished than yours. I only have an on/off pressure control and I don't like using the overflow due to the brass components (I have a proper overflow in the works). When vacuum bottling, you are depending entirely on the overflow to control the top-up level.

I also found that there is quite a bit more bubbling and frothing while bottling due to the fact that the fill tube can not be very long or you will not be able to fill the bottle to the top. The wine is sprayed into the bottle and that creates a lot of bubbles even with a properly degassed wine. With the bottling wand, there is zero frothing.

Last but not least, I always found that a little wine would siphon out of the inlet tube or the overflow tube when moving the filler bung to the next bottle. My work area ended up being quite messy. Moving the carboy and pump to the ground and keeping the bottles on the table helped but didn't solve the issue. I could probably fine tune my system to fix this, such as using 90 degree fittings at the inlet/overflow tube and better orientation of the tubing.

In my opinion, using the bottling wand and autosiphon is just a simpler, more relaxed and cleaner option. That opinion might be totally different if I was using the allinone instead of my DIY.

 

[dangerdave]

All I can convey is my own experience with both methods of bottling---via gravity with the bottling wand and with the allinonewinepump. From my experience, there is absolutely no comparison. The vaccum pump is faster, cleaner, and much less labor intentive. Steve's setup is perfect for avoiding messes and topping each bottle at the exact level I choose. I place the bung adapter---with the vacuum tube and the wine supply attached---into the bottle top and let it fill. This takes about 10-12 seconds with a 750ml bottle, and gives me just enough time to cork and wipe down the previous bottle, then shove another cork in my corker. When the bottle is filled, I depress the vacuum release button and the filling stops. This is, IMO, the key to the system. If the bottle gets overfilled, the released vacuum allows the wine to syphon down to the level of the fill tube. I then remove the bung, release the vacuum relief valve, and switch out for another empty bottle. As soon as I place the bung back in the new bottle, it begins to fill automatically. Repeat until done. I rarely lose a single drop.

Again, I am speaking from experience. I have filled hundreds of bottles of wine using Steve's allinonewinepump, and have yet to encounter any of the problems that have been mentioned here.

I'll tell you what, guys. I'll give you the best guarantee that money can't buy. If any of you purchase an allinonewineump from Steve and absolutely hate it, I'll buy it from you. Now you have no excuses!

 

[Chiumanfu]

When the bottle is filled, I depress the vacuum release button and the filling stops. This is, IMO, the key to the system. If the bottle gets overfilled, the released vacuum allows the wine to syphon down to the level of the fill tube.

I think you are right, this is probably the difference between my bottling setup and the allinone. I have a lever controlled ball valve to control the vacuum. The problem is even when I shut off the vacuum, there is still some residual negative pressure left which is causing all the problems. With a push button type purge valve, you can instantly blow off the vacuum just before the wine hits the overflow tube and then the wine will gravity siphon to the level of the fill tube (if the carboy is placed lower than the bottle). It makes sense now... I gotta hunt eBay for a good purge valve... or maybe just rearrange it so that one end of the ball valve is open instead of having it inline with the hose.

I'll tell you what, guys. I'll give you the best guarantee that money can't buy. If any of you purchase an allinonewineump from Steve and absolutely hate it, I'll buy it from you. Now you have no excuses!

Haha. That has got to be the best product endorsement I've seen in a long time. It's nice to see a customer so in love with a product that he's willing to back it up! If I wasn't so addicted to do-it-yourself projects, I would definitely have an allinone.

