Our Website can be found at www.acquaspumante.co.uk and our e-mail is [email protected]. We also have some parts and services listings on Ebay.co.uk under the user-name of Acquaspumante too.

There is a whole range of domestic style soda syphons that can be refilled using the standard "8 gram" size steel consumable CO2 capsules, and AcquaSpumante has posted a number of videos about those vintage ones made by Sparklets of the UK and USA, AutoSiphon of France and a similar named company in Hungary as well as Merkuria Kovocas of the then Czechoslovakia, all of which take the 8 gram sized capsules which are still easily available internationally today. All these can be refilled by the user. What I believe originally drove the business in the "bar top" syphons was that these would be returned to be refilled, along with the returnable glass bottles that most beverages came in at that time, to a brewery and hence there was a rapid recycling of bottles through the delivery and collection system. This started to die out with the introduction of single use glass and then plastic bottles. As a consequence most syphon refilling businesses closed down. Once of the last remaining ones that I know of is now the The Brooklyn Seltzer Boys factory and museum in the USA ( brooklynseltzerboys.com ). My understanding of why the AutoSiphon siphon refilling machine came about is probably due to the nature of the French and continental European market after the 1st World War; lots of small villages with bars that wanted to sell soda or mineral water based drinks but were poorly served by deliveries from their breweries due to being remote or down poorly maintained roads. By using this machine (which, due to the fixed dimensions of the gas filling parts, could only use syphons made by AutoSiphon) and the special proprietary refillable CO2 capsules made by AutoSiphon they could then produce a continuous supply of carbonated water using locally available water. The only consumables required were the refillable CO2 capsules which came in easily transportable compact wooden boxes that needed to be exchanged when empty. The beauty of their system was that the refiller machine could only use their brand of Siphons and CO2 capsules (which are now out of production). We are working towards providing a conversion service or kit which will allow current owners to use modern CO2 capsules to refill AutoSiphon soda syphons. We will also offer a service to recondition the AutoSiphon syphon bottles themselves so that they can be used with the refiller machine (of which there are at least 3 slightly different types, depending upon age). Fortunately it appears there were only two different styles of siphon bottle, both of which are shown in the video. Any further information would be gratefully received.

We find that once all the sealing surfaces in a Type C (D or any vintage syphon) have been properly cleaned during the reconditioning process, and if stored in a normal domestic fridge, these syphons will still keep good levels of carbonation for well over 5 days. In most cases even the type C will preserve good levels of fizz for a couple of weeks. The key thing is to keep them in a fridge as CO2 dissolves into cold water much better than room temperature water. A soda syphon left out on a counter top for many days will lose its fizz more quickly but I can't say how much faster this is. During our post reconditioning testing of customer syphon heads we generally test our repaired syphons for gas and water leaks from the seals over a period of around 3-5 days. If they last that long then they are generally good for longer periods. Type C syphons are a little more prone to leaks but when they are set up correctly (no visible leaks after charging with CO2 gas) will keep their pressure at good levels for many days or even weeks.

@@acquaspumante_for_soda thank you!

When we recondition the Sparklets Type C and D soda syphons we do not need to "convert" (i.e. re-engineer) the soda syphons to use modern CO2 capsules, as such. It is really just that not all modern brands of CO2 capsules will fit, and work with, these soda syphons. When we recondition the syphons we replace all the old rubber seals with equivalent ones made from modern materials. The original seals were made from natural rubber and these are now replaced with ones made from modern rubber formulations with similar properties, such as NBR, EPDM and Neoprene. Some of the seals are custom made or specially sourced whereas others are standard sized engineering components of equivalent size to the original parts. These general comments also apply to the other brands of soda syphon that we recondition, such as the 1933 Soda King model with "dancing dolphins" on the outer metal cover. Most vintage soda syphons from around 1920 onwards can be used with the modern 8 gram CO2 contents size canisters (non-threaded type) but not all brands will fit. For example, we know that the following brands will fit: Liss, Mosa, Kayser, Morphy Richards, Pro-Fizz, Mr. Fizz (made by Leland Industries in the USA) and some other that we are not currently aware of. The only brand that WILL NOT fit that we know of is ISI, made in Austria, as the neck of the canister is too short and the bulb too fat to fit in the original capsule holders.

@acquaspumante_for_soda ok fantastic info thank you! I may have the chance to get a type B on ebay and a type c or d so it sounds like I should go for the C or D types and then that should work. Would love to switch to using these glass bottles over the plastic stuff we use now, thinking it might be cheaper than the soda streams and also just more fun! Really appreciate your help on this!! Maybe I'll post a video of my repair if and when I get one! Cheers!

