# Silent Airlock?



## mr_tyreman (25/5/09)

As horrible as it sounds, i want to have a quieter option for my fermentors airlock...

Now the colder months have set in and the fermentor have moved itself upstairs in the house, but since SWMBO is a light sleeper, im forced to come up with an idea that can keep the fermentor at a happy temp, but not keep her up at night with the bubbling...

personally i love the sound, i couldn't imagine how you wouldn't 



im considering...

1) A doona over the airlock to muffle the sound 
2) Removing the O-ring from the lid and blocking up the fermentor hole
3) Rubber band and gladwrap

any other ideas?


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## pdilley (25/5/09)

I'm fermenting out my 60 litre with no airlock at all, just a piece of paper over the hole where the airlock should go. You can also just put a bottle cap over it.

The lid is not even screwed on  it is just sitting on top of the threads.

It still works for me, there is a blanket of CO2 over the liquid, and I have to take readings every day so I am not bothering with one.


If you want to muffle the sound you need to put something over it, a jar, container, the seal at the bottom shouldn't be perfect so the gas can still exchange.


Cheers,
Brewer Pete


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## mrpolly (25/5/09)

My old man just used the rubber band and gladwrap and never had an infection. When i was talking to the coopers customer rep cause I got a kit with no hole for the air lock he said that he just gladwraps.

Graeme


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## Sammus (25/5/09)

3 piece airlocks are pretty much silent


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## flattop (25/5/09)

Yeah rubber band and plastic wrap will save you from infections


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## mr_tyreman (25/5/09)

sounds like a few good ideas there... gotta keep SWMBO happy


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## Swinging Beef (25/5/09)

inverted shot glass


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## Cortez The Killer (25/5/09)

Gladwrap here

No problems

Offers other perks too

Less cleaning, you can see in etc

Cheers


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## Pollux (25/5/09)

+1 for gladwrap.

Just remember to remove it before you rack, I nearly forgot today and I could hear it getting taut. I manage to puncture it before it got sucked in, just.........


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## Leigh (25/5/09)

Just loosen the lid...


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## Sammus (25/5/09)

Leigh said:


> Just loosen the lid...



Not bad idea, though I have had mould growing on the threads on the lid of my ferementer on several occasions. None of them infected though, perhaps luckily


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## Screwtop (25/5/09)

Sammus said:


> Not bad idea, though I have had mould growing on the threads on the lid of my ferementer on several occasions.




You are kidding, right? 

Screwy


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## Doogiechap (25/5/09)

Or if you want to retain the airlock there are these dry silicone ones too 
Cheers
Doug


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## mika (25/5/09)

They like the Beta Bottle ones with the little ball rattling around ?


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## Sammus (25/5/09)

Screwtop said:


> You are kidding, right?
> 
> Screwy




Nope, it's happened a couple times. It never gets even near the seal. Hasn't happened recently though. Maybe I'm just cleaner


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## jonocarroll (25/5/09)

I hear you - when I got back to brewing in the new house I didn't have a ferment fridge, and inadvertently put the fermenter in the shed downstairs directly below our bed. SWMBO was not impressed that she could hear the bubbling all night (thin floors). Then again, it made for a good argument to get a ferment fridge  



Sammus said:


> 3 piece airlocks are pretty much silent


+1, but they don't necessarily fit the grommit. I use one on my starter flask since it usually lives inside. 



Cortez The Killer said:


> Gladwrap here


Also, +1. Ive used this method on one fermenter since the o-ring snapped and I couldn't be bothered replacing it.



Sammus said:


> Nope, it's happened a couple times. It never gets even near the seal. Hasn't happened recently though. Maybe I'm just cleaner


What on earth are you doing that your fermenter gets mouldy?


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## brendanos (25/5/09)

Dry traps are cool but still a little noisey (though much quieter than the one piece). I'd leave the airlock out for the first few days, then put a dry trap or two/three piece in after high krausen. Glad wrappers should also put a lid on after the bulk of fermentation has finished (ie when the krausen subsides) to prevent anything from being sucked back in.


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## Leigh (26/5/09)

QuantumBrewer said:


> Also, +1. Ive used this method on one fermenter since the o-ring snapped and I couldn't be bothered replacing it.



A small drop of Loctite 406 will fix the o-ring...the join in mine is now stronger than the rest of the o-ring LOL


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## PostModern (26/5/09)

My bottle cap or scrunched al-foil airlock hole covers make no noise during fermentation.


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## Bizier (26/5/09)

+ 1 on either foil covering hole, or the Brigalow style airlocks if you are sufficiently paranoid. I switched to these when I started for this exact reason. They make a tiny 'tink' rather than the big resounding 'bloop' that comes from the S-bend ones.


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## manticle (26/5/09)

Maybe you could make your SWMBO sleep outside until it's warm enough to leave your brews out again?

Otherwise doing away with the airlock in one way or another sounds like the plan.


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## Bribie G (26/5/09)

I've got a silent airlock at the moment - I got the idea of sanitizing the whole thing in a jug of starsan solution and just leaving a bit of solution in the lock. Because the solution is so 'slippery', at the moment the bubbles are sliding through silently. Very weird, it's not into high krausen yet, I'll post again this evening.


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## Renegade (26/5/09)

:icon_offtopic: We heard our first bubbling on the weekend. The yeast was pitched the day before, and I left the fermenter in the kitchen as I was expecting a volcano on this one. As we were standing there, our new baby took her first breath and damn she bubbled for about four minutes solidly, before retiring into the familiar every few second gurgle. I have never witnessed the 'first breath' in a ferment before, but now Im going to make sure I'm around for this joyous occasion every time. Maybe next time I'll have some cigars at the ready. 

Yes Im sad.


