Blow off tube problem

[Piperbrew]

Having added a yeast starter to an extract brew last night I checked on the ferment and it has certainly got off to a good start....too good !

I put a blow off tube in the lid of the bucket but it hasn't worked. Not sure why, anything that I could have done wrong? There were no kinks in it and it is 16 mm internal bore. The only thing I can think of is I put the ink bird probe into another small hole in the lid in order to control a heating mat, which it has done perfectly but looks like the froth vented through that hole as opposed to the bigger bore hose.

Any ideas what might be occurring?

Thanks

P

Any ideas

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The blow off tube is supposed to take anything that is escaping to the container at the other end if you have a hole that is not airtight (where you have the probe) its going to come through it and other than make it airtight you are not going to be able top stop it, most members tape the sensor to the outside of the FV with a sponge or something similar covering it so the probe is measuring the contents of the FV rather than the air .

Piperbrew the part above about the use of a blow off tube is aimed at new members who may not have heard of them before.

How to make one - https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-make-a-blow-off-tube.48970/

 

[Dutto]

I'll bet that the first bend of the hose is higher than the hole through which you have pushed the probe!

This is another reason why I attach the Inkbird probe to the OUTSIDE of the FV and insulate it from outside influences by trapping it under a kitchen sponge.

Enjoy! It's all part of "the learning curve" which can involve a lot of mopping up!

 

[Piperbrew]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes first time I have used a blow off tube so the only way to see if it worked was by seeing the failure. In the time I posted to checking your replies I had drilled out a rubber bung and pushed the probe through it and obtained an airtight seal, which where I eventually found (after washing of the crud).

I will see if this works as no point taking it all apart until I know it will or wont work as I don't want to risk contaminating the ferment. If it does fail I will then strip it don't and sanitise and start again. There is no danger as such now as I know the gases are escaping up the blow off as I have seen the water in the jar glug and the bucket is in a deep plastic tray.

Cheers

 

[Piperbrew]

Well I just returned and it wasn't working I looked at the link above. So I got an air lock and put that in the hole in the lid but...... I had enlarged that earlier as just had the tube in there.....so definitely there was an error in my method earlier! But I managed to get a snug fit with an old grommet I found for the airlock/hole. I am hoping that will hold, if it doesn't I can live with the mess for a night and get another grommet in the morning.

Cheers

Edit...just checked and all go so far. I am undecided on whether I should use buckets or carboys in future as only ever seem to have trouble with buckets.

Edit ... The reason I put the probe into the vessel is because I thought it would be far more accurate. The yeast I am using is best at 22c for the recipe (according to my brew book) and so far the Ink Bird has maintained the fermenter at 21.9-22.c and that is with a cheap heating mat off Ebay so I am pretty chuffed with the results.

 

[terrym]

The alternative to using a blow off tube is to crack the FV lid in one place, cover that area with a clean tea towel or similar, and allow the yeasty stuff to ooze out. You will probably need to put the FV on a tray or in a builders trug to contain the mess. When things die down, clean up, reseal the lid and carry on with the airlock.
I have done that in the past and it works fine. In some ways its more predictable than a blow off tube, because they can block as as happened to me, unless the tube is really large.

 

[Piperbrew]

The alternative to using a blow off tube is to crack the FV lid in one place, cover that area with a clean tea towel or similar, and allow the yeasty stuff to ooze out. You will probably need to put the FV on a tray or in a builders trug to contain the mess. When things die down, clean up, reseal the lid and carry on with the airlock.
I have done that in the past and it works fine. In some ways its more predictable than a blow off tube, because they can block as as happened to me, unless the tube is really large.

Seems to be working so far though I haven't heard much in the way of glugging via the tube. Might be a case of the most lively fermentation is over maybe, even so after the brew is finished I am going to re think it and maybe try larger tubing with a better seal.

 

[Clint]

How deep is the water in your blow off bottle? Sometimes raising the tube can result in bubbling...keep it submerged though..

 

[Piperbrew]

10 mm....I looked at the comments on the link above but thanks all the same ))

 

[Dutto]

I use one of these as an FV. They are cheap and cheerful and do the job!

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/wilko-fermenting-bin-and-lid-25l/invt/0022555

I drill my own hole in the top with a Forstner Drill Bit to fit a red bung like the ones in this advert ...

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-acces...-airlock-and-rubber-bung-set-2pk/invt/0240201

The airlocks aren't much good with a really active brew so I sawed the end off one of them and use it as the connector between the blow-off tube and the bung.

I keep an absolute minimum level (2cm max) of 50:50 water/Tesco Thin Bleach in a 1 litre Blow-Off Bottle because:

1. The bleach/water mixture maintains sterility and doesn't foam.
2. The deeper the end of the Blow-Off Tube is the greater the pressure the CO2 needs to escape and the greater the chance that it will find another way out of the FV.
3. A 1 litre bottle provides a fairly large volume if the brew decides to escape.

