Unknown Beer/Wine Production Equipment

[MercerWine]

I was given this unit from a local wine/beer supply house after going out of business.
The owners did not have a clue what the unit was used for or where it came from.
There are no manufacturer identification marks or brands.

Shown is the 'business' end of a presumed wine/beer production piece of equipment.
It's attached via a 5' hose line to a tabletop housing unit that contains both a vacuum pump and compressor controlled with an activating footswitch.
The tube is aligned with the compressor gauge and a pinched copper tube is aligned with the vacuum gauge. Each side has independent on/off switches.

The centerpiece of this stainless tube has a limited range of adjustable threaded movement, from the illustrated position, inwardly to approximately 3 inches.
There are no visible threads or mounting hardware at the exhaust/vacuum end of the 14" stainless tube.
The adjustable end plate has 4 holes covered with what appears to be a fiber-type filter.
The volume of exhaust or vacuum is not substantial.

The table-top control unit has;
duel exterior filters,
duel gauges (100psi/30"vacuum),
interior/exterior thermometers,
selector switches,
a short 'pinched-sealed' copper tube,
an adjustable valve,
a 1/4" jack,
and a 110v outlet.
The only visible text is; 'Taylor' on the thermometer and 'Leviton' on the outlet.

Except for the tube design, my guess was a mechanical corker. But again, the stainless tube does not appear to facilitate 'corking'...

All suggestions are welcome and appreciated~

 

[crushday]

Definitely not a corker. And, not something I've ever used for beer or wine making. Although, I have used a peristaltic and a vacuum pump - which this unit seems to have both. Perhaps that's all it is - some type of pump station. I would guess that the 1/4" jack is connected to the "outdoor" temperature gauge but for a reason I cannot imagine.

Is the foot switch connected internally? Or, does it have a 1/4" jack on the end? Maybe that's where you connect the foot switch?

If it were me, I would tear into the thing and figure it out...

 

[MercerWine]

Definitely not a corker. And, not something I've ever used for beer or wine making. Although, I have used a peristaltic and vacuum pump - which this unit seems to have both. Perhaps that's all it is - some type of pump station. I would guess that the 1/4" jack is connected to the "outdoor" temperature gauge but for a reason I cannot imagine.

Is the foot switch connected internally? Or, does it have a 1/4" jack on the end? Maybe that's where you connect the foot switch?

If it were me, I would tear into the thing and figure it out...

The back is open and the pump and compressor are clearly visible. The footswitch is connected internally from the back and operates a solenoid switch. The only action on the stainless tube is with the foot switch; 'air out' or 'vacuum in'...
(If I had the item for the 1/4 jack it could have provided more clues. I agree that it could be for an external sensor.)

Until someone can tell me what this unit does, there's no need to dismantle the components at this time...

 

[Ohio Bob]

A compressor? Maybe it’s a wort chiller? Used to quickly bring down the temperature of the wort in order to pitch the yeast.

 

[Rice_Guy]

You have brass fittings, it is not intended for food contact.

There should be a manufacturer ID plate. I would open the box to see if there is any indication of who made it. Some equipment will have a sheet glued on the removable cover with electrical schematics and model/ serial number.

 

[MercerWine]

A compressor? Maybe it’s a wort chiller? Used to quickly bring down the temperature of the wort in order to pitch the yeast.

I don't know anything about wort chillers but are some activated by a foot switch?

 

[MercerWine]

You have brass fittings, it is not intended for food contact.

There should be a manufacturer ID plate. I would open the box to see if there is any indication of who made it. Some equipment will have a sheet glued on the removable cover with electrical schematics and model/ serial number.

Only the individual components appear to have an MFG tag/plate.
The stainless tube either blows or sucks a small volume of air and it seems likely that any 'food' contact would be with stainless...

 

[BigDaveK]

With those gauges I'm wondering - carbonation?

 

[MercerWine]

With those gauges I'm wondering - carbonation?

That's an interesting idea but I'm not sure where the CO2 would come from...

 

[Ohio Bob]

You have brass fittings, it is not intended for food contact.

Would that hold true for copper as well? Beer wort chillers use lots of coiled copper tubing to get the temperature of the must down quickly.

The compressor in the unit is what confuses me. Is it there for refrigeration or for oxygenating the ferment/brew.

 

[Ohio Bob]

I don't know anything about wort chillers but are some activated by a foot switch?

I wouldn’t be surprised if a wort chiller had a foot switch. It’s meant to act quickly so it’s not something you would switch on, then walk away from. How quickly depends on the volume of wort, and how hot it is, and how cool you desire it to be.

I wonder if the pinched copper tubing is where the refrigerant was loaded into the system.

My nickel says it’s a system, perhaps home made by an experienced HVAC guy, used for wort chilling. A nickel is all I’m willing to lose on this bet though.

 

[BigDaveK]

That's an interesting idea but I'm not sure where the CO2 would come from...

Maybe that pinched off piece of tubing?

 

[Rice_Guy]

Yes it does look home made.

As we understand it today, the tool has two functions today. It can create air pressure and it can pull a vacuum. ,,, the connection on the two sides would help explain what a tool like this could accomplish.

I can see using both pressure and vacuum BUT as separate tools. The stainless tube doesn’t make sense as in there is a major portion of the tool missing.

? What would you do where you need pressure and vacuum (at the same time)?