degassing the hvac way

[joeswine]

well its not to late to teach an old dog new tricks,,,after listening endllessly to the degassing senario and equipment to do or not to do ,I as a HVAC mech.decided to take the test ,after figureing out i already had the equipmemt to do the job,i proceeded,,,first got together the equipment--5cfm 1/2 hp deep vacume pump to 30inches or 500 microns--second a manafold set -up which consist of two guages and hoses set together to creat a manafold,1 universal plastic cork,and 1 sherader valve with stem set up,with heart in hand and not knowing what would happen i set the equipment in motion,truned on the pump,opened up the pump valve,opened up the low side of the guages and started to pull down a vacume,the bubbles were in full force,being able to control the vacume volume throught the guages i was also able to control the work being done and walk away and went and cook my duck breast for dinner,while keeping an eye on what was going on,it was remarkable how much gas was in the wine,i could have stoped at any point and held a vacume at any degree i wanted to,pretty cool.so i did all the wine while creating dinner,this is not something any one can do unless you use a motorized vacume pump,,so i just thought i'd pass this bit of knowledge that i got from this site back to all of you///never to late is it?

 

[grapeman]

What vacumn did you pull down to joe and consider it done? I go until the bubbles slow way down and become larger and consider it done. Put a filter in line and use it to filter also.

 

[joeswine]

pulled down to 30inches for about an hour,lots of activity at first then,very little to next to none remember i had control through my guage manafold ,so i could throuddle it back and forth as needed,i don,t really know if its done,is ittill there's no activity or like with most vacumes i'am also pulling out moisture at the same time as well as air?trying to follow the same format as the hand held bleeder pumps talked about only on a deeper and faster scal;e i think/// i alwso top off with dry nitrogen//but it really didn't matter because i still had to release the vacume and reinstall the air lock,but buy this time i had recreated pressure in side the vessls enough to keep the air lock water in the correct position. ,just realised the second part of that reply,this is just a straight vacume pump,it can't filter,anything ,just does vacume//Edited by: joeswine

 

[hannabarn]

Joe, I might be wrong but I think 30" of vacuum might be a little high for a glass carboy. Danger of imploding! I have all the equipment to do the same thing but I haven't tried it!

 

[joeswine]

i'am not sure either how ever these carboys are thick,both italian style and mexican baskets,did't seem to bother them in the least as i stated for at least an hour is some cases ,not a problem,sustained vac.,but like i stated to appleman,your also pulling moisture out at the same time,MOISTURE.....wine has moisture,are you pulling the water molocules out of the wine at the same time?does this mean then you are consentrateing the flavor or what ,i watch a bottle not so filled,fill with vapor and then clear away that quick,i quess the proff is in the taste i,ll let you know,our wine group is having our next meeting at ginos,a place that teaches wine making has vinyards and sells fresh juice of all origins I'll ask,see what they say////////good to here that you have the equipment are you a hvac tech or was//// Edited by: joeswine

 

[hannabarn]

Joe I guess the proof is in the pudding since it didn't implode!!! As a sheetmetal worker, I also had to get into HVAC service work, more years ago than I care to remember!! I've been retired for 18 years so I know the technology has passed me by. I still have my vacuum pump and related gauges, etc.

 

[joeswine]

thats great hana,we do go hand and hand don't we,i've been self employed as a hvac co. for 23 yrs. now,like i said not a problem,couldn't have been any easier really gauges ,pump and cork with a stem schrieder valve and done,but i still wounderring if i'also not putlling out thing that should be left in?I'l lfind out this weekend and let you know,i also won two golds this week end for my rassberry wine and italian frescati,local contest sponsered by the hammonton rotary,club,,davis syyle jugeing//let you know jp Edited by: joeswine

 

[hannabarn]

That Italian frescati sounds good. Did you make it from scratch or was it a kit??

 

[joeswine]

no ,unless its something special,i like making from fresh juice ,i can be more creative or just straight up,frescati is white wine from a little south of florence italy fresh to the palate,a little straw in colorat times,finish is very clean,the rasberry is deep fruit ,rich in color berries all the way with a back end that finishes smoooooth...pm me and i'll send you a tasting,ok Edited by: joeswine

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Joe,
Loved your tale and the very pleasant memory of a glass of Frescati enjoyed on a warm day in Mirano Italy. In those days you could bring a bottle back in your carry-on which I did in spite of the fact that there was no label on the bottle as it was made by the family who ran the cafe! Things have changed but I'll bet the Frescati is still wonderful....

 

[Wade E]

I never pull more then 25" of vacuum with my bleeder but eally couldnt I dont think if I wanted to with this one and at even 20" it has been degassed as much as Ill ever need in my opinion. Just be careful please while pulling 30". To lose all that wine would be a tragedy and if you got hurt I would be very sad Joe!

 

[grapeman]

I agree with Wade. I wouldn't pullover 25" vacuum just to be safe. I'm sure the pump will do it all day with no trouble. I still wouldn't drive a care 140 mph because it would when I can get to my destination safely at55 mph.

 

[joeswine]

i have been fortunate enought to go to italy 3 times and each time the food and the wine were the best,yes frescati is very refreshing,but i got to tell you soauve is also excellent alittle more intense but great with food,made all the italian white and a few reds like them better than the cal. or chileans,my owe oppion mind you,glad to see some one elseknows this wine/////jp

 

[joeswine]

you know guys i was thinking and talked to a good friend and wine maker in his own right,he stated that useing a vacume pump on the wine is like stripping layers off the wine follow this for a minute,first you pull out the oxigen if any in the container,second you start to boil off the co2,third you start to boil off thealachol ,all boil off at different pressures and tempertures,the only proper why is by useing athermomter and checking it as you go,,it sounds like to much trouble for me to want to deal with i'll go back to what i was doing,only doing it better,the old fashion why and spin it out ,but the vac.really did work,i can't see losing my wine for that,he also said that at hardor freight they have a little electric vac for $20.00,,,go figure

 

[grapeman]

Joe I'm not questioning your buddy, but he isn't the first one to claim that vacuum will boil off alcohol. The amount of alcohol that would boil off is miniscule. You need to approach the upper 80's to 90 deg F to boil pure alcohol in a vacuum. Unless you wine is that warm, you don't need to worry. I use an electric vacuum and will continue to do so. I find that only 2-3 minutes at 20-22 inches is totally adequate for the job and I don't worry about stripping anything in that amount of time except the unwanted CO2.

 

[joeswine]

ok appleman i respect your input this thursday,i have my cellar dwellars meeting at my house,i'll ask for some pre-taste imput without telling them what i did at this point,i do like the technic,and i think it makes life easier,if all is ststus quo with the wine at this point than i'll know i haven't got a problem,and continue,,,,still learning,///////thanks people

 

[Wade E]

I highly dought you would pull any flavor or abv out using a brake bleeder. If you went nuts with a electric vacuum then i guess its possible and this is another reason why I wasnt crazy about you pulling that high of a vac. on your wine. It really doesnt need too much to bring the C02 out of your wine and pulling 30" for an extended time was really more then needed. Ive held 15" on a few of my wines and had no taste or fizz in my wines that way.