 

[UBB]

As usual I'm a little late to the party. I did purchase the filter set up Steve recommended as well as the new carboy accessory. Had some family issues come up and everything got put on the back burner. I need to get going wracking/filtering/bottling as I am waaay behind. I still need to obtain the fitting in the filter housing to connect the hoses. What exactly is recommended in that regard. Thanks.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

see
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/filter-plus-pump-i-read-i-know-just-dont-get-all-31139/
I gave all the links that Wade researched and found that works the best for the money

 

[tingo]

Hi everyone!! I see we have quite the tennis match going on. I have learned over many years that bottling can become a big headache and used to dread it. Now its not bad at all. I use a 3gpm pump to pump wine from kegs or carboys up to an elevated empty carboy. As long as i have the speed turned down low and keep the hose end submersed oxidation is kept to a minimum. I can switch between various containers always keeping wine in the once empty carboy. From there i rack the wine into a three spout gravity filler. It is nice because when the wine gets low in the carboy i turn the pump on and fill it up. The filler always stays at the same level. I know it sounds complicated but it is rather simple. The only reason i dont go direct pump to filler is because of backflow and high pressures. The empty carboy acts as a mediator between the two.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Hi everyone!! I see we have quite the tennis match going on. I have learned over many years that bottling can become a big headache and used to dread it. Now its not bad at all. I use a 3gpm pump to pump wine from kegs or carboys up to an elevated empty carboy. As long as i have the speed turned down low and keep the hose end submersed oxidation is kept to a minimum. I can switch between various containers always keeping wine in the once empty carboy. From there i rack the wine into a three spout gravity filler. It is nice because when the wine gets low in the carboy i turn the pump on and fill it up. The filler always stays at the same level. I know it sounds complicated but it is rather simple. The only reason i dont go direct pump to filler is because of backflow and high pressures. The empty carboy acts as a mediator between the two.

Thanks Tingo
I believe that this topic originaly started about filtration and took a little turn on bottling procedure. I believe that the type of bottling procedure that you have mentioned is mainly for a commercial standpoint and the cost to reflect the same thing vs a homewine making setup for the typical homeowner

 

[Boyd]

I have read a number of times on this forum that vacumn racking removes the air from the recieving vessel so there is no wine contact with O2.

That would it seems to me hold true if a absolute vacumn could be acheived which I would think impossible without specialized equipment, and in any case would be likely to implode the recieving vessel.

When racking wine that has not been degassed the co2 released helps in keeping the wine form contact with the oxygen.

I have a 15 gallon demejohn and vacumn rack to it, and have not had a problem. I hold the vacumn to about 10 lbs. I would not try to decgass in that jug because of the higher vacumn needed.

Degasing works fine in my 15 gallon carboys.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I have read a number of times on this forum that vacumn racking removes the air from the recieving vessel so there is no wine contact with O2.

That would it seems to me hold true if a absolute vacumn could be acheived which I would think impossible without specialized equipment, and in any case would be likely to implode the recieving vessel.


Boyd - What you say is true - but lets refrase it by saying minimal contact with air and it is defintley alot easier than lifting the carboys as well.
The best I found if you are able to put a layer of argon in the receiving carboy and the full carboy as well ,so when the wine goes down the argon will still protect the wine . But personally I am after not picking up heavy carboys and getting less air in my wine - thats all

 

[Wade E]

I agree with vacuumpumpman. Im no scientist so xant say if thete is air or not nder vacuum but would imagine there is. I too am just using it to minimize air contact and not have to lift carboys as I havd a bad back. If not for vacuum pumps I would have stopped making wine long ago!!!!!

 

[Boyd]

I am not knocking vacuum pumps. I have one, and use it on my larger carboys, and for degassing.

As far as contact with air I use a low vacuum to control the speed the wine goes around in the carboy. Takes awhile longer but that is ok. Might try a racking wand in the receiving carboy and see it that makes a difference.

I don't have a vacuum set up for bottling and filtering yet. I filter and bottle with my mini filter. Just put the discharge tube in the bottle and let her rip. Works fine for now. Probably a little slower but I am retired and have the time.

The mini filter loses a little wine so I am going to try a vise grip clamp and a couple of pieces of steel between the clamps. Seems to me the leakage may be caused by the pressuse applied by the screw on the outside of the filter may cause the center to bow some.

The vacuum setup is on my wish list along with a lot of other things.

As far as the smaller carboys are concerned I like to lift them. My back is in good shape and I think the exercise might even be good for me as long as I lift properly.