ShelleyDickison
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It's here! It's here! Dang, I don't have anything to rack, transfer or bottle. Guess I will just practice with it.
REVIEW: *allinonewinepump*
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BigMac
Big Mac
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VacuumPumpMan for Pres!!
I came up with the idea to use the pump to create a vacuum press so I don’t have to use my “Armstrong” ratchet press. I have kind of seen the idea on the web but it is super expensive.
First I drilled holes into the strainer bucket, then cut out a lid so the strainer bucket would fit in the suction bucket.
Then I installed a valve into the suction bucket then put the strainer bucket into the suction bucket.
Then I connected the suction bucket to a carboy and the vacuum pump.
I put the nylon strainer cloth into the strainer bucket, then filled it with grape skins and turned on the pump.
It took me about an hour to do two batches from 500lbs of grapes.
Nearing the end of the process I had to turn the grape skins this way and that to get the most out of them.
I freaked out a little bit when the side wall of the suction bucket started to get sucked in but I just pulled up on the grape skins and it popped out again. The lesson here is that I couldn’t just walk away and let it do its thing.
It did a great job in getting the juice out of the grape skins. The grape skin cake is not 100% dry but pretty darn close! It’s not quite as efficient as the ratchet press but I bet that with the amount of grape skins I had I only gave up half a bottle of juice.
So all in all, it worked pretty well. What I really like about it is that the clean up is so easy, just the couple of buckets. Way easier than the ratchet press.
I came up with the idea to use the pump to create a vacuum press so I don’t have to use my “Armstrong” ratchet press. I have kind of seen the idea on the web but it is super expensive.
First I drilled holes into the strainer bucket, then cut out a lid so the strainer bucket would fit in the suction bucket.
Then I installed a valve into the suction bucket then put the strainer bucket into the suction bucket.
Then I connected the suction bucket to a carboy and the vacuum pump.
I put the nylon strainer cloth into the strainer bucket, then filled it with grape skins and turned on the pump.
It took me about an hour to do two batches from 500lbs of grapes.
Nearing the end of the process I had to turn the grape skins this way and that to get the most out of them.
I freaked out a little bit when the side wall of the suction bucket started to get sucked in but I just pulled up on the grape skins and it popped out again. The lesson here is that I couldn’t just walk away and let it do its thing.
It did a great job in getting the juice out of the grape skins. The grape skin cake is not 100% dry but pretty darn close! It’s not quite as efficient as the ratchet press but I bet that with the amount of grape skins I had I only gave up half a bottle of juice.
So all in all, it worked pretty well. What I really like about it is that the clean up is so easy, just the couple of buckets. Way easier than the ratchet press.
BobF
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I might make one of these for pressing elderberries. That looks a lot easier to clean up than a steam juicer and I bet it's faster too.
Luc posted an article about making a press from buckets similar to this, but without the vacuum.
Very innovative - I like it!
Luc posted an article about making a press from buckets similar to this, but without the vacuum.
Very innovative - I like it!
TwinMaples
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What a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Have a few questions:
Thanks BigMac for your help!
Jim
Have a few questions:
- Does the strainer bucket fit "vacuum tight" with the lid on the suction bucket?
- Is there a lid on the strainer bucket? It seems like there would be.
- What size holes did you drill in the strainer bucket? Did you feel the holes were the right size?
Thanks BigMac for your help!
Jim
BigMac
Big Mac
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Hi Jim;
Getting a vacuum tight fitting was my main concern. As you can see from the picture, the vacuum is so good that the suction bucket started to collapse.
I did not put a lid on the strainer bucket.
I used a 1/4in drill bit. In retrospect since I used the nylon bag the holes could have been bigger.
Good luck.
Mac
Getting a vacuum tight fitting was my main concern. As you can see from the picture, the vacuum is so good that the suction bucket started to collapse.
I did not put a lid on the strainer bucket.
I used a 1/4in drill bit. In retrospect since I used the nylon bag the holes could have been bigger.
Good luck.
Mac
TwinMaples
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Thanks for your help, Mac.
Have a few more questions for you:
Jim
Have a few more questions for you:
- On the suction bucket, is that a rubber gasket around the opening? Is that from a lid gasket or is it something else. If you are using a rubber gasket, is it required?
- How far in is the strainer bucket? It looks like about 3 inches or so.
- You said it took you an hour to do 2 batches. Is "a batch" a bucketful of grapes?