@@yankeebotanist4699 I would not purchase a Type B soda syphon as the consumables for these are not being made anymore (as far as I know the last time these were available was in the 1970's). They can be made to work once again (see our video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2OciGh4oJtlfMU ) but you need a modern charger key which has been converted to the thread type used on these old (about 1910 vintage) syphons in combination with OLD CO2 capsules that have been selected because they now contain half the original amount of CO2 gas (4 grams now instead of the 8 grams originally). Watch the video to find out more! We can supply suitable charger keys with the undertaking that they will not be used with modern (full) CO2 capsules.

@acquaspumante_for_soda ok understood, I found a type D that has a charging key and it's chain cap still together so hopefully I can get that. In terms of pricing and value, one that is in mint condition what do you think I should realistically spend on it? Edit* so I bought a type 5D6 on ebay in excellent condition for around $80 bucks. Do you guys sell the gaskets to replace in this model?

The Types C, D (and later Streamline, etc) models all use the 8 gram size, unthreaded, carbon dioxide capsules still made by a wide range of manufacturers for the bar and restaurant trade. In Europe look out for the following brands that are know to fit: Liss (Hungarian made), Mosa, Kayser, ProFizz, Three Kings Club (UK brand but actually made in Hungary). However, ISI brand does NOT fit vintage and classic syphons. In the USA capsules made by the Leland Corp with the name of "Mr. Fizz" are known to work well with the Types C and D syphons. Further selection topics, such as whether they will fit in original and modern charger keys, are covered in another video we have on KZbin, which is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZbCgptjmNx8nbM

I would not suggest that you use any steel wire wool or wire based brushes on the mesh on these types of soda syphons unless you are doing some spot cleaning, in which case a brass fibre/wire brush may be appropriate. I have used small brass bristled brushes on the mesh to remove the powder remaining stuck inbetween the wires when someone tried to clean the mesh with Brasso (a metal polish consisting of fine abrasive particles in a kerosene base) which ended up with lots of the powder stuck in the mesh giving it a very chalky white look. Dishwasher tablet solution and fine natural brushes (bassine or coir) are surprisingly good. The mesh on the early type C and D syphons was generally coated with either zinc or tin and will not come up to much of a polish regardless of what you do. Later Type D's had their mesh plated with either bright nickel or chrome and can take delicate wire brushing to clean them. Try an unobtrusive area first to see how you go. Replacing the max fill redline with a new one can be done, but you would need to send the heavy syphon body to us for it to be inserted under the metal mesh.

The modern ISI syphons (and most other makes too, which have a usable volume of about 1 litre when properly used) contain a non-return valve built into the charging socket part. (The Sparklets type B shown in this video, which was made in about 1910, did not contain such a feature and so the capsule needed to be left in place during use.) When the capsule is pierced the CO2 gas escapes into the partially water filled body of the syphon and will be dissolved in the water to create the carbonated water you expect. The gas pressure in a CO2 capsule - or cylinder - is of the order of 600 psi (to maintain the CO2 as a liquid inside) but modern capsules meant for soda syphons only contain 8 grams of CO2. At room temperature this is equivalent to a volume of about 4.5 litres of CO2. So the peak (design) pressure for a normal soda syphon (which, by design, has a small void space inside which is deliberately not filled with water) is about 100 psi before the CO2 partially dissolves into the water, reducing the pressure inside. CO2 is also more soluble in cold water, meaning the actual pressure of a chilled syphon when you use it on your bar is much lower - probably of the order of 10 to 30 psi. What you are proposing is pretty challenging and potentially very dangerous! This is because you need to have a means of controlling the pressure inside the syphon during charging to less than the rated design pressure or it may burst/explode. A direct feed from a CO2 cylinder at 600 psi will cause the syphon to explode as they are not designed to contain such pressures! You need to regulate the incoming gas pressure to a safe level for the syphon but sufficiently high to allow the gas to pass into the syphon body via the non-return valve. Consult a gas system design engineer to ensure your proposed system will work safely. Do not attempt to defeat any safety features designed into the syphon!

The siphon re-fillling machine featured in this video is only compatible with the two types of soda syphon shown. I think it was designed for use by hotels and larger bars located in villages and the countryside. It originally used a maker specific type of CO2 capsule that is not available anymore but we have worked out a way to recondition and convert these to take modern CO2 capsules and re-fill the old syphon bottles, as shown. We replace some of the internal parts of the refilling machine with new ones during the reconditioning process so they become compatible once again. Once we can get these working reliably once again we will be offering a reconditioning service for both the syphon bottles and also the refilling machines, which came in three similar looking types. Refillers like this were made by AutoSiphon of Paris but, I think, re-badged models were sold by a lot of other suppliers throughout France. We intend to post further videos once our development work has been completed. Expected launch is in June or July, 2024.

