Transfer pump issues

[RJBanks]

I just purchased a transfer pump made by the Vintage Shop. Used it for the first time and was suprised at the amount of air it produces on the outlet side. The wine was very airieated and almost foamy. Lots of bubbles coming through the outlet tube along with the wine.

I spoke with the guy I bought it from and he says it normal. To me it just doesn't make since. We work hard throughout the winemaking process to keep oxygen out of our wines so why would one freely and willingly pump air into the batch?

anyone have any knowledge or experience with this pump?

 

[jiml]

Hoping Wade will chim in as he sells pumps and uses them to do transfers and degas.

 

[Wade E]

Not familiar with that pump but I would not like the idea of oxidizing the wine that much. I use a vacuum pump that does not add any 02 into my wine. They do 0-40 LPM which is probably a little or a lot slower but eliminates that aeration.

 

[RJBanks]

Thanks guys. I used to use a vacuum setup but I am now starting to use the Better Bottles and learned (the hard way) that they don't do so well with the vacuum.

This is called the Super Transfer Pump. It's the same kind of pump Runningwolf was selling a few months back.

 

[Wade E]

The better bottles fold even when racking? I thought it was just when degassing.

 

[RJBanks]

Sad to say but yes they do. I'm now thinking of getting the ported BB's and try that method. Any other suggestions with the Super Transfer Pump. So I hear you sell various pumps.

 

[ffemt128]

The better bottles fold even when racking? I thought it was just when degassing.

They do indeed. I was racking my apple wine over the weekend and I was going to used the better bottle. No vacuum would pull then all of a sudden a POP as the bottle sucked in a bit. Immediately turned pump off and went to a glass carboy.

 

[grapeman]

Doug Apparently you had the setup wrong for transfering wine from the Better Bottle under vacuum. The vessel being drawn out of does not use a cap, but simply a racking cane set into it. This creates no vacuum so will not suck in the sides. Take the orange cap or bung off and try it. You will not force air into the wine like a pump might. The only bubbles you see could be from air leaks or drawing air out of the wine.

 

[ffemt128]

Doug Apparently you had the setup wrong for transfering wine from the Better Bottle under vacuum. The vessel being drawn out of does not use a cap, but simply a racking cane set into it. This creates no vacuum so will not suck in the sides. Take the orange cap or bung off and try it. You will not force air into the wine like a pump might. The only bubbles you see could be from air leaks or drawing air out of the wine.

I was trying to transfer into the better bottle. Prior to any fluid reaching the BB the sides started to suck in. I was only pulling about 5" of vacuum.

 

[grapeman]

That will just not work. They take NO vacuum at all before collapse. I always make sure that I have a spare glass carboy for transfers, racking and filtering. I use that for those things. I will use the BB for early rackings, transfer out of that into glass, but if you want to refill, you need to use the autosiphon. If I need to lift the wine up onto the counter, I use the vacuum. I then put the BB down low and auto-siphon to it. It is an extra step but needed with the BB.

By the way, I have 5 Better Bottles and 75 glass carboys. What do you think I came to the conclusion is better for me?

 

[ffemt128]

That will just not work. They take NO vacuum at all before collapse. I always make sure that I have a spare glass carboy for transfers, racking and filtering. I use that for those things. I will use the BB for early rackings, transfer out of that into glass, but if you want to refill, you need to use the autosiphon. If I need to lift the wine up onto the counter, I use the vacuum. I then put the BB down low and auto-siphon to it. It is an extra step but needed with the BB.

By the way, I have 5 Better Bottles and 75 glass carboys. What do you think I came to the conclusion is better for me?

I agree, I picked up the BB last year when I was starting out because I could get 2 of those for $10 more than what 1-5 Gallon glass would cost. I can get 5 gallon glass new for $26 and that includes a bung and an airlock, but at the time I needed 2 carboys. BB were the choice due to cost.

I use those as a last resort. I was going to give them to my son for his beer making but they ended up getting used to quickly. I'll keep my eye out for more glass on craigslist etc as I'll definately be adding to the supply again soon.

 

[Lurker]

I understand that the BB's are less expensive than glass. However, if you extrapolate the cost over a few years, the difference is miniscule and should not prevent you from getting glass and a vacuum pump. I know the advantage of the BB is that it is light. But with the vacuum pump, there is no longer a need to lift. As to getting air into you wine when racking, a single piece of tubing from the full carboy to the one being filled will prevent any air from getting into the wine. The only time there is the possibility of air is when filtering and there are methods to prevent that also.

 

[grapeman]

Well said Lurker!

 

[Julie]

I just purchased a transfer pump made by the Vintage Shop. Used it for the first time and was suprised at the amount of air it produces on the outlet side. The wine was very airieated and almost foamy. Lots of bubbles coming through the outlet tube along with the wine.

I spoke with the guy I bought it from and he says it normal. To me it just doesn't make since. We work hard throughout the winemaking process to keep oxygen out of our wines so why would one freely and willingly pump air into the batch?

anyone have any knowledge or experience with this pump?

RJ, you are not sucking air unless the clamp on the suction hose is lose. That is the only place air could enter the pump. I have a transfer pump and yes there is foam, but that is becasue your wine is going through a degassing because of the agitation of the pump impaler.

 

[sly22guy]

Huh i use only Better Bottles. I have an Enolomatic pump and use that to rack and bottle. It will sometimes suck in the bottle a little but i just pop the cap up and it works fine. So yeah you can vacuum rack with BB i do it all the time. But i wouldn't walk away from it while its going!!!

 

[Wade E]

Do you rack into BB's or just out of or both? I know you can rack from, just not to or so we thought. I dont have any so Im just going by what everyone tells me and would love to know for reference if it can be done to it. I would have though yes due to the fact I dont turn it up much at all and sometimes rack around 3" of vacuum.

 

[millwright01]

The only way you can introduce air to the wine through the transfer pump once it is primed is if you have a leak on the intake side. Check you fittings to be sure that they do not leak. Even my buon vino mini filter intake leaks at the o-ring occasionally and I need to jiggle it a bit to seal it up.

 

[Wade E]

Have never had a problem and never had to prime. Just turn it on and turn the knob to speed i want to transfer. I usually keep it around 5" of vacuum though. If I were doing 20 gallon barrels then Id turn it up higher just to get it done a little faster but with a 6 gallon carboy theres really no need to go much more.

 

[sly22guy]

Wade
I use a reg primary and rack from that to my better bottle and then on each rack there after i rack to better bottles. (they are the only kind i have 2- 3 gal, 4- 5 gal, & 2- 6 gal.)

Now it will suck in the sides a little, but i just watch for it to happen and then just pop the top up a little. Have to do a couple of times but its no big deal. Also if the one your racking to is lower then the other you can just use the pump to start it then shut it off and let gravity take over.

 

[Wade E]

Good to know, thanks.