CDL gallone bottles leaking

[Bricklayer]

90% of my gallone 1litre bottles are leaking. Been using the same bottles for 3 years and only had the odd one leak.
Tried going to a different manufacturer to try different lids. Same thing happened.
Tried different bottling techniques like not heating up bottles first. That didn’t work. Tried putting bottles on side for different amounts of time that didn’t work. Tried giving the caps a tighten once cooled down a bit. That didn’t work either. Driving me insane. Got 100 litres bottled and more to do and don’t want to sell leaking bottles.
CDL has said nobody else is having problems. Find that hard to believe.
Anybody else having issues.
20017

[maple flats]

I had a leaking issue years ago. My dealer asked 2 questions, how full was I filling it and how tight was I turning the cap? I was filling them to within about 1/8-1/4" of the top and turning the cap as tight as I could by hand. I was told to only fill them to just below the bottom of the threads and to only tighten the caps moderately tight. I changed both and the leak issues stopped. I did both at the same time so I don't know if just one of those would have solved the problem. I was told also that if I re-tighten the caps after the initial tightening that was likely breaking the seal that had been made. Try those, it may help, however mine were not the gallone bottles.

[western mainer]

The caps you are using do they have a round top? If so they will leak on the liter bottle but will work on the 500ml. Use only the flat top caps. I fill them to the top and the flat caps work fine.
Brian

[Bricklayer]

The caps I have are the new flat ones. I tried some of the rounded ones a couple years ago. Did 6 bottles and knew they sucked. Had the flat ones last year too no problems.
I just bottled 6 bottles as a test.
-syrup at 180 F
-filled bottle to just under start of threads
-screwed cap on. Noticed I could tighten a lot more when filling to this height
- layed bottle on side for 10 minutes then stood them up.

Will let them cool over night and see what happens.

[maple flats]

10 minutes will not hurt, but 30 seconds is just as good. I like 185 better than 180. Unless you know the thermometer is accurate, 185 gives it a good margin of error and still be safe.
I hope this batch works fine.

[Bricklayer]

They better work. The bottles I opened to dump back in canner had none of the seals stuck to the top of the bottle. So this batch better seal. So frustrating. And especially for something so simple.

[maple flats]

I use some D&G jugs and was told the seals do not stick to the top of the jug, but they never leaked. I wonder if your seals are not designed to stick. They are however designed to seal.

[Bricklayer]

Maybe not. I’d be happy even if they didn’t stick and the bottles just sealed properly and didn’t leak. Will check on this 6 bottle test batch in the morning.
I just remember last couple years. All my bottles had the seal left on the bottle when you took the cap off and when you pulled it off there was the vacuum hiss. Always a good sign.
Not so with these bottles.
I’ll post results in the morning when I check them.

[Fireguy124]

I use the 500ml galoon bottles. I have not had an issue with leaks maybe 1 or 2 but I have noticed if I take the lid off they were not sealed to the bottle. I always bottle around 185 and immediately turn them on their side for probably an hour.
I did find it weird they were not sealed


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[maple flats]

I have no idea what the seal surface on the CDL containers is (some or maybe all) but it has apparently been designed not to stick.

[Bricklayer]

Once again I’ve come across this issue. This time I actually have syrup going moldy in the bottles. Different supplier this time but I’m assuming they all get their bottles from the same manufacturer.
I’ve been bottling them same way.

-Syrup at 185 even double and triple checked with different thermometers
- Fill bottle to just under the threads. Leaves about 1/2” to top of bottle open
- place cap on and tighten.
- turn bottle on side for 10 minutes then stand up.

Had no problem at all in 2020 and 2021. But now it’s back.

Called the supplier and they asked me if I was placing bottle on its side after installing cap. I said yes of course.
They said that I should not do that. And that’s why I’m getting leaks and not getting a proper seal. The temperature of the syrup is overheating the cap material. Was told to fill bottle to within 1/4” of top and place cap on and done.

#1. Ontario regulations for hotpacking syrup states that I have to turn bottle on its side and recommends preheating the bottles.
#2. Why is a maple equipment company selling a maple bottle and cap that is not suitable for temperatures to be able to hot pack syrup.

[Sugar Bear]

90% of my gallone 1litre bottles are leaking. Been using the same bottles for 3 years and only had the odd one leak.
Tried going to a different manufacturer to try different lids. Same thing happened.
Tried different bottling techniques like not heating up bottles first. That didn’t work. Tried putting bottles on side for different amounts of time that didn’t work. Tried giving the caps a tighten once cooled down a bit. That didn’t work either. Driving me insane. Got 100 litres bottled and more to do and don’t want to sell leaking bottles.
CDL has said nobody else is having problems. Find that hard to believe.
Anybody else having issues.
20017

I have been using the glass 12 ounce and 8 ounce bottles for some years now. Over the years I have had occasional leaking bottles. This year I had 5 bottles. Until this year I always thought it was the cap not on correctly or tight enough. Finally this year I determined and verified that these leaks ( at least all 5 of them this year ) were caused by barely visible hairline short cracks of about 1/4 inch r less just below the threads on the neck of the bottle. Because these cracks are so close to the threads in makes it appear that it is leaking from the cap when the bottle is upside down. BUT IT IS NOT AND LEAKS FROM THE CRACK. Not sure how the cracks got there.

I suggest you take a magnifying glass and look for hairline cracks on your bottles in the neck area at or just below the threads.

My conjectured thoughts on possible causes of the cracks.

1) The glass in the necks is more prone to cracking in that area from its compounded curving in that area when the hot syrup hits it for a while ( I.E. the Pyrex/Low Thermal Expansion cannot function as well in the neck area of a bottle ) . I will try to verify this case by observing bottles before filling with hot syrup and trying to catch a crack in the act post hot syrup fill up.

2) Bottles are stored upside down and if they are dropped on their necks with any level of drop, they may perhaps crack their necks, kind of like yours or mine would.

3) MBF otherwise known as Manufacturing Brain Fart. (all cracks are small and in the same area of the bottle, but some look different than others)

When I can locate my macro lens amongst all my junk (could be six years from now) I will photo and post the cracks.

So, it's hard to believe, but the smallest hairline crack in a bottle, even a barely visible one, can leak MUCH quicker then you will expect. Verified it with the old peepers this year for sure!

[DRoseum]

I have had these leaking issues with the 1000ml gallone bottles as well. Easy to over tighten cap and it leaks. Cap gets soft from hot syrup and it leaks. I think the thread engagement length and material of the cap are problematic. Really love the look of these bottles but the caps are VERY annoying. I had SLIGHTLY better luck with the golden caps with the tamper evident ring. They came in an order thru bascoms early this year (unprinted 1000ml stock). I found just barely tight enough and on side but slightly elevating the bottle neck/cap helped.