Dodgy lid

[rookiemistakes]

Hey, so I did my first brew a few weeks back and the fermenter tap thread was screwed so I took it back and they gave me a different one.. Now the air lock doesn't bubble which I'm presuming is due to the lid being impossible to screw on properly, I don't know if I should be a pain in the arse and take it back again or if I should just deal with it? I find it pretty exciting when the lock starts bubbling [emoji23] is there anything simple I can do to seal it rather than hassling the Brew shop.. Cheers [emoji482]

 

[deadhand]

Maybe try lubing the lid?

I’ve stopped with the lid all together and just use cling wrap and the old o ring from the lid. I do miss the bubbling but it’s much more fun being able to look in.

 

[bevan]

I got ride of the lid quite a few brews ago and went down the glad wrap path. I use the lid seal to hold the grad wrap on. I know a lot of experienced brewers on here do the same.

 

[bevan]

Here’s a brew after adding fruit, went a bit nuts!

 

[malt and barley blues]

Could do as bevan suggests (best option) but the fermenter lids will not seal with the soft seals that are provided with them, a bit of Vaseline smeared around the seal will give enough sealing capacity to get your airlock bubbling.

 

[rookiemistakes]

Cheers guys.. I've only done one brew where it bubbled (and had to use a hand pump syphon because I didn't have the tap set and realised it was rooted when I went to bottle.. Fucken rookie [emoji23]) so I might try Vaseline to get the excitement out of my system [emoji23] and then just go with cling wrap [emoji108]

 

[rookiemistakes]

Here’s a brew after adding fruit, went a bit nuts!
View attachment 113139

That does look exciting! What were you brewing?

 

[MHB]

Better to use a bit of food grade lube, Vaseline will over time cause the rubber in the O-Ring to break down.
Always a good idea to have a look at the top edge of the fermenter, there are often a couple of little feathers of plastic where the mould joined, they can create a path for the CO2 to get out without forcing its way through the airlock.
A fine smear of lube on the top edge will do wonders, as the lid is being screwed on the O-Ring is being pushed down and sliding along the edge at the same time, without any lube (even a drop of water helps) it can pucker again creating a space...
Airlocks not bubbling is a perennial problem and its not in the least important. What is important is that the CO2 can get out and that bugs cant get in. That said its very satisfying to see it start glopping away, that yes its working moment.

I routinely use a plug of cotton wool in a bottle fermenter, Gladwrap as above works, as will a blow off tube and a fair number of other options (years ago I was using a piece of an old sheet (well soaked in Met) on an open SS fermenter), just keep bugs out and your a winner!
Mark

 

[theQuinny]

Here's a picture of the fermenter I recently purchased:



Cleaned it up with a sharp blade ...

 

[Rocker1986]

I don't like cling wrap on fermenters much. It just seems too flimsy for me. Could also be that the only time I tried it the beer turned out fuckin horrible.

My airlock never bubbled once when I was using it, and then one day the grommet perished. Rather than buy a new one I just taped over the hole and backed off the lid a bit to let gas vent (wasn't sure if the leak was in the grommet or the lid seal, or both). Been using it like this for about 3 or 4 years now and it's been perfectly fine.

 

[bevan]

That does look exciting! What were you brewing?

I had added 1kg of blackberries after initial ferment, it then went ballistic.

 

[rookiemistakes]

In beer or cider? That'd be interesting in either [emoji848]

 

[rookiemistakes]

So I bottled my cider and chucked in a lager.. Dried the seal and rim.. Couldn't find any Vaseline or anything at home so chucked a little four seasons water based lube on there and she's bubbling away nicely now [emoji23]

 

[bevan]

In beer or cider? That'd be interesting in either [emoji848]

It was a beer (kettle sour) that I sadly ended up tipping on the lawn as it had this awful after taste.