So these nozzles are different than the C or D type nozzle? And those types are more easily refilled with modern CO2 cartridgez?

The Sparklets Type C and D syphons were designed to be refilled by the owner using a CO2 capsule and a capsule holder "charger key" to hold the canister in place whilst the CO2 gas was released into the bottle. More information on this syphon can be found at www.Sparklets.net CO2 canisters suitable for the Sparklets Types C and D are still quite easily available today and are made by brands such as Liss, Mosa, Kayser, Morphy Richards and Leland Corp ( "Mr. Fizz" brand in the United States). ISI brand, however, does not fit most vintage soda syphons as the shape of the bulb neck is too short and the bulb is fatter. The "Auto-Siphon of Paris" manufactured siphon refiller shown in this video originally used their own design of refillable CO2 capsules (often painted a pale or sky blue) which were very similar in size to the modern CO2 capsules but had a valve in the neck rather than the thin metal diaphragm used in modern disposable capsules. We have found three different designs of syphon refiller machines made by AutoSiphon which were designed to fill the two styles of bar-top syphons shown in this video. AcquaSpumante is working on converting these refiller machines to use modern CO2 capsules so that they can be used once again with reconditioned Auto-Siphon bar top soda syphons. However, it appears that the Auto-Siphon machines were only designed to work with their own brand (or re-badged versions of their) soda syphons. So far we have only found two designs of bar top syphon bottle that will work with the refiller machines. For those interested, it looks as though AutoSiphon started making siphons of a similar style in the late 1950's that could be refilled from the newer (modern and still available) disposable CO2 capsules. This model is covered in another of our KZbin videos here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX6oo2SLp9qbaM0 We can supply replacement charger keys for this 1950's model in both plastic or metal. Contact us at [email protected] if you want to purchase one or have your syphon reconditioned.

The red "max fill" line on Type D soda syphons made in the late 40's was composed - I believe - of cellulose acetate (a chemically similar material to the plastic that was made to produce old film stock) and becomes brittle with age, peeling and cracking away from the glass. On older Types B, C and D syphons the red lines were made from some sort of resin bonded paper and are actually more durable! Any strong cleaning agent will potentially damage it further, in some cases causing it to break up into small pieces and be washed away. It is possible to replace the "max fill" line with a new one that looks like the original, and is placed between the metal mesh and the glass body, but it is a difficult and time consuming process to get right. We can replace the red line with a new one but this requires people to send their soda syphon in to us for it to be physically worked on.

Sounds like you have what I call a "bar top" syphon. These syphons were refilled on a special filling line at a factory or brewery. Have a look at this website to see if yours matches the syphons being filled on their machines brooklynseltzermuseum.org/

You will need to contact us about how to purchase a soda syphon as the cost of shipping varies so much between different countries in the world. There are a few countries that we will not ship to as the reliability of delivery is so poor.

Depending upon which parts you have replaced overall and the level of usage you make of it we would expect at least three years and probably longer. We use high quality seals in our parts which our suppliers estimate have an average engineering service life of 5 years. Some seals, such as the syphon neck seal and CO2 canister socket seal, may have a lower lifetime when used extensively as these are subject to more abrasion, etc., during repeated uses of the syphons. If kept out of daylight and extremes of temperature when stored for long periods this will extend the lifetime of all rubber sealing components.

The originals were made from copper, aluminium (for Type C) or brass sheet of around 0.5mm thickness. The replacement caps we can supply are made from either copper or aluminium of a similar thickness to the original ones.

We sell seals for both the original glass straws (kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXaWf4eCor-isLM ) and modern replacement neck seals with either glass or plastic straws. Suitable charger keys - including both original "period" items and modern re-manufactured ones - are available. Contact details are on our website www.acquaspumante.co.uk

Shaking the bottle helps with getting the CO2 to mix with the water. If you used chilled water it is better as the CO2 dissolves faster into cold water. If you do not use the capsule holder ("charger keys") then you can easily get frost burns to the hands/fingers doing what you propose. they can also be expelled at high speed from your grip to potentially hit your workmates!

You can visit our website at www.acquaspumante.co.uk or find us on Ebay (www.ebay.co.uk/usr/acquaspumante ) to get spare parts and services for a wide range of vintage and classic soda syphons. This includes both re-manufactured seals for the neck mounted dip-tube and also those for the CO2 bulb/canister charging socket.

There are plenty of these appearing in second hand shops in both the USA and Britain. Try searching for one on Ebay.

