brake bleeder vacuum

[hannabarn]

I just got my brake bleeder from Harbor Freight to use for degassing. I can only pump it up to 9 1/2" vacuum. It holds there without dropping. Is this enough vacuum for degassing? I tried it on a couple of carboys that have already been degassed by stirring so there was no results with the vacuum pump

 

[Dean]

I can usually get a vac pump up to close to 25". There sounds like something wrong with that unit.

 

[rem1]

I have a break bleeder on order from Harbor Freight but have not received it yet. Will check it when it arrives to see what vacuum it pulls.


Question: do you all stirr the wine for degassing then use this tool or use the brake bleeder only.

 

[Wade E]

I usually use the drill stir at first then put the bung on and use the little rubber suction cup fitting instead of the hard plastic fitting as it gives a better seal. I fit it inside the multi fit bung. I can get around 23" of vac.
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Do you see that suction cup fitting close to the pull handle, thats what I use.

Edited by: wade

 

[grapeman]

Mine while building up vacumn doesn't draw any bubbles until it gets close to 20 in vacumn. That seems to be the magical number and once there when first starting degassing almost boils bubbles from 20" upt to about 24". That is as high as I go. I will continue pumping until my hand cramps- just go slowly and keep the flow of bubbles going. Once my hand gets tired, I just let it rest and it continues to slowly pull bubbles until it drops below 20" again.

 

[hannabarn]

I finally figured out what was wrong. The instructions say not to exceed 10" of vacuum for bleeding brakes. There was a block on the handle that wouldn't let the piston go all the way to the bottom. I removed it an VOILA I could pump it up to 25!! I tried it again on the wine that is bulk aging (Lambrusco) and didn't get any bubbles so it must be degassed. I tried it on the reisling which is clearing and was able to remove more gas. I think it is going to be OK now.

 

[hannabarn]

Mine while building up vacumn doesn't draw any bubbles until it gets close to 20 in vacumn. That seems to be the magical number and once there when first starting degassing almost boils bubbles from 20" upt to about 24". That is as high as I go. I will continue pumping until my hand cramps- just go slowly and keep the flow of bubbles going. Once my hand gets tired, I just let it rest and it continues to slowly pull bubbles until it drops below 20" again.

That works great Appleman! I tried that procedure and that's the way to do it ok!

 

[Sub Vet]

I usually use the drill stir at first then put the bung on and use the little rubber suction cup fitting instead of the hard plastic fitting as it gives a better seal. I fit it inside the multi fit bung. I can get around 23" of vac.
MITYVAC VACUUM PUMP <T></T>

Do you see that suction cup fitting close to the pull handle, thats what I use.

 

[Sub Vet]

Thanks for the heads up.My suction cup that came with my unit from harbor freight is too big for my multi fit bung and I can not get it to seal.Did you modifly the bung or suction cup in any way?Thanks

 

[Wade E]

Maybe yours is bigger but I just pressed mine right in to the Multi=fit bung and it works much better then the fitting.

 

[myway22]

I just ordered my Mityvac today, so expect a new round of questions in about 7-10 business days

.

 

[Milwood]

I received a brake bleeder vacuum pump for Christmas and am just getting ready to use it for the first time. When I pump it up to about 25 the wine looks like it is boiling. My question is this...I understand that pumping draws the CO2 gas out of the wine but wouldn't you have to break the vacuum each time to let the CO2 gas escape? It seems to me that if you just leave the vacuum until it naturally dissipates, the CO2 is being reabsorbed into the wine. Am I over-thinking this?

 

[Wade E]

The vacuum created in the carboy keeps it from absorbing back into the wine kind of like a blanket on top of the wine protecting it from oxidation. When the vacuum is broken as you aid it escapes out. You dont leave it on long enough for it to absorb back into the wine anyway. You basically only do this degassing for about a day by then you should be fully degassed.

 

[acesover]

so you leave the vac on for 24 hrs? or just during the day? thanks

 

[swillologist]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. I leave mine on until it will hold between 15 to 20 lbs of pressure. This leads me to another question. I don't get in a hurry degassing. It may take me a couple of days to degas. My hands get tired.

I alwaykeep some vaccum on my carboy. Something like 10 lbs. I haven't notice it bothering the taste of the wine but could it? Edited by: swillologist

 

[hannabarn]

I think the vacuum works best if you use it after stirring the heck out of it with wine whip and a drill. Then degas using the vacuum to put the finishing touch on it. I do as appleman suggested earlier. Pump it up to about 24 inches of vacuum and let it go down to about 20 and do it again several times. Works for me !!!!

 

[Wade E]

Same here, drill it, pump it, leave it. Ill spend some time doing the initial pumping as it really drops vac fast but once I can get about 18" I leave it for 2 hours and then pump again and check back in a few hours. Typically I get this done in 24 hours.

 

[swillologist]

Ok! thanks.

 

[joeswine]

IN my oppion and I us a vacume pump very often in my work usually at 30 inches of vac or 500 microns,unless you can remove the device and mantain the level of vacume you've created after 24 hrs. then you've done something,if how ever after that period of time you still have'nt held or dropped in pressure,or even in a shotrer time span lost it theres no purpose it doing the process,raking and stirring with the drill is the best method I believe,remember when you pull a vacume on any liquid you do start to boil it this isnot a natural process for wine,if you were talking about just a open bottle and wanted to pull the air out of it once you've resealed it thats another story and do able ,but thats my thoughts on it, don't use it and have no real needto us it in the process

 

[Wade E]

I and lot of us find the Mityvac or any degassing tool for that matter a very essential tool in wine making. Sticking a drill mounted mix stir into a bottle of wine was not a natural process of wine making either until someone did, liked it and called it a degassing tool. Now there are vacuum pumps designed to degas, transfer and bottle all in 1 machine.