FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why is fermentation so critical in winemaking?
What does BubbleFlo™ have to do with wine fermentation?
What is the basis of BubbleFlo’s technology?
How does BubbleFlo work?
How can BubbleFlo help me in my winemaking hobby?
Do you need to be an experienced winemaker to use BubbleFlo?
I’m not too hip to electronic gadgets. How difficult is the BubbleFlo to use?
I’m not computer savvy at all. Do I need a computer to use the BubbleFlo?
What is included in the BubbleFlo system?
Is it expensive?
How can I purchase a BubbleFlo system?
What happens if I’m using the BubbleFlo and the electricity goes out?
I’m kind of concerned about using an electronic device like BubbleFlo around water and other liquids. Is it safe?
Can I use the BubbleFlo with any airlock?
I want to download the data from my BubbleFlo to my desktop PC, but I make my wine in a different part of the house from where I have my PC. What can I do?
Can I purchase additional airlocks and use one BubbleFlo on several different carboys of the same batch of wine to monitor the fermentations?
What type and size fermenting vessels will the BubbleFlo work with?
I usually put metabisulphite solution or vodka in my airlock,
what do you recommend?
Will the BubbleFlo work if the airlock becomes dark and discolored?

Why is fermentation so critical in winemaking?

Fermentation is what distinguishes wine from grape juice. In fact, without careful control of fermentation, it’s almost impossible to produce a quality wine.  return to top

What does BubbleFlo™ have to do with wine fermentation?

Up to now, controlling fermentation has been largely a matter of guesswork for the home winemaker. While wine kits have improved product quality, what’s been missing is a foolproof way to monitor fermentation without risking contamination through sampling. BubbleFlo™ monitors the fermentation process 24/7 and insures the highest quality outcome—great wine every time!   return to top

What is the basis of BubbleFlo’s technology?

The principle on which the BubbleFlo works is very simple. When wine is fermenting in a carboy or other fermenting vessel fitted with an airlock, this is typically called secondary or anaerobic fermentation. The fermenting vessel is usually fitted with an airlock to prevent air and contaminants from entering the vessel but allowing the carbon dioxide gas from the fermentation to escape.

During this fermentation process, the yeast that is fermenting the wine will, in the absence of oxygen, cease to reproduce. In addition, the yeast will produce equal molecules of carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol as by-products. BubbleFlo counts the CO2 gas “burps” that exit the airlock, quantifies the volume of gas, and converts this into a fermentation rate and percentage complete.    return to top

How does BubbleFlo work?

With BubbleFlo’s patented, easy-to-use technology, a sensor is attached to an airlock to monitor and measure the rate and amount of carbon dioxide generated. When a CO2 bubble passes through the airlock, this ingenious device calculates the interval between bubbles, converts it into the fermentation rate, and displays both figures.    return to top

How can BubbleFlo help me in my winemaking hobby?

Until now, discovering how well (or not) a fermentation was going was a hit-or-miss process of drawing samples from the fermenting vessel, testing it with a hydrometer, and recording the result. The drawbacks of these procedures include opening the fermenting vessel and possibly introducing contaminants into the wine, thus causing spoilage.

Moreover, this intrusive method of monitoring fermentation does not alert the winemaker when temperature range, fermentation rate, or percentage complete thresholds have been reached. For winemakers using kits, step-by-step embedded instructions for making a particular kit minimizes the possibility of procedural error. But the advent of BubbleFlo now offers home winemakers the real time information to monitor the progress of their fermenting wine 24/7.   return to top

Do you need to be an experienced winemaker to use BubbleFlo?

Absolutely not. The BubbleFlo system enables anyone to make great wine—from the novice who can follow step by step instructions to the expert using charting and data analysis tools. No other product offers the convenient digital accuracy to monitor your anaerobic fermentation and provide consistently optimal results.   return to top

I’m not too hip to electronic gadgets. How difficult is the BubbleFlo to use?

A lot of people are intimidated by all the functions found on cellular phones, personal electronic assistants etc,. Much of this functionality is seldom used. We designed BubbleFlo to have the correct balance of functionality and ease-of-use to appeal to both the novice and advanced home winemaker alike.   return to top

I’m not computer savvy at all. Do I need a computer to use the BubbleFlo?

