Having Problems With The Airlock Bung

[Svehn]

I racked my first ever wine attempt over to the carboy last weekend. Making a Rhubarb wine by the way.

But now I am finding the bung keeps working its way out of the mouth of the carboy. I have even rammed it down so the complete bung is inside the mouth.

When I racked, the wine was at a S.G. of 1.002. Now it is at 0.996. So, it never fermented fast enough to pressure up.

The airlock works. Can blow through it easily.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm thinking I may have to tie it in.

Thanks.

 

[brandon]

By any chance is your bung or carboy neck wet?

 

[Svehn]

No, I dried it off and it fits very snug. But somehow it keeps working its way out. I think I may just have to wire it in.

 

[Julie]

How much wine is in the carboy?

 

[vacuumpumpman]

which bung are you using ? I had trouble using the universal bung which I had the same exact problem with. I do not have them anymore - no problems (except what Julie said, if they are wet )

 

[Runningwolf]

which bung are you using ? I had trouble using the universal bung which I had the same exact problem with. I do not have them anymore - no problems (except what Julie said, if they are wet )

Thats funny, I will only use the universal bungs. Sometimes they've been in a carboy for so long that when we take them out and reinsert them they don't fit just right even when dry. In this case I just get a different one. By the time I go to use the original one it has relaxed enough that it's good to go again.
Another idea might be to run it under hot water for awhile then dry it off and try it. I do not like the gum type bungs.

 

[oldwhiskers]

I switched all of mine to the universal bung. Sometimes it wants to back out some if there is some StarSan on it, but I am very happy with them. I have had some of the standard bungs back out in the 1-gallon jugs, but that was generally due to having sanitizer on them as well.

 

[Julie]

My reason for asking is I have had problems once in awhile if the carboy is filled to all the way up the neck and the bung is just slightly above the wine. It seems to push out and I have had this with drilled bungs and the universal bungs. So I keep an inch between the wine and the bung and haven't had any more problems.

 

[Svehn]

I have about 2 inches from the bottom of the bung when it is pushed in so the top of the bung is even with the top of the carboy.

When I got the kit I washed everything well and I steamed the air lock and the bung over boiling water to make sure nothing could contaminate the wine from in the nooks and crannys that are tough to get at while washing.

The bung is one of those gel type ones. I sanitized it using isopropyl alcohol rather than K-meta due to noticing the K-meta leaves a residue on everything. I think I may just see if there are caps if I can't get the bung to stick.

 

[Deezil]

#1 - Make sure your airlock sticks all the way through the bung - you want to see the tapered part of the airlock on the underside of the bung, this will keep the bung wider at the bottom of the bung

#2 - When you insert the bung, give it a quarter-twist. This'll create some friction and will keep the bung from sliding out as far.. Even works when they're a bit wet...... Just sometimes they're a pain to get out because they stick in there so good

Should solve your problem

 

[Svehn]

Deezil, thanks for the advice. Sadly: #1: It is and #2: done it.

 

[wood1954]

I put a small cable tie around the neck of the container and then put a cuople from that up to and around the airlock and snug it up so it holds the bung in.