Thread: Defective Millipore Stericup?

Got my new filters yesterday... Set everything up and let it sit overnight. Only filtered about 20ml in a 6 hr period and there was leakage around the cup again.

Any advice?

You guys are amazing, patients and learning! I dont have that ability I just order everything made and premixed LOL!

Originally Posted by Anzel

You guys are amazing, patients and learning! I dont have that ability I just order everything made and premixed LOL!

Haha. I don't know about amazing... I think patience and learning just comes with the territory in powerlifting and bodybuilding. But I am starting to get a little frustrated with this home brew stuff... Sure it'll save me a bunch of money in the long run, but if every batch of Test Enanthate I try to brew is this much of a hassle, I may toss all he supplies and go back to buying finished products from labs... Seeing what goes into it lets me know it's well worth the extra cost. Hahaha

Originally Posted by SJ2469

My questions are:
Was the filter unit defective or did I break it by pumping too much?
Since my pump doesn't have any sort of guage on it, how am I supposed to know how many times to squeeze the pump?
I have read that some of the Test E out there takes a LONG time to filter, but is only a few drops in almost an hour normal or was that a result of the unit losing vacuum?

Thanks in advance for anyone who reads this and chimes in. This board is such an amazing resource.

Hey brother, it sounds like you lost vacuum in the filtering process. Keep in mind these plastic filters are very temperamental, and the simplest actions can cause leaks in the lines. I've had good luck with the Autofil series, so I'd recommend them for your future filters. It has never taken me hours to filter, even with Test E. The plastic units can generally hold up to about 12-15psi tops. I highly recommend getting a brake bleeder kit, they come with a regulator that shows the PSI. If you are losing vacuum, you will see your PSI drop. When you come back to check your process, its often you'll see a PSI drop from a slow leak (common with the plastic setups), simply pump it back up again and let it go back to work.

Originally Posted by enrod

Hey brother, it sounds like you lost vacuum in the filtering process. Keep in mind these plastic filters are very temperamental, and the simplest actions can cause leaks in the lines. I've had good luck with the Autofil series, so I'd recommend them for your future filters. It has never taken me hours to filter, even with Test E. The plastic units can generally hold up to about 12-15psi tops. I highly recommend getting a brake bleeder kit, they come with a regulator that shows the PSI. If you are losing vacuum, you will see your PSI drop. When you come back to check your process, its often you'll see a PSI drop from a slow leak (common with the plastic setups), simply pump it back up again and let it go back to work.

Thanks so much for the input! I will swing by an auto parts store this evening and see if I can get a brake bleeder kit. I also saw someone suggested on another board to put duct tape or Teflon tape on the little nipple that comes off the unit that you connect your hose to, to make a tighter fit and prevent any vacuum leaks there... But I still don't have an answer for why the unit is leaking between the clear cup and the blue skirt/rim around the bottom. Do you have any ideas on that?

Originally Posted by SJ2469

Thanks so much for the input! I will swing by an auto parts store this evening and see if I can get a brake bleeder kit. I also saw someone suggested on another board to put duct tape or Teflon tape on the little nipple that comes off the unit that you connect your hose to, to make a tighter fit and prevent any vacuum leaks there... But I still don't have an answer for why the unit is leaking between the clear cup and the blue skirt/rim around the bottom. Do you have any ideas on that?

Of course bro. The tape could help with little air escapes for sure so I can see that being helpful. When you say the blue skirt/rim, I'm not too familiar with the milipores, is this where the filter connects to the media bottle? Perhaps its not the right fit with the media bottle? If this is the case, the tape could likely help here too, cause again if the vacuum is lose it won't flow properly.

Originally Posted by enrod

Of course bro. The tape could help with little air escapes for sure so I can see that being helpful. When you say the blue skirt/rim, I'm not too familiar with the milipores, is this where the filter connects to the media bottle? Perhaps its not the right fit with the media bottle? If this is the case, the tape could likely help here too, cause again if the vacuum is lose it won't flow properly.

https://beta-static.fishersci.com/im...5345-01~wl.jpg

That's what they look like. The oil is oozing out where the blue and clear meet. Almost as if it does have sufficient vacuum and its trying so hard to get through that filter that it eventually gives up and goes out the sides. Haha. Pretty frustrating. I'm on my third filter now. All 3 have been good for anywhere from 10-20 ml (one drop at a time over the course of several hours) then they would just start leaking out the side. Probably lost 10-12 ml for the 40 or so I have filtered so far

Originally Posted by SJ2469

https://beta-static.fishersci.com/im...5345-01~wl.jpg

That's what they look like. The oil is oozing out where the blue and clear meet. Almost as if it does have sufficient vacuum and its trying so hard to get through that filter that it eventually gives up and goes out the sides. Haha. Pretty frustrating. I'm on my third filter now. All 3 have been good for anywhere from 10-20 ml (one drop at a time over the course of several hours) then they would just start leaking out the side. Probably lost 10-12 ml for the 40 or so I have filtered so far

I've seen these but never worked with them myself. My assumption would be some kind of an issue with the vacuum or an issue with how the filter is connecting to the media bottle. I use a full unit from autofil that comes with a plastic receiver thats attached to it. That when it's threaded to fit the receiver properly. Knock on wood, haven't had any issues yet.

Originally Posted by enrod

I've seen these but never worked with them myself. My assumption would be some kind of an issue with the vacuum or an issue with how the filter is connecting to the media bottle. I use a full unit from autofil that comes with a plastic receiver thats attached to it. That when it's threaded to fit the receiver properly. Knock on wood, haven't had any issues yet.

Right on. You've never cracked the plastic receiver from the vacuum pressure? GPZ has the autofil units... .45 pore and .22 pore... Which do you use? I'm assuming that if I had both I could run it through the .45 faster, then further filter it with the .22... Maybe that would speed up the process a little in case the issue is this stuff I have is so dirty it's clogging the .22 millipore up too quickly.