No. The BubbleFlo was designed to work both as a stand-alone unit and to interface with a personal computer. While the PC interface offers some extra capabilities, BubbleFlo loses no winemaking utility when used by itself.    return to top

What is included in the BubbleFlo system?

In addition to the BubbleFlo digital measuring instrument, the product includes a software interface, an airlock, a USB cable, and a wall transformer.    return to top

Is it expensive?

No. Designed specifically for use by home winemakers, BubbleFlo is so affordable that it pays for itself on your first two batches.    return to top

How can I purchase a BubbleFlo system?

You can buy BubbleFlo by clicking HERE,   return to top

What happens if I’m using the BubbleFlo and the electricity goes out?

BubbleFlo has a battery back-up capability that will power the unit for up to 24 hours, but only for the purpose of retaining the data that was gathered until the power went out. BubbleFlo will not continue to gather data after the power outage and if power is not resumed within 24 hours, the data gathered by the unit will be lost.    return to top

I’m kind of concerned about using an electronic device like BubbleFlo around water and other liquids. Is it safe?

When using any device or appliance near water or other liquids the user should always exercise caution to avoid the possibility of electrical shock or injury. BubbleFlo is no exception. Although the wall transformer included with the BubbleFlo unit is rated at a 6 volt AC output, it is designed for use in DRY AREAS ONLY.    return to top

Can I use the BubbleFlo with any airlock?

No. The airlock included with the BubbleFlo is of a precision injected-molded design that is calibrated to work integrally with the unit. Other off-the-shelf airlocks are not manufactured to these tolerances and specifications and would neither fit nor deliver accurate CO2 discharges. Additional airlocks may be purchased from our website.    return to top

I want to download the data from my BubbleFlo to my desktop PC, but I make my wine in a different part of the house from where I have my PC. What can I do?

Simple. Have the BubbleFlo PC interface ready to accept the download. Then unplug the transformer from the wall outlet (your BubbleFlo unit will automatically enter PAUSE mode), and remove the unit from the airlock. Take the unit to your PC, reconnect the BubbleFlo to a nearby outlet, select RESUME PREVIOUS PROCESS, and press ENTER. Then, connect the USB cable to your PC and the BubbleFlo and commence the download.

It should be noted that while your BubbleFlo is off the airlock no data is being gathered. In order to preserve the integrity of the data set, this procedure should be accomplished without delay. After the data has been downloaded, reattach the BubbleFlo to the airlock, reconnect the power, and select RESUME PREVIOUS PROCESS and press ENTER.

NOTE: Do not select CLEAR PREVIOUS PROCESS and press ENTER when performing this procedure as it will result in a total loss of the data.
return to top

Can I purchase additional airlocks and use one BubbleFlo on several different carboys of the same batch of wine to monitor the fermentations?

If you are fermenting multiple carboys of the same batch of wine, using the same yeast, and fermenting them under the same environmental conditions, it is not recommended that you “hop” the BubbleFlo from one carboy to another. Rather, program the BubbleFlo for one carboy and you will get a good representation from the data gathered as to what is happening in the other carboys.

It is NOT recommended that the BubbleFlo be switched from one type of wine to another, especially if different yeasts are being used as this will result in compromised data.    return to top

What type and size fermenting vessels will the BubbleFlo work with?

BubbleFlo will work on any plastic or glass fermenting vessel up to 30 liters. The most important consideration is that the vessel in which the fermentation takes place can be tightly sealed.    return to top

I usually put metabisulphite solution or vodka in my airlock, what do you recommend?

Because minerals in water increase water tension, we specify in our instructions that ONLY DISTILLED WATER should be used in the BubbleFlo airlock to ensure proper functionality.    return to top

Will the BubbleFlo work if the airlock becomes dark and discolored?

While the photo sensor engineered in the BubbleFlo is fairly sensitive and under clinical testing has been shown to be very reliable even with discolored airlocks, we recommend that airlocks which have become discolored or irreversibly soiled be replaced.     return to top