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Wade E

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I received Bellissima bottles for Christmas but bought my self vacuum pump which I will use for filtering, degassing and racking my wine so that I dont have to pick up any more full carboys as I have a bad back and almost dropped a full carboy last Saturday and my back is still killing me. Ive been meaning to do this for a few years as I bulged 2 lower discs a few years back and havent been the same since and every time I rack wine from my bench down to the floor and pick it up it typically hurts some but have never dropped any but this was almost very different as I kind of dropped it and fell on it, luckily there is linoleum and the carboy didnt break as I would have landed on a bunch of broken glass. Anyone with a bad back should consider this as you can rack from 1 vessel to another, even rack up hill or to another room and you can degas your wine in about 1 minute.
 
Congrats! That all sounds great. I'd like to do that sometime in the future.

This XMas, I got beer brewing toys. Kettle thermometer and wort chilling equipment, as well as a pump to help move wort/beer around without so much heavy lifting... especially when I make 10 gallon batches. :)
 
I love the idea of a self vacuum pump. I have a bad back as well and have difficulty lifting large primaries and carboys. I do not make large amounts (5-10 gal.) and would only need only something basic and simple. Any recommendations, and what can I expect to pay? Easiest is best for me.
 
I payed $115 for what is called a aspirator pump on ebay. It doesnt have to be brand new as the wine only touches the hoses and those can be replaced with regular racking hoses. I bought this to save my back and while getting out of my car from getting back from the wine making supply store today I ended up laying on my wet driveway for 1 1/2 hours. Turned wrong and my discs pinched my sciatic nerve which imobilized me. My leg went numb and I was in so much pain that I started sweating despite the temp outside oy 34* and almost passed out. I tried many times to man up and get up but the pain was worse then when I actually bulged my 2 discs to begin with. I have never had a pinched nerve to this level and dont wish it upon my worst enemy. I jusy got back from the ambulance ride and hospital about an hour ago and am pretty druged up right now. I believe this is the easiest and cheapest way to do this as a Buon Vino mini jet doeasnt work to well if you put a filter in between it and most of the time wont start a siphon. This tool will also degass your wine which a mini jet will not do and this costs far less.
 
Wow, Wade. Sorry to hear about your back. I hope you're feeling better now.

Thanks for the pump info as well. :)
 
bad back

sorry to hear about your back.If your leg went numb from your injury ,it was most likely your L4-5,or L5-S1 nerve root.You may well have problems with the siatiac nerve but it does not usually cause numbness. Just a suggestion,but you may want tofind a pain management clinic instead of an ER.
Wray




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Thanks everyone, Wray, you are right as I bulged 2 discs 3 years ago and they are pinching my nerve. As for the other day, I had to go to the hospital only because I could not move at all without breaking into a cold sweat and almost passing out from pain for real. I have to get a MRI now and then Physical thereapy.
 
rx back

The MRI is agood place to start.They have to rule out a couple of unplesant mabeys before treatment can begin.(they are improbable,but possible)Sounds like they may know what they are doing.Good luck,and if I can be of assist. just let me know.I try to check in every day or so.
Wray
 
Are you in the medical field as you knew exactly what was wrong? Do you believe in Chiropractors? Im a little weary of them but have never been to 1! Hopefully you dont know this from you being in this position!!!!!!!!
 
Crna

I am a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist(CRNA).I work in a pain management clinic.I do not know of anyone who has gotten long term relief from a serious injury from chiropratic care,but again I am biased by my experiences and training.Yes ,sorry to say I have been in your position.I was lucky in that I knew to get defenitive treatment right away.A couple of epidural steroid injections (by a friend of mine) and I was better.In my experience,the sooner you get whet you need the better it works.Since my injury,not working out is no longer an option.Yoga helps for me.Hope this helps.
Wray
 
So you are sayingthat you work out alot or is that a misprint? My wife has been getting those injections as she had her neck injured from a patient where she works. She works with the mentally impaired and some of them are abbusive.
 
not so much

I do yoga and light weights,but only to strenghten my core muscles.You would be amazed at what 15-20 min a day will do. Its really not that hard.Is the wife seeing a pain management specalist or just someone doing pain treatment as a sideline?It can make a difference.
Wray
 
She has been doing some physical thereapy if thats what you mean other then the epidural shots.
 
better soon

The wife and I are beginning to ring in the new year with a toast (or three).best wishes for the new year to all.
 
All ready on my 4th, we have been drinking my 3 year old sparkling riesling which was my first sparkling wine and was an adventure!
 
aspirator pump

how do you use an aspirator pump to de-gass a wine?congrats. on having the patients to allow a wine to age 3 yrs.I get to curious to see what is going on.
 
It is a vacuum pump. So all you have to do is turn the regulator down insert the hose with a fitting into the bung and turn it on and then slowly turn up the regulator. My pump has a max. vacuum of 22"hg which is actually perfect for degassing a wine. Click on the link below to see some of the ways to use it. I do not have that unit as Im not crazy about those as they actually spew oil out of the exhaust and you need to add and change oil in those units . Mine is an oil free unit as they are made for hospital and people that have respiratory problems. I got mine on Ebay for $115.
http://valleyvintner.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=WE-60-5500&Category_Code=VP
 
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vac pumps

thanks for the great link!Who wudda thunk it?The good news is that I now have some more gadgets to buy and play with.
Wray
 
Okay today i racked my Peach Ice Wine using the vacuum pump ansd it went extremely well. Ignore the clock on the wall as once I got it all set up my dauhgter called down saying that the door to the crawl spce in the attic had pened and all our cats were cruising around in our attic! But anyway it took a toatl of 5 minutes to rack this wine nd could have probably done it in 1/2 the time but I wanted to get a good feal for what was going on here. I did most of this racking at 5"hg but know that I can take that up to around 12" as thevacuum is being pulled through the carboy not being drawn down on the carboy. Here are some pics!
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