13 replies to this topic

[Kiteboarder]

I converted my $10 Ferrari bottle filler into a vacuum bottle filler today. Simply remove the flow regulating nut (the little plastic cap where the over flow tube attaches) and slip a 3/8 vacuum line over the threads. Turn on the vacuum and you're in business. Bottles fill in 8 seconds and the Ferrari's automatic shutoff feature still stops the flow when the fill level is reached. The only bug so far is that the flow won't start in the next bottle until I release the vacuum to the filler allowing the shutoff to reset. I should be able to work around that by adding a T to the vacuum line that I can cover/uncover with my thumb to start/stop the vacuum.

So far I've just filled several test bottles with water from a bucket that is at same level as the bottle. The real test comes in two weeks when try it for real with 12 gals of wine. I can't wait!

[Purple Grin Winery]

Cool. Keep us up to date.

We saw a similar use with a buon vino filler ($30) at the WineFest. This sounds even more economical.

[Hammered]

Great info, thanks for sharing!

[Hammered]

FWIW, I tried the same vacuum attachment to my Ferrari bottle filler and it worked well with the first bottle, but the at the second, the vacuum pulled a flexible gasket in the bottom of the chamber up and wrecked the filter.

I haven't been able to take the thing apart to fix it, but thought I'd throw in a caveat. Anyone taken one of these things apart before?

[Kiteboarder]

Hmm... I don't see a way to take it apart without "persuasion" that will likely break an internal fastener.

FWIW, I probably filled my test bottle 8 to 10 times with no ill effects, but I started slow and was only running 5 in Hg during fill and 7 in Hg when the filler shutoff closed. I was about to jack up the vacuum to see how fast a bottle would fill, but luckily saw your post first. Do you know what vacuum you were running when it failed?

[Hammered]

Hmm... I don't see a way to take it apart without "persuasion" that will likely break an internal fastener.

FWIW, I probably filled my test bottle 8 to 10 times with no ill effects, but I started slow and was only running 5 in Hg during fill and 7 in Hg when the filler shutoff closed. I was about to jack up the vacuum to see how fast a bottle would fill, but luckily saw your post first. Do you know what vacuum you were running when it failed?

I was using my vacuum pump that was pulling about 15".

I was able to press the white stem down by pushing the body upside down against a counter, and the red top part unscrews from the clear body, but then the red part and white stem are held together with a spring assembly I couldn't get to the disconnect. The gasket that got sucked up was inside the bottom of the clear body sealing the white stem below to the body. It looks like it just lays there at the bottom of the body. It would be great if it will work.

Otherwise, I'm working on pumping from the carboys/barrels up to a bucket on a rack about 6' off the floor, and mounting several fillers on a plate below a manifold that will allow me to fill bottles as fast as I can put them into the fillers and pull them out just with gravity. I'm thinking I should be able to make a three or 4 bottle filler for about $80.

(Then I look up at the top of the page and see the Xpressfill ad. Don't mean to step on your toes, guys, looks like a cool option! Thanks for supporting Winepress!)

[Kiteboarder]

Purple Grin mentioned seeing the Buon Vino gravity filler using vacuum - ValleyVintner has a page showing how to set it up. Looks like it works better than the Ferrari - you don't have to break the vacuum to reset it. Also, since they are recommending it, I'd guess that they don't have problems with the bottom gasket either.

[btharp]

Purple Grin mentioned seeing the Buon Vino gravity filler using vacuum - ValleyVintner has a page showing how to set it up. Looks like it works better than the Ferrari - you don't have to break the vacuum to reset it. Also, since they are recommending it, I'd guess that they don't have problems with the bottom gasket either.

If you read VV directions closely you will notice that you have to manually stop the flow when using a vacuum pump when you see wine enter the tube.

I've used the setup they describe. I can only get the filler to shut off automatically then I keep the vacuum very low. Low enough it's not work the trouble, gravity is easier. For me it works if the vacuum is under about 8". I don't know how much lift 8" will get me. I've only tried equal height. keep my vacuum pump under 8' is tough.

regards,


bruce

[Hammered]

Purple Grin mentioned seeing the Buon Vino gravity filler using vacuum - ValleyVintner has a page showing how to set it up. Looks like it works better than the Ferrari - you don't have to break the vacuum to reset it. Also, since they are recommending it, I'd guess that they don't have problems with the bottom gasket either.

I managed to get the filler apart and put back together and after a lot of effort trying to get that gasket down around the bottom of the clear area, I finally realized it is supposed to be up in the red top area. I got it all back together just fine.

Then I spent some time working on the bottling line contraption, and I think it's going to be pretty cool, running 4 Ferrari fillers at the same time under gravity. I ordered three more from Grapestompers (missed the sale by a day dang it!!!) and once I get them and some pvc parts at the hardware store, I'll have something to share.

[Kiteboarder]

After using the vacuum assist "for real", I can't really recommend it. With wine, the Ferrari seemed more prone to getting sucked shut than it did with water so it had a tendency to shut off early. I ended up using vacuum only to start the siphon on the first bottle, filling most of the bottles with siphon, and then using vacuum again towards the end when the siphon got too slow or sucked a little air.

Also, the Ferrari seemed drippier than usual. The vacuum may have damaged the seals ala Hammered.

[Brett C.]

If you read VV directions closely you will notice that you have to manually stop the flow when using a vacuum pump when you see wine enter the tube.

I've used the setup they describe. I can only get the filler to shut off automatically then I keep the vacuum very low. Low enough it's not work the trouble, gravity is easier. For me it works if the vacuum is under about 8". I don't know how much lift 8" will get me. I've only tried equal height. keep my vacuum pump under 8' is tough.

regards,
bruce

I was just getting ready to put one of these together. Glad I found this post first!
It seemed like such a good idea though. Any ideas why it doesn't work as well when gravity fed?
I mean, it seems like you're just creating a pressure differential.

Brett

[Kiteboarder]

There is a float that shuts off the unit when the bottle gets full. Unfortunately, any air displaced as the bottle fills has to flow around the float and it seems to "blow shut" fairly easily. Once the float closes, it takes very little pressure differential to hold it closed.

The system worked well when vacuum test bottling with water, but not so good with wine. I think that's because the wine foamed a bit and the foam couldn't get past the float without closing it and then the vacuum would hold it closed.

[Hammered]

I think, under gravity, it works great. If the company knew our obsession with vacuum pumps, they might come up with a system that could work. But not yet.

[bmckee56]

I have a counter pressure bottling unit I purchased from Midwest Supply and it looks as though it could be used in the vacuum bottling application you are discussing here. Instead of applying pressure to push the wine into the bottle, you would use the vacuum pump to pull the air out and the wine into the bottle. It has three shutoff valves on the unit itself and I think I can come up with a method to keep the vacuum pump on continuosly and running at a constant vacuum. I will work on this on Sunday afternoon to see if I can put it all together and make it work. The unit itself cost be a bit over $50.00 so if I can get it to work, it would be a very nice investment as a counter pressure bottling unit and double as a vacuum bottling unit.

We shall see.

Salute!