Vacuum Filtering gone all wrong

[calvindcd]

Just got my 10" housing water filter set up. When I pulled the vacuum, the wine filled the filter fine. The out side of the filter was the problem.
Air bubbles were not able to be purged. I attempted turning the housing upside down, pinching the tube, speeding up, slowing down....
I verified filter was in properly, nipples were tight, top tight....
I did notice that there was air bubbles traveling up the threads of the housing suggesting an air leak. I reseated, retightened, etc but nothing.
& gal of wine beat up pretty bad.
I think it may be a bad o ring..... Anyone have an ideal of what to do?

 

[tonyandkory]

Nope sorry .... I'd use water while I'm figuring it out if I was you though lol ... there are a few people on here that use those they may know... you might want to provide make and model info for pump and filter.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

which filter housing were you using ?
how much vacuum was being applied ?
what size micron filter also ?

well you beat me to both of those questions as well (provide make and model info for pump and filter) - thanks tony

 

[calvindcd]

I'm not sure of the make and model is the one from morebeer.
the filter is a 3 or 4 micron filter
I tried filtering at many different vacuum pressure is mostly between 5 and 10
due to the fact that I was watching air bubbles go up through the threads I still think it might be am o ring

 

[vacuumpumpman]

try a thicker o ring - that may solve your problem. Or possibily a different filter housing

 

[calvindcd]

So, I got a new filter housing. I used plumbers tape and made a tight seal with a wrench for the stainless nipples.
Still did not work. .. I still have air bubbles coming from the out tube. Now what? Can I use plumbers putty?

 

[vacuumpumpman]

So, I got a new filter housing. I used plumbers tape and made a tight seal with a wrench for the stainless nipples.
Still did not work. .. I still have air bubbles coming from the out tube. Now what? Can I use plumbers putty?

DO NOT USE PLUMBERS PUTTY !!

are the air bubbles still coming from the thread area ? if so you may just have a bad housing , or the wrong housing. I know of alot of people who have bought from filterfast for the complete filter setup and did not have this problem.
Or is the air bubbles at the exit only , usually caused if the filter has air trapped inside or your wine still has CO2 in as it is under vacuum and the filter is aiding the removal of CO2.

What happens when you use just plain water ?

 

[Rocky]

Calvin, you could not have a mis-match in threads (e.g. fine and coarse) on the fittings and housing, could you? Could something be cross-threaded? Just some thoughts. Hope you find an answer.

 

[Wade E]

Is it right where a hose meets a fitting and do you have a hose clamp there? If its happening inside the filter then Im guessing you are using a string wound filter and these will do this as they trap tons of air in them and thats why I recommend the poly filters, also the poly filters dont trap nearly as much wine when done also!

 

[calvindcd]

Here is a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMI3-1gj-GI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[rodo]

That looks like air that has not been purged from the filter/housing. It is a huge amount of air not what I would expect to see from a hose/fitting leak, nor is it the O-ring as we would see a stream of bubels from the suorce.

 

[Deezil]

If its happening inside the filter then Im guessing you are using a string wound filter and these will do this as they trap tons of air in them and thats why I recommend the poly filters, also the poly filters dont trap nearly as much wine when done also!

That looks like air that has not been purged from the filter/housing.

If i was a betting man.....

I wanna say, somewhere a long while ago on this forum, there was a few posts about these types of filters & about soaking them in a k-meta laced solution prior to filtering, to avoid the massive amounts of air trapped in the filter like shown in the video.. Not 100% but pretty sure it was around the time i joined the forum, this was circulating heavily

 

[grapeman]

It looks like the red button is not seating well. When you tip it sideways or upside down it gets worse. That button is an air intake, so if it is leaking, that is where the air is likely coming from.

 

[Rocky]

Calvin, I would try to elimiate the possible sources one at a time. I suggest that you dissassemble the fittings and housing and wrap the threads with a goodly layer of pipe tape. If is still leaks after that, the air has to be coming in thru another opening in the top, e.g. the air intake as Rich suggests. Due to the water in the threads, I am betting that the problem lies there.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Calvin, I would try to elimiate the possible sources one at a time. I suggest that you dissassemble the fittings and housing and wrap the threads with a goodly layer of pipe tape. If is still leaks after that, the air has to be coming in thru another opening in the top, e.g. the air intake as Rich suggests. Due to the water in the threads, I am betting that the problem lies there.

I know my first housing I had to remove that pressure relief and apoxy the hole closed. I also in the past - just had a bad housing for what ever reason - but for 11 dollars it is not worth the hassle as well -
http://www.filtersfast.com/Pentek-158117-Filter-Housing.asp


I just rembered that I tapped the inside of the filter housing to thread in a 1/2" plastic pipe so it will suck all the way to the bottom , that should elimate all your problems hopefully.

 

[WildBill]

Mine did that on my initial run using water, I just didn't have the housing tight enough.

 

[TJsBasement]

Shouldnt the O ring block liquid from even getting to the threading, looks like it on the video.

 

[WildBill]

Yes,the O-ring blocks the liquid in and seals the air out. I just didn't have it tight enough to the O-ring. It frustrated the heck outa me till I noticed the water was in the threads. I tightened it again and it worked like a champ.

 

[jvernice]

Why Vacuum?

I am curious as to why you are using vacuum filtration. It is much more effective to push the wine through the filter. I am an industrial chemist and I very rarely see a vacuum filtration system. Try putting your filter after the pump and you will see much better performance and you will never have this problem. You do need to monitor differential pressure so as to not exceed the recommendation of the media supplier (just like a pool filter). Most filtration systems for small systems don't have a differential pressure gauge, so just make sure your standard pressure gauge is placed on the inlet side of the filter. An increase in pressure indicates clogging and reduced flow. A sudden drop in pressure indicates a hole in the media or "blow-by" around the gaskets. Since your tubing is most likely very short after the filter, you can assume outlet pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure and therefore, is the same as differential pressure.

 

[BobF]

Does the o-ring have any lube on it? Silicone lube works wonders keeping these from binding as you tighten the housing.