Vacuum Degassing

[PeterZ]

Tim V. had an interesting article in the Feb-Mar Wine Maker, talking about vacuum degassing. He missed one inexpensive and very effective piece of vacuum-generating equipment.

When we needed vacuum in the lab we had faucets with venturis attached. The water flowing through the faucet pulled a vacuum in the venturi, which we attached by tubing to whatever we needed to pull the vacuum on. They will give about 26" Hg vacuum or better, have no moving parts, require no effort on the part of the user, and don't consume very much water. Best of all, if the wine foams up to the point of coming out of the top of the carboy, it just enters the water stream and goes down the drain.

I'll look around and see if I can find a small lab sized unit that will screw into a standard faucet. Maybe George can put together a kit with the venturi, some tubing, a stopper, and a piece of rigid tubing to go through the hole in the stopper.

George - If you make a bunch of money off of this idea, just pay me in store credit!!!

 

[Waldo]

Great idea peter.....I would definately be interested in such a kit.

 

[Fly boy]

I would be interested as well. That sounds like a much better way.

 

[geocorn]

I am always open to new ideas and new products. When you get it put together, send it to me and we will see what we can do.

 

[maize]

Peter:


I think this sounds like attachments often found in aquarium supply dealers. I think it would be like part of the equipment found in thislink:


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=14674&ref=3969&cm_mmc=LiveAquaria_DFS_Links-_-Fish_Supplies-_-LiveAquaria_Gen_Page-_-Maintenance&subref=AA&N=2004+113164

 

[oneram]

Seems to me , back in the days of Water Beds. There used to be a similar device { Like a Venture } To drain the water bed using the suction from the kitchen water tap. Not sure if someone would want to rig this up to pull the vacumn. But there are many small pumps , with quater inch tubing that will do the same thing. Not sure if the set up and leg work would be worht it.Just not sure

 

[PeterZ]

Maize,

Yes, that works on the same principle. The green thingie attached to the tubing is the venturi. That kit has way more than we need, though, because it can vary the setup refill the tank, too. I used a similar setup to transfer hazardous chemicals into industrial cooling systems. By adjusting the valving I could fill an empty drum with system water and then suck the rinsate into the system. It made for safe drum rinsing and safe product handling.

 

[Wade E]

Maybe we all can have Peter come to our houses and set up pumps to rack
and degass all our wines and we'll never hace to lift a full carboy or
drill degass our wines ever again. I'd like to set up an appointment
right now Peter. I see a new job in your future!!!!!!!!! Its called
WINE MANAGEMENT!

 

[ScubaDon]

Hey,
Got some newbies here reading this stuff, please keep us in mind with all of your great information. That said how do you connect the vaccum line to the top of the carboy? Shouldthis prevent allstirring for degassing?

 

[maize]

Peter:


I knew this kit had a lot of extra, but did not want to go searching for just what was necessary. I think oneram is also correct that the venturi is often used with waterbeds - I have a couple in a drawer. If I was good at hooking up the line set and had closer access to a facett where I store my filled carboys, I think this would be a good set up to try.

 

[PeterZ]

wade - good for degassing, not so good for transferring. You would dilute the wine about 10:1.

Scub - take a holed stopper that fits your carboy, put a piece of rigid tubing in the hole, and attach your tubing to that.

I have no plans to sell something like this, but if I can find a source of the venturi at the right size and price I will design the kit for George. He already stocks everything else.

 

[masta]

Peter if you do get this vacuum system together and it works well I think it would make a great hands on demonstration at Winestock.

Would you be interested in doing this?

 

[PeterZ]

Masta, sure, but it would have to be in a place with running water.

 

[Wade E]

Okay, just bought the mightyvac tool from Autozone auto parts fo
$24.99. Now to anyone who has done this, what is the proper procedure
for doing this. I would imagine that you use just prior to bottling but
not sure. How long do you usually hold pressure for? I probably will
not exceed 20 lbs as Ive heard others say 25 but will stray from that
until I'm comfortable with it.

 

[jsmahoney]

Pictures wade, pictures! Lets see this mightyvac tool! I'm interested too!

 

[masta]

Okay, just bought the mightyvac tool from Autozone auto parts fo $24.99. Now to anyone who has done this, what is the proper procedure for doing this. I would imagine that you use just prior to bottling but not sure. How long do you usually hold pressure for? I probably will not exceed 20 lbs as Ive heard others say 25 but will stray from that until I'm comfortable with it.

Dean has some great info on this post:


http://www.finevinewines.com/Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=786&KW=mightyvac&PN=13Edited by: masta

 

[Wade E]

Would you degas aweek in advance or would this be leaving wine susceptible to air to easily.

 

[masta]

You should follow the standard rules with your wine which is when the fermentation is complete and the wine is degassedyou need to limit the exposure to air: ie; top up carboy or bottle

 

[Wade E]

Thanks Masta!