Q: I am wondering when such a device was invented and from when to when was it popular? A: Pirmieji „Sparklets Type C“ (įprastesnio D tipo pirmtakai) pasirodė rinkoje maždaug 1920 m., o D tipas buvo išleistas 1930 m. Technologiją taip pat licencijavo Vokietijos „Heimsyphon“ ir jie pagamino savo versijas, kurios atrodo beveik toks pat iki Antrojo pasaulinio karo pradžios. Įvairios versijos buvo gaminamos ir kitoms Europos rinkoms, pavyzdžiui, Prancūzijai, kur buvo labai populiarūs spalvoto stiklo buteliai. A: The first Sparklets Type C (the pre-cursor to the more common Type D) came onto the market in around 1920 and the Type D was launched in 1930. The technology was also licensed by Heimsyphon of Germany and they produced their own versions which look almost the same up until the start of the Second World War. Various versions were also made for other European markets, such as France where coloured glass bottles were very popular.

Yes, you can send a short video to us and we can diagnose from that. The usual things that need replacement on these models are the neck seal and dip-tube assembly, the rubber seals that surround the neck of the CO2 capsule when it plugs into the head and those inside the head of the syphon, which control the flow of soda water. The internal design of the head is almost the same as shown in this video Cross section of type D soda syphon head showing how it works kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ3PkJtmqJebfqM

Most dishwashing tablets are made from sodium silicate, enzymes and strong detergents. They are formulated to be very alkaline and the combination of the high temperatures in a dishwasher and the alkalinity will etch old glass items and those items made of "crystal" glass, such as old decanters, etc. In this cleaning application the alkaline pH, strong detergents and added enzymes in dishwasher tablets will all help to remove the greases and protein based stains left on the glass after many years of handling and give a good cleaning action. The alkaline pH will, however, attack the aluminium neck collars on Type C syphons if left on for prolonged periods so should be washed off with tap ( or, ideally, demineralised) water after a few minutes. Do not use hot water on your syphon bodies, or put them in a dishwasher, as the combination of high heat and the thick glass of the body (some areas are over 12mm 1/2 inch thick) could cause it to crack!

The following brands fit: Mosa, Kayser, Liss. UK and Europe - Morphy Richards and Three Kings Club. In USA - Leland "Mr. Fizz". Usually described as "unthreaded, 8 gram contents size". Other brands may also fit but we just don't have any confirmed information on these.

The rear of our workshop is built into a hillside and the retaining wall forms a convenient ledge for us to work on during the summer months.

The instructions that came with the early glass bodied syphons of the 1930's gave directions on how to make "sparkling wine" of the champagne style by filling the syphon with one of the more sharp/ dry wines as you would with water but removing the straw from the neck seal before following the carbonation method normally used. It stated that, once the CO2 has been introduced shake and then chill the soda syphon in the fridge before de-pressurising just before serving. Then remove the head (and for those syphons with plastic neck sleeve, the sleeve itself) and pour directly from the syphon body into your glasses. I have tried this method using a Type D glass bodied soda syphon and it works pretty well but can be a bit gassier than normal sparkling wines. You must ensure it is well chilled for best effect. Directly filling the syphon with a low acidity fruit juice, such as mango juice, as you would with water also works well producing a frothy sorbet style drink. Use large glasses and remember it rapidly goes flat to leave a small volume of mildly fizzy fruit juice. Cleaning out the whole syphon, expecially the head mechanism, afterwards is also important as fruit pulp and sugar residues can probably gum up the mechanism later on if left in place; fill the syphon with water and carbonate it and then use shortly afterwards!

Its caused by the internal rubber seals cracking, degrading or debris getting stuck in them. Since these were made in the 60's to 70's the rubber is often perished or gone hard so does not seal properly anymore. The solution is to get the head reconditioned by us, during which we replace all the internal rubber seals with new ones. Contact us at "[email protected]" for more information.

I am sorry to burst your bubble, so to speak, but the syphons in all my demonstrations were just filled with ordinary tap water prior to charging with CO2 gas. In most cases the water was just at room temperature. We don't need to mislead the viewer about using a vintage soda syphon, as they work just fine - as they would originally have done. The reason why the carbonated water produced during these demonstrations is often very cloudy and not like "bottled soda water" is because it takes a while for the injected CO2 to react with the water to produce the carbonic acid which gives carbonated beverages their sharp or zingy taste on the tongue; a couple of hours usually suffices. This period can be shortened if the water has been chilled to about 5 centigrade beforehand, as CO2 dissolves better in very cold water. I get asked variants of this same question so often I have posted another KZbin video about this exact topic. You can find it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKKpXmSIZZarrbc If you want information about re-gassing bar top soda syphons the French company AutoSyphon made a re-filling gadget for hotels and larger bars to re-fill their own brand of syphons on the premises. As of October, 2023, we are just converting one of these to run on modern CO2 capsules (it originally used proprietary "special" capsules). A video of re-filling these syphons using the gadget can be found here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGXLop2Jjbd3pac

Thanks for the informative reply and thanks for the useful video which inspired me to purchase a similar soda syphon with the inbuilt non-retun valve. I'm looking forward to repeating your results for myself. Thanks for the links too ----@@acquaspumante_for_soda

Thank you! Cheers!