Two other tips are:

1. Start the brew off at about 19 degrees to minimises the chance of a violent initial fermentation.
2. NEVER drill into cold plastic. Plastic will split and shatter at any temperatures below +20*C.

As you will see from the photograph, we can all get it wrong! The original bottle (seen at the back) was only 500ml and it had filled and overflowed by the time I checked. What a mess!

Enjoy!

 

[nigelnorris]

I keep an absolute minimum level (2cm max) of 50:50 water/Tesco Thin Bleach in a 1 litre Blow-Off Bottle because:

1. The bleach/water mixture maintains sterility and doesn't foam.

Bleach? The fumes are so toxic I don't think that I'd want it anywhere near my unfinished beer.

 

[Piperbrew]

Bleach? The fumes are so toxic I don't think that I'd want it anywhere near my unfinished beer.

I was told this by a brew shop the other day also....its a really weak mixture and of course there is a positive pressure coming the other way.

 

[Piperbrew]

I use one of these as an FV. They are cheap and cheerful and do the job!

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/wilko-fermenting-bin-and-lid-25l/invt/0022555

I drill my own hole in the top with a Forstner Drill Bit to fit a red bung like the ones in this advert ...

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-acces...-airlock-and-rubber-bung-set-2pk/invt/0240201

The airlocks aren't much good with a really active brew so I sawed the end off one of them and use it as the connector between the blow-off tube and the bung.

I keep an absolute minimum level (2cm max) of 50:50 water/Tesco Thin Bleach in a 1 litre Blow-Off Bottle because:

1. The bleach/water mixture maintains sterility and doesn't foam.
2. The deeper the end of the Blow-Off Tube is the greater the pressure the CO2 needs to escape and the greater the chance that it will find another way out of the FV.
3. A 1 litre bottle provides a fairly large volume if the brew decides to escape.

Two other tips are:

1. Start the brew off at about 19 degrees to minimises the chance of a violent initial fermentation.
2. NEVER drill into cold plastic. Plastic will split and shatter at any temperatures below +20*C.

As you will see from the photograph, we can all get it wrong! The original bottle (seen at the back) was only 500ml and it had filled and overflowed by the time I checked. What a mess!
View attachment 12491
Enjoy!

Thanks for the advice...I will most likely need a couple of bungs and another tip is to drill plastic with support under it..ie. onto a soft wood.

 

[Dutto]

Bleach? The fumes are so toxic I don't think that I'd want it anywhere near my unfinished beer.

Not again!

Bleach (aka sodium hypochlorite) is the number one Potable Water steriliser in places where they cannot or do not want chlorine gas!

I quote:

"Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to disinfect it and kill germs. Different processes can be used to achieve safe levels of chlorine in drinking water. Chlorine is available as compressed elemental gas, sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl) or solid calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2 1. While the chemicals could be harmful in high doses, when they are added to water, they all mix in and spread out, resulting in low levels that kill germs but are still safe to drink."

Anyone who has lived, worked or been a passenger on a ship, ferry, drilling rig, offshore platform etc has drunk and bathed in sodium hypochlorite treated water. In these cases, the sodium hypochlorite is mainly generated by electrolysis from seawater using the formula

NaCl (salt) + H2O (water) >> electrolysis >> NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite) + H2 (hydrogen)

I quote:

"Chlorine levels up to 4 milligrams per liter (mg/L or 4 parts per million (ppm) are considered safe in drinking water. At this level, no harmful health effects are likely to occur."

The Tesco Thin Beach has a maximum percentage of 4% NaOCl so a 50:50 mixture is well OTT for the purpose of sterilising drinking water!

But as I don't intend to drink any of it and the volume of my Blow-Off Tube precludes the possibility of it ever being sucked back into the FV, it makes a great sanitised water seal that doesn't foam and will stay active for the two weeks that I allow for fermentation.

PS

I also use Tesco Thin Bleach as a sanitiser where something has been stained. e.g. when I use my 10 litre beer kegs to bring red wine back from France. It is NOT scented but I rinse them out with clean water to dissipate any smell.

For the people who are told in Brew Shops that bleach shouldn't be used in brewing I would like to point out that many of the "no-rinse" sanitising products cost many ££££'s whereas a 2 litre bottle of Tesco Thin Bleach costs +/-35p! To paraphrase Mandy Rice Davis "Well they would say that wouldn't they!"


Reference:

Centres for Disease Control & Prevention - US Government
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/chlorine-disinfection.html

 

[nigelnorris]

Not again!

Bleach (aka sodium hypochlorite) is the number one Potable Water steriliser in places where they cannot or do not want chlorine gas!

