Omg, I am so stupid. I bought my auto siphon many, many years ago and didn't really start using it till my recent resurgence into fermentables.... I always hated to use the thing since it just never seemed to be all that helpful as I had developed a fairly simple way of starting a regular siphon. I think I just figured out what that "monster plastic racking cane tip" is supposed to be used for. I didn't connect your statement with it, Crowing, but I was just shopping online for a "starter kit" for my brother to get him started in the beer-making hobby and I see several types of auto siphons...and at the end of each one is a large "cap" that reminds me of the ones at the end of the racking canes I've used over the years.The one he's talking about probably is the one I have also; it's got a plastic nub at the bottom that slides on to keep the intake off the bottom. Doesn't work miracles but if the lees aren't disturbed and a small layer it'll work
I think I just figured out why my auto siphon hasn't worked all that well over the years. There has been a larger (much too large) plastic tip that I thought was a racking cane tip, just floating around in all my brewing equipment. Never threw it out, but kept wondering if I'd ever own (or HAD ever owned) a racking cane big enough to use that over-sized tip. Now, I guess I know what it's for...only took 10+ years to figure it out! Wow, still learning.