Please help me understand what I bought. 4 head bottle filler

[Rocktop]

I just bought this 4 head bottle filler. It looks like an Enolmaster but not really. Maybe it was a custom build using Enol heads?
They were using it in a Kombucha place and hadn't used for some time and couldn't really tell me much about it. It came with no vacuum pump but I planned to use my All in One.

I have not used an Enol product so I do not know how the connections should work. Can someone familiar with Enol products let me know what hoses should connect where, ie vacuum lines vs product lines?
The clear plastic chamber has a A and B stamped on the nipples. They did tell me the float that sits in the clear tank had a little ball on the top but was broken off, so I assume I will have to order a replacement.

Any help appreciated. Excited to get operational, I have 400 plus bottles to bottle soon.

Thank you,

RT

 

[crushday]

Yes, it looks like an older style, or one built on the style, Enolmaster. Yes, you will need to replace the float if it is broken. It needs to hang loosely to create the seal necessary to provide vacuum. There's a little pink/tan silicone O-ring that sits between the ribbed lid and the plastic tab that holds the metal shaft holding the float going through the lid.

The "A" nipple is what attaches to the product (wine) line going to the filling heads and is intended on catching overflow into the collection tank. The "B" nipple goes to the vacuum pump. Although you didn't ask, each filling head will have a supply nib, I bet they're all connected, that will attach to a racking cane pulling the wine to be bottled.

I would check out this instruction manual for more info... BTW, nice find...

EDIT: Here's a link to a new float...

 

[Rocktop]

@crushday , that is super helpful.
I will order up a replacement lid/float asap.
I will connect everything and do some water trials. I worry the vacuum pump on the AIO is much smaller than the Enolmaster but I don;t know that. Will be interesting to see.

Yes, I am very happy with the find. If it works well then it may have saved me a considerable amount.

Thank you again.

RT

 

[Rice_Guy]

The line from the wine reservoir is the fluid / wile line. Looks 3/8” sort of white looking tubing. Seems to enter the side of the manifold. The other line probably is vacuum.

 

[crushday]

@crushday , that is super helpful.
I will order up a replacement lid/float asap.
I will connect everything and do some water trials. I worry the vacuum pump on the AIO is much smaller than the Enolmaster but I don;t know that. Will be interesting to see.

Yes, I am very happy with the find. If it works well then it may have saved me a considerable amount.

Thank you again.

RT

I think you'll find the AIO pump has plenty of horse power. But, maybe someone else can weigh in. I would check with Steve at All In One @vacuumpumpman ...

 

[Rice_Guy]

I think you'll find the AIO pump has plenty of horse power. But, maybe someone else can weigh in

A factory vacuum pump is rated at how many gallons of air it can move per minute. The common HVAC vacuum pump has lower capacity and what the lab bench has is rated at liters per hour. All new vacuum pumps should do -20 to -23 inches Hg, even the small ones I use on a lab bench. ,,, Basically all 120 volt HVAC pump should do it, but you won’t know unless you have a gage in the system to measure vacuum. While on gages you will find that foaming and splashing can be minimized by staying under 5” vacuum.

 

[Rocktop]

Thank you all for the help.
I replaced the lid/float on the reservoir, all the o-rings, hosing and new silicone cones for where the bottle mates to the filler.
I connected it to my AIO as a vacuum source and filled four bottles with water. It worked like a charm. Just have to play with filling heights a bit but otherwise its great.

One question I have, how much fluid should be going into the reservoir. Just from my quick trial I ended up with probably quarter to half a cup of liquid. I would assume after a couple hundred bottles that could add up to litres of lost wine. Can you please confirm if this is normal?

Thank you,
RT

 

[crushday]

For me, the reservoir is full after 100 bottles. I empty the reservoir into a pitcher and bottle that wine too using a small funnel.

Glad your new bottler works like a charm!

 

[BarrelMonkey]

From my limited experience with my single head Enolmatic bottle filler - the overflow into the reservoir depends to some extent on how fast you fill. At least on my unit, you can dial in the vacuum pressure to fill faster or slower; I think faster maybe causes a bit more foam and a bit more overflow?

I started a thread to share notes on experience with the Enolmatic, it may be worth a read (and maybe share your notes after your first bottling run!)

 

[Rice_Guy]

This makes sense.

From my limited experience with my single head Enolmatic bottle filler - the overflow into the reservoir depends to some extent on how fast you fill. At least on my unit, you can dial in the vacuum pressure to fill faster or slower; I think faster maybe causes a bit more foam and a bit more overflow?

My experience with a vacuum corking head is that foam is largely related to how well I degass. My standard for good enough is will it hold a -5 inch Hg vacuum for thirty minutes? after I pump down to -23 inches. ,,, I try to keep the bottle filling vacuum at or above -5 inches Hg.

I am a big fan of measuring. Do you have a vacuum gage in line?