"Tips and tricks to using a whole house filter"

[Runningwolf]

I just learned to let wine settle and take off the top.

Filters do not have to be expensive. It just depends on which unit you buy. Some filters are even reusable. It sounds like you're choosing to lose wine rather then spend a few dollars the way you say it. Like bottlers you can go as simple and thrifty as you want to more expensive and less time consuming units.

 

[LoneStarLori]

Lori,
While you have it apart, just tighten it up without a filter in it an use a sharpie to mark the housing and canister (clear filter housing) in two places. I't reassuring to see that you get it tight when the filter is installed and the two lines on the housing (lid) align perfectly with the two lines on the canister! Just another variable eliminated. After some time, I had to use some teflon tape on my inlet barb because i was getting a slight air leak. At least I knew it wasn't the filter housing/canister o-ring seal because my wittness marks were aligned! BTW, I use two lines about 1/3 to 1/4 of the circle apart because it's easier to see if two are aligned than just one.

Mr. Customer service, (Steve) gave me a call and explained the line thing and that some filters are taller than others which can vary the tightness. So without a filter, I tightened as hard as I could and made a line. Then put a new filter in and OH WHAT A DIFFERNCE! I had to get the filter wrench out to tighten it to the line with a filter in it. I made several passes with water before I put some wine through it. Nice and bubble-less.
I noticed after removing the filter to clean it, I had to tighten it PAST the line to remove the air. I would expect that since O-rings do tend to get smashed. That's why they make O-ring grease but I won't go there. .

In the end, I am having much better luck. I probably need to read the entire tutorial next time to understand before I get frustrated.

 

[beggarsu]

I just learned to let wine settle and take off the top.

Filters do not have to be expensive. It just depends on which unit you buy. Some filters are even reusable. It sounds like you're choosing to lose wine rather then spend a few dollars the way you say it. Like bottlers you can go as simple and thrifty as you want to more expensive and less time consuming units.

No I don't lose a drop - I put dross no matter how little in pop bottles no matter how long it takes and let it settle then siphon off the top or even drink the last drops with a straw for a taste test.
I always see a very clear line in the settling.

After a year - all my wines are very clear in the bottle except for some smudge spots. -I use sparkloid for the natural fruit wines.

But if this works it might make things easier - it all depends what is meant by "a few dollars" per batch - I have to cost analyze. One person's few dollars is a wasteful expense to another. My general rule is "If effort saves money then use effort."
Buying it as a fun winemaking toy is OK , so long as the ongoing cost is not wasteful.
Oh I just realized -needing an ongoing supply of filters would be a problem because I live in a somewhat small isolated city. I would buy the filter thing on my next trip to the capital - happens rarely.

By bottlers - you mean wine corkers?

--
Anyway - thanks people who answered. This is not really essential to me as I'm satisfied with my clearing but I will explore this for interest. The only other mechanized system was the professional one in the only brew store here and I didn't like it - this might be better.

 

[kryptonitewine]

O rings on beer kegs can be finicky. Lube helps a lot. I would think it would help on the filter. It's food grade so shouldn't be an issue. It's nasty to put on though. If you try it wear gloves.

I just bought an AIO but do not have a filter set up.


Jim

 

[kryptonitewine]

Hi jacking the thread (sorry)


Is there a trick to bottling with the AIO? I can't figure out the little hole in the tube. I see no difference in flow


Jim

 

[reefman]

. I would expect that since O-rings do tend to get smashed. That's why they make O-ring grease but I won't go there. .
.

O-rings have a value called compression set (I used to be the Quality Manager at an o-ring mfg. plant), depending on the material used to make the o-ring. If you "squish" (technical term)an o-ring beyond it's compression set value, it will not return to it's full cross-section diameter. I don't think you exceeded that value, but you never know. Anyway, the filter housing mfg. should have picked the correct o-ring material for the application. Sorry, I'm rambling now.

 

[Runningwolf]

After a year - all my wines are very clear in the bottle except for some smudge spots. -I use sparkloid for the natural fruit wines.

By bottlers - you mean wine corkers?

.

By Bottlers I am talking about bottling machines like the All in One.

Using a clearing agent and waiting a year works very well. I really gives the lees time to settle down and compact making it easier to rack without hardly any carry over of sediment.

 

[beggarsu]

By Bottlers I am talking about bottling machines like the All in One.

Using a clearing agent and waiting a year works very well. I really gives the lees time to settle down and compact making it easier to rack without hardly any carry over of sediment.

