Putting this little piece back in my new siphon starter

[dochawk]

I picked up a new siphon starter (pump type) today.

On the first use, it got a bit weird near the end, with a lot of air joining the beer. I figured that it just wasn't a very good seal, but upon removing it, found that there were some whole hops that had crept into the bottom.

I pulled some back out with a pair of tweezers, but when I rinsed it out, I noticed a flash of black fall into the sink, too.

It seems to be the little piece on the lower right"

it appears that it goes prongs first down the outer tupe and should catch back in place.

lacking a 24" pair of needle nose, I'm kind of at a loss as to how to get it back in.

The best I've come up with so far is to attach it to a stick with thick syrup and let it dry/crust, plug it in, and then break the weak sugar bond . . .

hmm

 

[kydan47]

I had the same issue yesterday and it was the first time I’d used it. Checked and don’t think it is the fermtech brand so I tossed it and got out old one. Good luck but with the poor design you’ll be fighting it forever.

 

[bkboiler]

As far as I know it's a primitive check valve, which is how the pump pushes the liquid up the cane...don't get rid of it..

 

[camonick]

Go to the hardware store and buy a 1/4”-3/8” wooden dowel. Drop the little piece back down the tube and push it home with the dowel. Might have to jostle it around a little to get it in the proper position before snapping it in place.

 

[MT_Keg]

Go to the hardware store and buy a 1/4”-3/8” wooden dowel. Drop the little piece back down the tube and push it home with the dowel. Might have to jostle it around a little to get it in the proper position before snapping it in place.

+1, I actually used double sided tape on the end of the dowel to snap it back in. It takes a little patience. Good luck!

 

[dochawk]

I'd been toying with syrup for the adhesive, as it needs to be something that will simply dissolve in water or bleach water.

Today a buddy stopped by, and had the bright idea of honey (which, unlike syrup, I have about).

So we built this:

Yes, a cotton swab tied to a coat hanger with wire.

It got it int the area, but had to much flex for the needed manipulation.

And so then we got serious.

He went out to his truck--he's a plumber--and returned with a section of 1/2" copper pipe. Firtst he flattened the end, and again folded it over to make a grip.

Unfortunately, the wire to hold it down meant that it was going to scratch; we stopped right away.

And then:

yes, plain old 3/8" copper pipe--and a dab of honey.

with this, he successfully manipulated it into place (a point we'd reached before), *and* push hard enough to snap it in.

And so then we sterilized it, and did some quality control while we waited, managed to match a keg with a top that would seal, and filled a 2L bottle for him to bring home.

had we needed to, the following step would probably have have been leaving the swap stuck to the piece with honey for a couple of days to crystalize, to keep the swab attached. And after that, rock candy, although I'd have to check how to dissolve it first.