s type air locks

[jnielsen]

ok this is a dumb question im sure and ive searched the forum and books but i havent seen a explanation about it.

i filled mine up to the fill line (water in both halfs) overnite all the water moved to the left chamber (the one with the spout pointing up and the red cap)

this was almost a week ago and now water is slowing working its way back into the right chamber its at about 80% in the left and 20% in the right.

does that mean air pressure and yeast are still present?

will the water return to the level position when its done indicating no more secondary fermentation is taking place?

or will all the water shift to the right chamber when its done indicating no more secondary fermentation is taking place?

there has been not bubbling activity so i assume the s type operates in this different way and not like the primary 3 piece airlock.

still learning the science of beer and drinking it along the way

 

[Moundbrewer]

It doesn't sound like has started to ferment yet. I'm a new brewer myself but mine started bubbling like crazy within 24 hours. I have learned that the temp of the wort must be lower than 80 deg. before you pitch it and should be kept warm enough to make the yeast ferment.

 

[jnielsen]

no this is in my secondary (i should stated that) everything bubbled away in my primary for a week as it should. im just wondering about the mechanics of the s type airlock i have on my secondary

 

[boo boo]

It just means there is no positive pressure pushing the water. No positive pressure means fermentation is finished or stopped for some reason.
Check your gravity readings to see if fermentation is at terminal readings.
If it is at terminal gravity and you are racking to secondary, do so. If bottling straight from the primary, wait another week for clearing/conditioning before bottling.

Ok secondary. It means that the drop in temperture has caused a pressure change inside your secondary.
Don't worry about it.

 

[jnielsen]

yeah all bubbling quit in the primary so i racked to the secondary to settle and condition

 

[Pumbaa]

normally my air lock on the secondary either sit dead even on both sides or just a touch higher on the capped side. You're not producing a lot of CO2 in the secondary since it's more of a clearing tank then a fermentor.

It sounds like to me when you put your beer in the secondary it was a bit warmer then your house is right now so the pressure inside the secondary is a bit lower then on the outside . . .

basicly RDWHAHB

 

[backwards]

the problem you descibe is exactly what is going on with ipa in the secondary. bubbled like mad in the primary, now sits in the secondary with an airlock that looks lopsided. i say, don't worry - wait - have a grolsch and save the bottle to fill up with your own brew.

 

[david_42]

Even if the temperature is steady, air pressure changes with the weather & what you have is a high volume barometer.