[mharris]

<a href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CMharris%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cms ohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" target="_blank">
Let me preface this by claiming that I'm pretty new to wine making. I've only made about 8 kits now (in a four or five month span).

I degassed my first kit the old fashioned way. With a spoon. It was awful enough to make me purchase the fizz-x ,which made things a little less labor intensive for the next few kits. I then stumbled on a thread on this forum about a device called the gasgetter. It aroused my curiosity enough to make purchase the device ($90 for a 1-4 carboy device).
Let me tell you, it works absolutely incredible. Not to mention it makes degassing a breeze. Just set the bung (4 or more are included) on the carboy and let it go to work for 20-25 minutes. It creates a vacuum and it starts bubbling like mad. You will need an air compressor for this device to work. You also need to give it a ‘shake’ every so often. Other than that everything is included.
Maybe I’m crazy, but the clearing process seems to happen very quicky after using the gasgetter. The wine seems to taste much smoother (based on tasting the wine before and after the process) when compared to using the drill mounted stirring rod.

The owner, Rhone, is an incredibly nice guy too. He's really proud of this device and stands behind it 100%. I must of talked to him for 30 minutes or more when I called to order it. You can find youtube videos of this device in action, along with various videos.

As mentioned, I am an amateur and have much to learn. But so far I have been very satisfied with this product. I just thought I’d mention it.</A>

[reisjdmd]

i make only small baatcfhes of home grown, and i'm trying to save $$$. what if i tried the hand vacuum pump i use for car work?? might that work on a batch of 3 gallons or less??

[mharris]

I've heard quite a few people mention that they've used hand break bleeder pumps with success.

I tried this before going to a more automated version, and it seemed to work fine. I just wanted something more automated. You can pick one up at HarborFreight for $15.

[gaudet]

You can use a vacuvin pump to degas as well. The brake bleeder works well, but takes longer. The way I do it is with an electric vacuum pump. Works like a charm and will degas your wine in 15-20 minutes. You can pick one up off ebay for &lt;$100 if you are lucky.

[Wade E]

The electric vacuum pump works awesome and costs about $100 bucks and with it you can degas, rack from floor up to counter top eliminating picking up a full carboy ever again, you can filter with it simply by adding a whole house filter in between the 2 carboys and according to Appleman even bottle with it using the Buon Vino Automatic Auto Bottle Gravity Filler. The Mityvac brake bleeder does a great job and its what I used for a few years but the electric really saves my back.

[Runningwolf]

Not sure if it is proper to post a coupon on here or not but the pump is on sale this weekend at Harbor Freight. If this is out of line please let me know and I will delete this post.



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[Wade E]

I would not use that pump as its not the same. Those are oiled machines and puff out smoke and spray oil from what Ive heard. The ones we use are oiless Such as 1 of these. Remember that used does not matter as nothing touches your wine except your racking hose as its pulling vacuum from one carboy to another and thats it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Schuco-Vac-130-Aspirator-USED_W0QQitemZ130338774780QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_De faultDomain_0?hash=item1

Heres what I mean.

[PeterZ]

The big problem I see with the refrigerant pump is that it is too strong. It can pull a nearly perfect vacuum, which is enough to implode a carboy. The pump wade uses is not that strong. Remember, for racking up hill you only need about 20% vacuum, and for degassing you only need about 65% vacuum. The US General pump will go to over 99.9% vacuum.


However, if you do any AC work that's an excellent price on a good pump.

[hannabarn]

That is good advice Peter! I used to do AC work and have my vacuum pump but I would not use it for degassing. If you don't watch it very close, it could very well implode a glass carboy. I don't have any trouble degassing with the brake bleeder!

[Wade E]

Hanna, can you put a regulator on it to not exceed 22" that as far as most of the pumps we use and thats perfect fro degassing and I only turn it up to around 10"