Taking A Reading Sucks In Air

[h00ligan]

Firstly, hi guys this is my 1st post (new to HB)

i just took my first reading with the hydrometer and when opening the tap and filling up the tube, the airlock sucked air back into my fermenter.. is this normal, and should I be worried about nasties getting into my wort?

cheers

 

[Jye]

Hey h00ligan,

Just remove the airlock so the water in it doesnt get sucked back into the fermenter. The little bit of air that gets sucked in is not a worry.

Cheer
Jye

 

[johnno]

Don't worry about it. It should be fine and something most of us have done.

The 2 piece airlocks are good for this. You just remove the top and put it back on when finished.

cheers
johnno

 

[wildschwein]

Or you can just loosen the lid so it can suck through a bit, get your sample then retighten.

 

[tangent]

totally agree there, bucket in bucket airlocks rock!

but with the crappy s-shaped ones you can just crack the seal on the lid. unscrew 1/4 a turn and you can see the pressure equalise on the airlock, then pour your sample, or just pour it really slowly and don't overfill the s-shape airlocks

 

[Enerjex]

if you take a sample with the airlock still in do it slowly so the water doesn't get sucked in, air getting sucked in is unavoidable. when you bottle as suggested take it out altogether.

 

[KGB]

.... don't overfill the s-shape airlocks

I agree with that, you only need a little bit of water in there, if you fill to the marks that come on the S-shaped airlocks in the Coopers kits you will probably have way more water in there than you need. Generally once fermentation starts hopefully you'll get some vigorous bubbling and it will just spit out any excess anyway.

 

[Sammus]

I just fill the airlock with sanitizer to start with and never think of it again...

 

[h00ligan]

thanks guys, some useful advice there. one thing i might have forgotten was to remove it when i goto bottle, and i will now use sanitizer in the airlock.

btw this forum rocks, 7 replys! what a great community.