Silent Airlock?

[mr_tyreman]

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?

 

[pdilley]

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

 

[mrpolly]

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

 

[Sammus]

3 piece airlocks are pretty much silent

 

[flattop]

Yeah rubber band and plastic wrap will save you from infections

 

[mr_tyreman]

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

 

[Swinging Beef]

inverted shot glass

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Gladwrap here

No problems

Offers other perks too

Less cleaning, you can see in etc

Cheers

 

[Pollux]

+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.........

 

[Leigh]

Just loosen the lid...

 

[Sammus]

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

 

[Screwtop]

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

 

[Doogiechap]

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

 

[mika]

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

 

[Sammus]

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

 

[jonocarroll]

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

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.

Gladwrap here

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

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?

 

[brendanos]

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.

 

[Leigh]

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

 

[PostModern]

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

 

[Bizier]

+ 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.