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## bum (26/5/09)

manticle said:


> Maybe you could make your SWMBO sleep outside until it's warm enough to leave your brews out again?



+1


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## peas_and_corn (26/5/09)

stop that.


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## Bribie G (26/5/09)

There's one bubble sliding through every second now and not a sound, it's creepy but I would guess the bloop bloop comes purely from surface tension and Starsan breaks the tension, being the slimy little sucker it is. Give it a go, Starsan is worth every cent anyway, it's terrific value and it doesn't matter if a wee bit slips back into the brew as apparently it's a good yeast nutrient :lol: No need to half fill the lock, just a quarter is fine.


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## Cocko (26/5/09)

mr_tyreman said:


> sounds like a few good ideas there... gotta keep SWMBO happy



You shouldn't be able to hear the airlock when it is in a fermenting fridge! Hey? Wink wink nudge nudge!!


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## mr_tyreman (27/5/09)

Well, my 3rd brew is in the fermenter...and i have a bottle cap over the air lock....works a treat! SWMBO has yet to complain


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## Yorg (27/5/09)

Bugs don't go up tubes.
Blow off tube facing downwards.


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## technocat (28/5/09)

Take the grommet out, cover hole with a piece of Duct tape with a pin hole in it............my brilliance overwhelms me.


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## MarkBastard (28/5/09)

fit a sniper rifle silencer


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## Sammus (28/5/09)

Yorg said:


> Bugs don't go up tubes.
> Blow off tube facing downwards.



:huh: I've seen cockys and other bugs crawl up stuff on many occasion...


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## mr_tyreman (29/5/09)

Well now that the airlock is in full swing... Its making a fair bit of noise, i nothing i have tried (leaving the airlock in place) has worked.....i really want to keep the airlock in place...

will filling the airlock up with more water, make it bubble less often?


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## muckey (29/5/09)

mr_tyreman said:


> Well now that the airlock is in full swing... Its making a fair bit of noise, i nothing i have tried (leaving the airlock in place) has worked.....i really want to keep the airlock in place...
> 
> will filling the airlock up with more water, make it bubble less often?




No. it's all to do with how hard the yeasties are working.

Seriously though an actual airlock isn't necessary. Just use one of the many suggestions in the thread.

personally I sanitise a shot glass and stand it upside down over the airlock hole. keeps everything out and doesn't make any noise.
For those that use it, the silent but deadly glad wrap is good 2 :lol:


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## Adamt (29/5/09)

How about you don't put any water in the airlock, and put a bottle cap over it? Can't make any noise then... but in that case you may as well not use the airlock.


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## Cocko (29/5/09)

Drill a hole in a shot glass, put a airlock in it and then cover the airlock with a bottle top - wrap the whole thing in glad wrap! h34r:


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## chappo1970 (29/5/09)

Or drill holes in the airlock and play it like a beautiful harmonic flute...  

FFS HTFU lay the law down the airlock stays!!!! h34r: 

Chappo


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## muckey (29/5/09)

Cocko said:


> Drill a hole in a shot glass, put a airlock in it and then cover the airlock with a bottle top - wrap the whole thing in glad wrap!



so where do I put the blow off tube h34r: 



Chappo said:


> FFS HTFU lay the law down the airlock stays!!!!
> 
> Chappo



why dont you just stuff a kitten in it chappo h34r:


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## pdilley (29/5/09)

Just mail the fermenter to me and then you won't have to worry about the noise anymore 


Cheers,
Brewer Pete


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## jonocarroll (29/5/09)

On a serious note - just unscrew the lid a little if you're keen to keep the airlock in. CO2 will escape via the screw thread rather than through the airlock, the positive pressure should keep any nasties who could otherwise wind their way through the screw thread out, and you'll be happy.


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## chappo1970 (29/5/09)

QuantumBrewer said:


> On a serious note - just unscrew the lid a little if you're keen to keep the airlock in. CO2 will escape via the screw thread rather than through the airlock, the positive pressure should keep any nasties who could otherwise wind their way through the screw thread out, and you'll be happy.



+1
Or do as I do and remove the rubber O ring altogether. Simple and effective.

Cheers

Chappo


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## Cocko (29/5/09)

Another angle here..

Does the other half drink the beer you brew?

If yes, get her into the sound by saying "every bloop is a glass of brew"....

OR whatever it takes, but turn the tables so she needs to hear it and that way, you will know when to bottle cause she will be in panic, "It hasn't made a noise in 2 days!"

Just a thought!


:icon_drunk:


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## chappo1970 (29/5/09)

Or get a big hammer and smash the damn useless thing!!! <_<


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## manticle (29/5/09)

That's not a nice thing to say about anyone's swmbo


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## beersatan (29/5/09)

Chappo said:


> Or get a big hammer and smash the damn useless thing!!! <_<



The airlock or the other half?


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## chappo1970 (29/5/09)

beersatan said:


> The airlock or the other half?



:lol: !

Either one the outcome will be all good h34r:


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## raven19 (29/5/09)

At least go the rubber mallet for SWMBO....  :lol:


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## mr_tyreman (30/5/09)

Well lastnight i just unsrewed the lid a bit, and this morning screwed it back up tight.....i think we have found a happy median.


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## staggalee (30/5/09)

Cocko said:


> Another angle here..
> 
> Does the other half drink the beer you brew?
> 
> ...



Try this...............get into the habit of lovemakin to the sound of your airlock......as in "gloop"/stroke, "gloop"/stroke, "gloop"/stroke, etc.
Very benificial and relaxing.
Tip.......don`t do that with high gravity beers tho, I tried to keep up with a Russian Imperial Stout and f##@#*n` nearly had a seizure.  
Mid range beers you`ll be fine.
Let us know how it goes.

stagga.


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