S shape Airlock - 1st time use

[Vinoors]

Hi Everyone,

I'm using S shaped airlocks for the first time on my secondaries. I've searched the forum here and read that the airlock is working as expected if the fluid within it moves to one side once you have it in place. Yesterday, the fluid on all my S shaped airlocks moved to one side. However, today, only the airlocks with a rubber bung still have the fluid on one side; whereas the airlock with the universal stopper has kind of equaled out. The stopper still seems pretty tight and doesn't appear to have slipped up. Is it ok if the fluid evens out to both sides, or should it always be mostly in 1 of the chambers and not both? Below I have a picture of the airlock with the rubber bung which has fluid in one chamber, and a picture of the airlock with the fluid in both chambers which is using a universal stopper.

 

[Julie]

did you take a hydrometer reading? If the must is done fermenting it will equal out.

 

[Vinoors]

did you take a hydrometer reading? If the must is done fermenting it will equal out.

I did not for this particular carboy. Though interestingly for the demijohn, I did about a week ago and it was below .99 (even though that's the airlock with fluid in only one chamber). Wine in both vessels came from the same open fermentation tub back in October.

 

[Tnuscan]

Barometric changes will move the fluid back and forth. I switched to all S type because I Caught the one with the little bell cap sucked all the way down, sealing off movement I tapped the airlock and it flushed a lot of the water+k-meta solution into the carboy, while scaring the- you know what- out of me.

 

[Putterrr]

one of the best things i have bought in the past few years are waterless airlocks. the are a soft silicon and have always stayed put once inserted. I never even think of checking on my stored carboys anymore. vintable dot com. ask for roger

cheers

 

[Johny99]

I suspect you are seeing atmospheric pressure, as Tuscan said, and temperature swing. Both effect the gas pressure. The 1/2 inch or so of water pressure the airlock provides isn't much. The important thing is that you don't let it run dry.