The issue of which cartridges are suitable for vintage and classic soda syphons is covered in another video I posted on KZbin here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZbCgptjmNx8nbM Unfortunately, ISI brand cartridges do not seem to fit either in the charger keys of vintage syphons or the charging sockets of the syphons! They are either too long, wide or the neck regions too short. The following brands are generally suitable: Liss, Mosa, Kayser, Morphy Richards and Three Kings Club (a brand designed for the bar trade mainly). This list is not exhaustive and other brands may fit too. In the USA I know that Leland "Mr. Fizz" capsules work well with Types C and D syphons as well as the Sparklets US Streamline range. Work with some USA Soda King syphons too.

The threads on the alloy insert are very fine and difficult to see but a good view of the threading within the brass neck area can be seen at 2:40. The inner metal sleeve is made from - probably - some sort of zinc alloy (possibly Mazac) which has been partially passivated. However, it is not uncommon to see ones which have pitting holes all the way through the wall of the sleeve - which can actually be seen on this example, although it is not pointed out during the video. As to the internal coating I don't know what it was made from. It seems pretty durable, although when cleaning these out during reconditioning of these syphons, it can give rise to small black flecks in the water dispensed. However, this can also be caused by the advanced breakdown of the black rubber neck seal which can give rise to black blobs in the water.

@@acquaspumante_for_soda Yes I see it now, don't know how I missed that but I did, anyway I am thinking of having a go at getting the old insert out and replacing it with a new one. thanks for your reply.

In general, the answer is No. Even though the same thread pitch was used on both the metal bodied and mesh/glass (Types C and D) syphons the Type D head threads are "looser" in size, to take account of - probably - the fact that the threads on the neck of the english made Type D's were nickel plated which increased their size marginally. Type C and D heads will fit on the bodies of the metal syphons (although somewhat loosely) but the heads from the later syphons will not fit onto the mesh/glass bodies. I have only seen a couple of cases where a later 1950's head had been fitted on a 1950's made Type D body successfully, possibly because the owners were lucky on the wide manufacturing tolerances in the production at the time.

The head unscrews, just like the Sparklets Type D it is based on, and you fill it up with water to the red line still just visible on the glass. Screw the head back down, ensuring the glass dip-tube "straw" and neck seal are in place before using a "sparklets" 8 gram CO2 capsule (with appropriate charger key) to introduce the fizz to the water. Tastes best if chilled to about 5 centigrade before serving or use.

Having the neck seal jam in the thread inside the head is a very common problem with most models of Sparklets soda syphon ( and many other vintage brands too!). The rubber frequently "spreads" if the head has been left screwed down tight for a prolonged period and then sticks into the threads. I would suggest that you gently lever the seal away from the threads using a screw driver to loosen it and, once visibly loose, then pull it out with the plastic tube. If tube comes away then grab the remains of the rubber with a pair of pliers and pull the remains out. Clean the surfaces of both the neck of the body and inside the head before putting it back. Ideally, now is the time to replace it as it sounds very degraded. New seals and dip-tube assemblies for the Hostmaster Mk. 1, 2 and 3 can be found here: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353130326546. If you have the earlier Streamline models (chrome or stainless steel body with coloured stripes) then neck seals and dip-tubes can be found here: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353429344684

You can buy them on Ebay via this listing: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353542243915

Yes, we do carry a replacement for this "bulb neck seal" as a kit. Contact us via e-mail at [email protected] or you can purchase on Ebay (this is the listing www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354118519086 ). We also now have an agent in New Zealand who may be able to help you with this in the future if you need the head reconditioned. Their website is www.timeaftertime.co.nz

You can pre-fill the bottle and put it in the fridge overnight before charging with a CO2 capsule. That would probably give the same effect, although I have not tried this. A Sparklets with a new neck seal should keep its pressure for at least 3 and frequently over 7 days in the fridge.

i find charging the cold water doesnt really get super fizzy. having cold water, charging it and then leaving it in the fridge for a while really boosts the gas