problem with my airlocks

[quantum24]

quick question... recently i have been having a real problem keeping water in my 3 piece airlocks. i fill it one day, and the next day the U shaped piece is sucked down on top of the column in the airlock, when i touch it all the water is sucked into the carboy. i know this "suck back" can happen with large temp changes, such as when you brew a lager and put it cold to fast, buy all my carboys are at room temp. i am going to assume that it must be due to pressure changes, we have had some pretty funky weather around here. so my question is what are my options, i would like to prevent this from happening? thanks...now i have to cross my fingers and hope none of my batches are spoiled.

[S.F.B.]

Sorry, I can't help with this. I have never had this problem so I will be interested in seeing the replies.

[YamahaXS]

I have a couple of thoughts, but I dont' know how worthy they are.

First, you might be over-filling your airlocks. I only have 1 3-piece airlock, and I generally don't use it. An S-airlock, allows air movement both ways with out any loss of liquid, assuming it isn't over-filled. This is okay, because your beer is supposed to be producing CO2 anyways.

Second thought, your beer must be done fermenting for this to happen. Otherwise the production of CO2 would most certainly outweigh any barometric or temperature changes. The exception would be if your beer is at the lower end of the temperature range for your yeast, such that the beer is cooling off a couple of degrees, yeast go dormant, then drop in temperature causes a pressure drop, then beer warms up again, and yeast return to activity. I would guess this is an unlikely scenario, and that more than likely your beer is done fermenting and perhaps you should go ahead an bottle it.

[toneyc]

If it concerns you, you could use your racking cane as a sort of blow off tube. I've had to do that a couple of times because I didn't have a proper blowoff tube and my airlocks were getting clogged.

:)
Toney.

[quantum24]

maybe ill have to buy an S-airlock, yamaha you are right that the beer is done fermenting, its a barleywine and i have it conditioning in secondary (its been close to 3.5 months now), and thats the beer that this has been the biggest problem for. the other is a cider i made yesterday, it hasnt started fermenting yet, so no co2 yet, but its only 3 gallons so i didnt rig a blow off. i guess ill have to wait and see, but i think ill buy one of those s-types.

[wortchillergoal]

Originally posted by YamahaXS
I have a couple of thoughts, but I dont' know how worthy theyare...

Yamaha, I would say your ideas are very worhty. The only thing I add is you can use vodka to fill the air lock. If that gets sucked into the beer it has less chance of altering it.

[GunNut76]

I use 3 piece airlocks for the simple reason that they are easier to clean. I have had no problems with my lock water bing pulled back, but then my locks have a 1/2 line marked on them so I don't over fill them n the first place. JIC I use the same exact water to boil, even-up the wort and in my lock, that way I am sure that there will be no off-flavors. Sorry if my spelling is off...had a few HG HBs!:D

[paul84043]

I use three piece airlocks, the only time I have had trouble with suck back is while waiting for initial fermantation to kick off, the wort contracts as it cools, I guess, and sucks the liquid back in...I always fill them with Vodka.
The barleywine, could be warming up during the day and cooling off at night resulting in the same thing...just a guess.

I have thought about a couple of "S" airlocks, but it never became enough of an issue to do anythig more than think about it.