Jim
BigMac
Big Mac
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Hi TwinMaples;
1 - It is not an actual gasket, it is a bucket lid with the opening cut out. It acts like a gasket though. Yes it is required so that the strainer bucket sits above the suction bucket.
2 - It probably goes down about 4 inches or so.
3 - I noticed I wrote 500lbs of grapes. I meant to write 300lbs of grapes. I split the pulp of 300lbs of grapes into two batches.
Did that answer your question?
And the great thing is that the vacuum pump just purred along.
Mac
1 - It is not an actual gasket, it is a bucket lid with the opening cut out. It acts like a gasket though. Yes it is required so that the strainer bucket sits above the suction bucket.
2 - It probably goes down about 4 inches or so.
3 - I noticed I wrote 500lbs of grapes. I meant to write 300lbs of grapes. I split the pulp of 300lbs of grapes into two batches.
Did that answer your question?
And the great thing is that the vacuum pump just purred along.
Mac
TwinMaples
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Yes, it did. Thanks.
If I can find the time (my son's getting married Saturday, so I may not), I will try to make mine. The rest of my Norton grapes will be ready in a week to 10 days, and I'd like to use this on those grapes.
Thanks again,
Jim
It's Great
My pump has made it home!!! Of course had to give a try out. After a few water runs decided to go ahead and rack my Barolo that just finished fermenting. I really wanted to see how good the degassing would be. I have to say that it worked perfectly. After racking I tried to further degass with my popeye arm degasser (brake vacuum) and at 20 inch Hg I barely got a bubble to form. It was amazing!!!! It was a little odd racking from the floor up to the counter rather than the downhill method, but in time will get used to that. No lifting up a 6 gallon full carboy again!!!! Will say I was a little unsure about all the hype, but this proved to be as good as was described!!!! Thanks for a great product and I would recommend it to any one! Next comes the bottling which I am really looking forward to being much easier.
My pump has made it home!!! Of course had to give a try out. After a few water runs decided to go ahead and rack my Barolo that just finished fermenting. I really wanted to see how good the degassing would be. I have to say that it worked perfectly. After racking I tried to further degass with my popeye arm degasser (brake vacuum) and at 20 inch Hg I barely got a bubble to form. It was amazing!!!! It was a little odd racking from the floor up to the counter rather than the downhill method, but in time will get used to that. No lifting up a 6 gallon full carboy again!!!! Will say I was a little unsure about all the hype, but this proved to be as good as was described!!!! Thanks for a great product and I would recommend it to any one! Next comes the bottling which I am really looking forward to being much easier.
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This is a must (pun intended) for anyone with a bad back or for those of you getting older!!!!! I first heard of vacuum pumps for winemsking years ago and was selling a sort of similiar system but not as compact for this reason. I have a bad back and if it wasnt for systems like this I would have stopped making wine.
Doc Bee,
Prior to doing your first bottling, put some water in a container, carboy, or some other vessel and put it on the floor. Set your bottling fitting up and do a test run on filling a bottle. You may have to set the depth of the fill tube to where you want the fluid level in the bottle to be. Once you have that set, THEN sit back and really enjoy your bottling experience.
For anyone else out there just looking for advice, if you are doing more that a couple of batches or kits per year, do yourself a favor and invest in one of Steve's All-In-One pumps. You're gonna be happy, and that is before you sample your wine.
Prior to doing your first bottling, put some water in a container, carboy, or some other vessel and put it on the floor. Set your bottling fitting up and do a test run on filling a bottle. You may have to set the depth of the fill tube to where you want the fluid level in the bottle to be. Once you have that set, THEN sit back and really enjoy your bottling experience.
For anyone else out there just looking for advice, if you are doing more that a couple of batches or kits per year, do yourself a favor and invest in one of Steve's All-In-One pumps. You're gonna be happy, and that is before you sample your wine.
Not to ask an answered question, since I know I've seen this somewhere...
Hoping to get one of these ordered pretty quick-like. I remember seeing a link somewhere with all the other supplies needed with it, but wasn't able to find it on a scan through tonight.
So I feel like when I first looked at this, there were additional supplies you needed for operation - is everything included now?
What do you need to purchase additional items for? Just bottling? Filtering? Is there a link set-up with a recommended package for those needed pieces? I did see the bottling set-up for an additional $42, just want to have all my ducks in a row before I make a move.
Thanks!
Hoping to get one of these ordered pretty quick-like. I remember seeing a link somewhere with all the other supplies needed with it, but wasn't able to find it on a scan through tonight.