Here's an all in one - Looks like a bottle filler and de-gasser combined - 200 $


http://www.allinonewinepump.com/

---

Heh, I usually wait 10 days max after using sparkloid then do the next step, been ok for me so far.

You know what would be really great would be a washable metal filter like I got in my coffee machine. They probably wouldn't make and sell that if they could.

 

[acrylic-wine-dispaly]

many thanks. i learn much from your post, i like it.

 

[Boatboy24]

When putting the tubing inside the housing so it draws from the bottom, could you use braided PVC?

 

[Stickymatch]

When putting the tubing inside the housing so it draws from the bottom, could you use braided PVC?

I assume you could, just make sure your OD is the correct size as the "side wall" tends to be thicker than normal clear tubing. Also, in my experience, the braided tubing tends to have one hell of a memory and if it's been wound on a spool, as most is, you'll need to work at getting it straight enough compared to the solid black tubing referenced in this thread. Unless you have it laying around, I wouldn't waste my money. If would be far cheaper in buying the black tubing...I just picked up a 2' section at Home Depot for $0.80.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I agree with Stickymatch -
I really don't think that the pipe is needed anymore - considering I found out where the air was coming in thru the filter. The main reason was not to add any of that air coming in thru the housing to touch the wine, it is much easier to flip the cartridge assembly upside down and get all the wine out of it.

On the other hand - if it is permanently mounted that by all means I recommend putting the hard pipe inside.

 

[Stickymatch]

Yep, I was going to flip the canister over but then decided to use the bracket and "hard" install it. Because of this, I'm using the pipe inside. If this somehow proves to cause issues, I'll just disconnect from the bracket and do the flip method instead.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Yep, I was going to flip the canister over but then decided to use the bracket and "hard" install it. Because of this, I'm using the pipe inside. If this somehow proves to cause issues, I'll just disconnect from the bracket and do the flip method instead.

One of mine is permanently attached - no problems at all with the plastic rigid pipe installed - all issues were caused because of the filters being used with the hard inside walls.

 

[Putterrr]

Question for all you whole house filter experts.

I used mine for the first time this week and generally all went well. There were no leaks or air being pulled into my receiving carboys.

The first time through the canister filled to the top and then I flipped it upside down to finish. I then moved the racking cane over to the next carboy. I righted the filter housing and started the pump up. This time the wine started transferring before the housing was totally full. Again I flipped it upside down and continued on. Through the whole second filtering there was about 2 inches at the top of the housing that did not fill with wine. The filtering seemed to go OK though and I could see not bubbles in my outlet hose.

Any suggestions why the houseing didn't fill completely the second time? I'm guessing that because the cartridge was saturdated, this allow wine to flow before the canister was 100% full.

Thx

 

[cheesehead]

Question for all you whole house filter experts.

I used mine for the first time this week and generally all went well. There were no leaks or air being pulled into my receiving carboys.

The first time through the canister filled to the top and then I flipped it upside down to finish. I then moved the racking cane over to the next carboy. I righted the filter housing and started the pump up. This time the wine started transferring before the housing was totally full. Again I flipped it upside down and continued on. Through the whole second filtering there was about 2 inches at the top of the housing that did not fill with wine. The filtering seemed to go OK though and I could see not bubbles in my outlet hose.

Any suggestions why the houseing didn't fill completely the second time? I'm guessing that because the cartridge was saturdated, this allow wine to flow before the canister was 100% full.

Thx

I too have had this issue with the housing not filling up completely after one transfer and flipping the housing over to get all the wine out, sometimes i can press the relief valve thats inline a few times and it will fill back up. Not sure what causes this , Maybe Steve from AIO can chime in and give us a clue!!!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I believe your statement is most likely the problem -

I'm guessing that because the cartridge was saturated, this allow wine to flow before the canister was 100% full.

Do you have a pipe installed on yours ?

 

[ou8amaus]

I have also had this issue, but I have found that in most cases if I tilt the filter slightly at an angle and wait 20 to 30 seconds the canister will mostly fill up. I have not used the pipe extension mentioned, but I can see how it might help if you inverted the housing until it filled up.

 

[Putterrr]

I believe your statement is most likely the problem -

I'm guessing that because the cartridge was saturated, this allow wine to flow before the canister was 100% full.

Do you have a pipe installed on yours ?

No pipe installed. It doesn't seem to create any issues so I wont worry about it.

cheers

 

[benspo111]

How do you guys/gals go about cleaning the whole house filter? Do you just run warm water through it and then toss the filter in the garbage?