DIY CO2 output

[scarf]

Hi,

I've just put together my DIY CO2 together and put everything in. However, I'm getting virtually no output whatsoever. Is it meant to pick up later on, or should there be a strong amount of CO2 from the get go?

This was my procedure.

Put a cup of sugar into a pot with 1.5 litres of water. Heat that to the boil. Waited for that to cool down (around 30 mins I'd say).

Put 1/4 tsp of dry yeast and 1 tsp of baking soda into 2L bottle. Then added sugar water from pot.

Connected together so my CO2 bottle goes into a separator then into the tank. Btw, I have yet to put a check valve for my unit. Where should I be placing it?

My hypotheses why it doesnt work:
Not enough yeast (pretty sure it was 1/4 tsp though, but that amount didn't look like much- 1/4 teaspoon) - would increasing amount of yeast do anything?

Water maybe too hot? Though I could put my finger in there and hold it for about 4 seconds before it got too hot 4 me. Should it be cooler?

Thanks for any help.

 

[tazcrash69]

I would definilty say that the water was definitly too hot, and the yeast died. You want warm water. I would say about 90 degrees or so. You just want warmer than room temperature.

The check valve should be right after the bottle.

 

[shawmutt]

I would definilty say that the water was definitly too hot, and the yeast died. You want warm water. I would say about 90 degrees or so. You just want warmer than room temperature.

Agreed, 30 minutes is not enough for the water to go from boiling to 32C (not 90C lol). Hot tap water should be enough to dissolve the sugar, and won't kill the yeast.

 

[ringfinger]

How long did you wait? My DIY system takes a few hours to start producing bubbles, but if after a day you still see no output then the yeast died. Water just above room temp. Good luck.

 

[scarf]

Would I be able to save the "water" I have in the generator now if I added some yeast and added some hot water to raise it just above room temperature?

Or would I have to do another batch?

 

[shawmutt]

I would just start another batch.

 

[secretagent]

scarf, I had a batch that I mixed up today do nothing at all, not a bubble to be seen. After a few hours had passed and I was sure it wasnt going to work I dumped a little more yeast right into the bottle and shook it up. Now its making bubbles like a champ.

 

[Zezmo]

You should use tepid water to mix your sugar..that is water that is barely warm. Once you mix everything together. Let it sit open on your counter overnight. Then hook it up to your tank the next day, it should be fizzing nicely. It is important for yeast to get oxygen in the first stage.

Also, you can rehydrate the yeast in a cup with about two teaspoons of sugar. 1/4 tsp Yeast, 2 tsp sugar 1 cup tepid water. Mix and let it sit for an hour. Then pour that into your 2-liter bottle (which has all your other ingredients ready and mixed), shake it well and let it sit over night. You will have very good results by doing this.

Here is the mix I use... Formula for each bottle; 2 cups sugar, 1tsp baking soda, 1tbs Molasses, 1 scoop protein drink powder, 1/4 tsp yeast.

 

[CompMage]

Protein drink powder???? Sorry but what for if you don't mind me asking. I'm about to build me first CO2 system.

Thanks

 

[scarf]

Ahh... tepid water vs my near boiling water. I think that is definately my mistake.

And secretagent, I did that exact same thing a few moments after I posted that message. I wrote up that message, had nothing to do, saw I had a fair bit of yeast left sitting in the fridge, so I just dumped in 1/2 a teaspoon and now it's fizzing along nicely. Was too lazy to mix a new batch of sugar water

n lol zezmo, thats such a complicated procedure 8O

Also helped for me to shorten the tubing from the bottle to the diffuser in the tank, so I don't have to wait ages to see if it works or not (though the smell does give it away)

 

[malkore]

Scarf,

If its only been about 24 hours, then yes, just add another small pinch of yeast to the container. Let it set in there for, say 20 mins.
Then give it a bit of a shake (keep the cap off, and just hold your palm over the opening). This part is tricky though. If the yeast was totally dead, you'll be fine. But if a tiny bit if yeast lived and has started growing, shaking is gonna cause the mixture to foam over like a shaken soda can...so you might wanna do this outside.
This is also the reason you should NEVER shake a DIY once everything's been mixed together for more than a couple hours...but shaking at the start is important because it aerates the mixture, and yeast need oxygen for the first phase of their life cycle.

 

[Zezmo]

A DIY CO2 setup is like making Beer. The protein drink fills that same role as Grain in beer making.

A side note, last night I replaced one of my bottles. The second bottle, that is still going strong, was started the second week of September. That's 8 weeks off of one mix. This is the longest I have let one go. I normally change after 4 weeks. Based on this result, i am going to try only replacing 1 bottle a month. (until I save up for pressurized that is)

 

[sudz]

I have a 700ml bottle going for 3 weeks now. It looked like it was dying at week 2.... so i added about 5 tsb of sugar and swished it around. Its working like a champ still. and i only started with 10 tablespoons of sugar to start (smaller bottle... smaller doses?)

keeps my CO2 between 18 and 23ppm. Not perfect, but pretty good for a total of 3 dollars

 

[scarf]

Thanks for the replies.

My CO2 is working well. I added another bit of yeast (after the boiling water incident) to the mixture and its been fizzing nicely and still is.

Though just a follow up question. It's around week 2 now. Although I see those CO2 bubbles bubbling out of the mixture (bit less though), my air stone is now not letting out any more CO2. I tried just squeezing the coke bottle and it released a large amount of air through the stone.

My thinking was that there may be a blockage on the air stone so it's not letting air through, so I forced air through it. Since there is still no CO2 running through the airstone, should I conclude that my mixture is near the end of its life? Or could there still be a blockage in the air stone or any other part of my setup?

 

[Zezmo]

Try moving the stone so it is not so far under water. If it starts bubbling, then your issue is low pressure due to your CO2 output tapering off.

 

[scarf]

Thanks for the reply mate.

Actually, in the meantime I just made a real easy "gas separator/bubble counter" bottle, and that's telling me how much output my yeast mixture producing. If that stops, then no more CO2 output. If that continues and airstone stops, airstone clogged.

 

[Zezmo]

A nice extra benfit of a bubble counter is it keeps your stone from clogging less. Without one you seem to get a little "slimy stuff" from your yeast bottle up the tubes.