I quote:

"Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to disinfect it and kill germs. Different processes can be used to achieve safe levels of chlorine in drinking water. Chlorine is available as compressed elemental gas, sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl) or solid calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2 1. While the chemicals could be harmful in high doses, when they are added to water, they all mix in and spread out, resulting in low levels that kill germs but are still safe to drink."

Anyone who has lived, worked or been a passenger on a ship, ferry, drilling rig, offshore platform etc has drunk and bathed in sodium hypochlorite treated water. In these cases, the sodium hypochlorite is mainly generated by electrolysis from seawater using the formula

NaCl (salt) + H2O (water) >> electrolysis >> NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite) + H2 (hydrogen)

I quote:

"Chlorine levels up to 4 milligrams per liter (mg/L or 4 parts per million (ppm) are considered safe in drinking water. At this level, no harmful health effects are likely to occur."

The Tesco Thin Beach has a maximum percentage of 4% NaOCl so a 50:50 mixture is well OTT for the purpose of sterilising drinking water!

But as I don't intend to drink any of it and the volume of my Blow-Off Tube precludes the possibility of it ever being sucked back into the FV, it makes a great sanitised water seal that doesn't foam and will stay active for the two weeks that I allow for fermentation.

PS

I also use Tesco Thin Bleach as a sanitiser where something has been stained. e.g. when I use my 10 litre beer kegs to bring red wine back from France. It is NOT scented but I rinse them out with clean water to dissipate any smell.

For the people who are told in Brew Shops that bleach shouldn't be used in brewing I would like to point out that many of the "no-rinse" sanitising products cost many ££££'s whereas a 2 litre bottle of Tesco Thin Bleach costs +/-35p! To paraphrase Mandy Rice Davis "Well they would say that wouldn't they!"


Reference:

Centres for Disease Control & Prevention - US Government
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/chlorine-disinfection.html

I can't be arsed to read all that, especially with all the shouty bold text and unnecessary emphasis. Talk to me like that in the street and I'll you right where to get off, it's just rude.

 

[Dutto]

Sorry if it seems rude, but all I was trying to do was to point out that you are wrong in your assumptions and that I've explained all of this before.

 

[private4587]

Not again!

Bleach (aka sodium hypochlorite) is the number one Potable Water steriliser in places where they cannot or do not want chlorine gas!

I quote:

"Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to disinfect it and kill germs. Different processes can be used to achieve safe levels of chlorine in drinking water. Chlorine is available as compressed elemental gas, sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl) or solid calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2 1. While the chemicals could be harmful in high doses, when they are added to water, they all mix in and spread out, resulting in low levels that kill germs but are still safe to drink."

Anyone who has lived, worked or been a passenger on a ship, ferry, drilling rig, offshore platform etc has drunk and bathed in sodium hypochlorite treated water. In these cases, the sodium hypochlorite is mainly generated by electrolysis from seawater using the formula

NaCl (salt) + H2O (water) >> electrolysis >> NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite) + H2 (hydrogen)

I quote:

"Chlorine levels up to 4 milligrams per liter (mg/L or 4 parts per million (ppm) are considered safe in drinking water. At this level, no harmful health effects are likely to occur."

The Tesco Thin Beach has a maximum percentage of 4% NaOCl so a 50:50 mixture is well OTT for the purpose of sterilising drinking water!

But as I don't intend to drink any of it and the volume of my Blow-Off Tube precludes the possibility of it ever being sucked back into the FV, it makes a great sanitised water seal that doesn't foam and will stay active for the two weeks that I allow for fermentation.

PS

I also use Tesco Thin Bleach as a sanitiser where something has been stained. e.g. when I use my 10 litre beer kegs to bring red wine back from France. It is NOT scented but I rinse them out with clean water to dissipate any smell.

For the people who are told in Brew Shops that bleach shouldn't be used in brewing I would like to point out that many of the "no-rinse" sanitising products cost many ££££'s whereas a 2 litre bottle of Tesco Thin Bleach costs +/-35p! To paraphrase Mandy Rice Davis "Well they would say that wouldn't they!"


Reference:

Centres for Disease Control & Prevention - US Government
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/chlorine-disinfection.html

After over 40 years of working offshore and in the desert i can vouch for Dutto's explanation of water treatment, and as for referencing Mandy Rice Davis I'm afraid a lot of our younger brewers will have no idea of who she is but let me tell them she is/was a very beautiful looking woman

 

[Clint]

Chippy tea. ....we need a head phone smilie for Dutto's shouty voice....
Anyway I thought SHOUTING WAS IN CAPITALS......

 

[terrym]

and as for referencing Mandy Rice Davis I'm afraid a lot of our younger brewers will have no idea of who she is but let me tell them she is/was a very beautiful looking woman

Sadly her and Christine Keeler are no longer with us.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Chippy tea. ....we need a head phone smilie for Dutto's shouty voice....
Anyway I thought SHOUTING WAS IN CAPITALS......

I will see what I can do.