water leaking through airlock

[PittGrad]

This one's got me stumped a bit...I've got 2 6gal carboys sitting side by side in storage room. One is in bulk for about a month now and the other is just finishing up secondary. The one that's bulk aging is consistently having water sucked through airlock and into the carboy (it's sanitized). I'm topping off airlock every 2 or 3 days now! I get that pressure changes etc can sometimes lead to this but why one and not the other??Maybe enough going on with secondary that it's offsetting whatever affecting the other?

 

[dralarms]

Yes the second one has enough co2 being produced to off set the changes.

 

[Bergmann]

If the carboy is in an area with temperature swings. IE: daytime temps higher than overnight. the expansion and contraction of the wine will suck the liquid out of the airlock. while an off gassing wine will have a constant positive pressure.

 

[3274mike]

Are You sure there isn't a Crack in your air lock or is the bottom of your air lock touching the wine like you need more head space. Another thought is adding to much water in air lock. But I would make sure there is not a Crack in your air lock. Hopefully some of the others here will chime in soon as I am still a rookid at this

 

[vacuumpumpman]

May I ask which style air locks are you using ?

I will typically use the S - style at this stage

 

[3274mike]

The two posts above mine seem spot on they typed faster than me

 

[sour_grapes]

I'm topping off airlock every 2 or 3 days now!

Wow, every 2 to 3 days seems very excessive, even if you were experiencing large temperature swings.

Let me ask: Is this carboy topped up? I ask because air expands and contracts (with temperature and pressure) a LOT more than wine. So if your wine has lots of air space, the effects of these fluctuations will be exacerbated.

I have an idea (inspired by 3274mike's comments): why don't you switch the airlocks on the two carboys, and see if the problem follows the airlock or stays with the carboy?

 

[Rocky]

You might want to try one of the waterless airlocks. How long has it been in bulk aging? May be time to substitute a solid stopper for the airlock.

 

[bkisel]

I get that a lot with my plastic carboys but very little if at all with my glass carboys.

Just started an experiment... I now have a Saran Wrap "airlock" on one of my plastic carboys. [Saran Wrap is impermeable to air.] The wrap is put on loosely, meaning not stretched tightly over the neck opening, and additionally secured/sealed with two rubber bands. Right now the wrap indicates positive pressure in the carboy but I won't be surprised to see it concave into the neck at some point in time to show negative pressure relative to the outside air.

 

[PittGrad]

Thanks all for the feedback. Theye were a few questions in there that I'll answer:
1. Carboy is in first floor room in house so temp does vary depending on time of day but only between about 64 at night to 69 during day.
2. Its the 3pc airlock and im sure there is no crack.
3. I have swapped airlocks and results same with the bulk aging sucking water.
4. Carboy is topped

Vpumpman, intrigued by comment that you'd typically go with s-shaped lock at this point. Are they less susceptible to issues around changes in pressure?

Bkisel, love the saran wrap idea to definitively know when positive vs. Negative pressure. Think I'll do same and perhaps mystery will be solved!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

The S style will tell you at a glance if there is a postive.or negative pressure in the carboy.
Of they are not you know that you have a air leak in the system. Take a razor blade a shave down the mold that fits into the bung as that is a known issue

There is a watermark line that you are to fill to so you don't over fill it

 

[richmke]

The 3 piece is good for primary fermentation because it can pass a lot of gas (adolescent joke goes here). However, they only let air pass one way, and you found out what happens when it goes the other way.

After primary, use the s-type air locks because they allow air to go both ways. You won't get the solution sucked into the carboy with an s-type air lock.

 

[Bergmann]

wow, That now is another ball of wax. The design of a 3 piece airlock is such that it would be nearly imposable for it to suck the liquid back to the carboy There almost has to be a crack in the riser tube below the fluid level. Most likely near the bottom of the bowl if it is emptying the airlock.

 

[calvin]

wow, That now is another ball of wax. The design of a 3 piece airlock is such that it would be nearly imposable for it to suck the liquid back to the carboy There almost has to be a crack in the riser tube below the fluid level. Most likely near the bottom of the bowl if it is emptying the airlock.

If there is negative pressure in the carboy it will suck In water. With the 3 piece anyway. It doesn't have to be cracked