Vacuum Pump

[brewidus]

Has anyone tried one of these out as a vacuum degassing/transfer pump?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261077183100?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[1tonmama]

No. But it looks interesting... And cheap

 

[SBWs]

That looks about what I use check out this thread http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/diy-vacuum-pump-30133/

 

[Chiumanfu]

20inHg is a little light for degassing a stubborn batch but it will work fine for transfer. The seller says you can connect two in series for 26inHg.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-DC-2-...quipment_Lab_Equipment_ET&hash=item3cc215bbe9

 

[rst]

I have several of these, which are essentially the same pump.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buhler-Moto.../111022075203?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item19d96e6d43

It's a higher quality brand but a used item. I had to disassemble two that I purchased to clean the valves. Very simple to do and they worked great afterwards.

The pumps are great and easily pull 20 inHg which is more than enough to degas. The one weakness is that the flow rate is low (3-8 L/min). This means if you want to degas while racking you need to use a ball valve to prevent wine from transferring to the carboy while initiating the vacuum then turn it on after you've established a decent vacuum. If you don't do this the flow of wine is the same speed as the vacuum pump and you end up transferring under very weak vacuum until the very end.

Combining pumps does help a little but in my experience it was more like 2 or 3 extra inHg not 5.

At 5 or 10 dollars its a great value.

 

[brewidus]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am going to take a shot with the used pump that rst linked.

I will follow up later after I build the system.