So I feel like when I first looked at this, there were additional supplies you needed for operation - is everything included now?
What do you need to purchase additional items for? Just bottling? Filtering? Is there a link set-up with a recommended package for those needed pieces? I did see the bottling set-up for an additional $42, just want to have all my ducks in a row before I make a move.
Thanks!
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Everything is included to bottle and transfer - the only thing you need to supply is 2 - 3/8'' racing canes and 1 clear empty wine bottle.
I can give you all the links to filtering as I only direct people where to purchase the set-up (30 dollars , includes housing ,bracket 2 filters and wrench )
Accessories is intended to those who already own a vacuum pump or replacement parts - it is a little confusing when first looking at it
I can give you all the links to filtering as I only direct people where to purchase the set-up (30 dollars , includes housing ,bracket 2 filters and wrench )
Accessories is intended to those who already own a vacuum pump or replacement parts - it is a little confusing when first looking at it
If you buy the filter set up in that link you will need to go to Ace Hardware or me to get 2 nylon 1/4" NPT to 3/8" barb fittings that screw into the filter housing. Do not buy metal ones as they will leech chemicals into your wine due to the high acidity in the wine.
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Your video keeps hanging up. Its hard to convince the boss I need this if I can't show her it will make life easier.
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I just temporarly posted on this site for those who can not view it
https://vimeo.com/51839035
thanks - please let me know if ther are any more issues
https://vimeo.com/51839035
thanks - please let me know if ther are any more issues
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Now you gone and done it..
I want one. 
I just gotta convince the boss, she said it was cool so I might stand a better chance. Lol
I've finally had a chance to pull out my all in one wine pump and now I have some questions. I got the pump for a couple of reasons, most of them lead to saving time. Driving out CO2 is more work to do at the altitude I live at. I've had decent success but I want to be more sure that I've done a good job of it before bottling. Of course the pump is faster at transferring, filtering and bottling. I also want to reduce oxygen exposure. After saying all of that I would have to say that most of my time is spent cleaning and sanitizing equipement and bottles and therefore learning where I can save time there is my primary concern.
1) What is your first time, then normal cleaning procedure. Do I have to sanitize the insides of the stopper and tubes running to the overflow bottle? Do I have to sanitize the gas release valve? Is it okay to just sanitize my racking canes and the inside of the tube that goes between carboys? I just ran Aceptox (same as Onestep) through the canes and tube back and forth a few times.
2) Is there any need to keep the cap on the receiving side cane?
3) I tested the setup with a half sized carboy and my receiving carboy, I found that it is very easy to cause violent bubbling if you don't pay attention to when the source carboy is almost empty. What is the best way to eliminate this from happening?
Thanks,
David
1) What is your first time, then normal cleaning procedure. Do I have to sanitize the insides of the stopper and tubes running to the overflow bottle? Do I have to sanitize the gas release valve? Is it okay to just sanitize my racking canes and the inside of the tube that goes between carboys? I just ran Aceptox (same as Onestep) through the canes and tube back and forth a few times.
2) Is there any need to keep the cap on the receiving side cane?
3) I tested the setup with a half sized carboy and my receiving carboy, I found that it is very easy to cause violent bubbling if you don't pay attention to when the source carboy is almost empty. What is the best way to eliminate this from happening?
Thanks,
David
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Now I have a question, will it pull a vacuum through a filter?
Steve,
I read the pump has 2 speeds. Is this 2 levels of vacuum that it attains, or just 2 speeds at how much air it moves?
to degass, can you just pull a vacuum from a carboy with a single hole stopper, or is that bad for a pump?
The video mentions 2 rackings to degass and also to use splash racking. When would you splash rack? primary to secondry? I thought we try to avoid adding oxegen after getting into a secondary carboy. Aso for a kit wine, some don't have you do a second rack until after fining if you are going to bulk age. So if you need 2 racks to degass, then you may have to rack liquids and lees? Would that be a splash rack?
Thanks.
I read the pump has 2 speeds. Is this 2 levels of vacuum that it attains, or just 2 speeds at how much air it moves?
to degass, can you just pull a vacuum from a carboy with a single hole stopper, or is that bad for a pump?
The video mentions 2 rackings to degass and also to use splash racking. When would you splash rack? primary to secondry? I thought we try to avoid adding oxegen after getting into a secondary carboy. Aso for a kit wine, some don't have you do a second rack until after fining if you are going to bulk age. So if you need 2 racks to degass, then you may have to rack liquids and lees? Would that be a splash rack?
Thanks.
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