Using a check valve instead of an airlock

Has anyone ever thought about doing this? Would be nice to never have to worry about the airlock drying out. The only thing I wonder is that with the typically low pressure differential for longer term conditioning will there be an appreciable amount of oxygen able to diffuse or leak across the membrane into the fermenter...

Any thoughts?

An airlock will allow fermentation without pressure buildup. A check valve will not allow any kind of pressure to escape and the container could fail.

Here are 2 different ones at Midwest Supplies.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/better-bottle-drytrap-airlock.html

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/vented-silicone-stopper.html

Originally posted by Strykzone
An airlock will allow fermentation without pressure buildup. A check valve will not allow any kind of pressure to escape and the container could fail.

A check valve could be made to work depending on the type. But, the cost of a check valve is significantly more than an airlock and it wont do a better job.

Is this for long-term aging? if so, then it’s a good idea and what most breweries use. Might be sketchy with a glass carboy though, as you need to be certain that the release threshold is very low so it goes off before glass breakage, which doesn’t take much.

Both of those options from Midwest look good though.

For long term aging, after you’ve reached terminal gravity, I don’t see why a solid bung couldn’t be used.

Originally posted by SamGamgee
Is this for long-term aging? if so, then it’s a good idea and what most breweries use. Might be sketchy with a glass carboy though, as you need to be certain that the release threshold is very low so it goes off before glass breakage, which doesn’t take much.

Both of those options from Midwest look good though.

Originally posted by lithy
For long term aging, after you’ve reached terminal gravity, I don’t see why a solid bung couldn’t be used.

Wouldn’t be good for primary fermentation. High levels of c02 are toxic to yeast.

Wouldn’t be good for primary fermentation. High levels of c02 are toxic to yeast.