Is my ball valve safe?

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brewzombie

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I bought some parts to convert a 3-gallon cooler into a partial mash tun. I have brass adapters, a stainless steel braid, and a mystery ball valve. Anyone know if this ball valve is safe? The markings on it are:

Aqua-dynamic (brand)
ANSI NSF61-8 (water safe I think?)
107-002 (part no. maybe?)
WOG (?)
600 (psi pressure rating)

It looks like coated metal (but I don't know anything about metal). I hot it from home depot. It was the only ball valve they had that was for 3/8".
 
Wow I was just thinking about posting a similar question. I bought my equipment from Lowes, but I'm sure they are all similar. I have heard about dipping all the brass items in a peroxide and vinegar solution. Takes off the coating or something.
 
IMO, yes it's safe to use.

Lifted this from another site:

"ANSI/NSF Standard 61 has been developed in response to amendments to the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA), which requires that pipe, fittings and fixtures be lead-free. The BA-100/150 NSF also satisfies the lead-leaching standards set in NSF-61-8 for end-point devices (faucets), as stated in section 9. This more-stringent measurement guarantees safe use of the BA-100/150 NSF in drinking-water applications."
 
IMO, yes it's safe to use.

Lifted this from another site:

"ANSI/NSF Standard 61 has been developed in response to amendments to the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA), which requires that pipe, fittings and fixtures be lead-free. The BA-100/150 NSF also satisfies the lead-leaching standards set in NSF-61-8 for end-point devices (faucets), as stated in section 9. This more-stringent measurement guarantees safe use of the BA-100/150 NSF in drinking-water applications."

So the ball valve is safe. That's great news!

Is the vinegar/peroxide pickling necessary for the brass parts to be safe?

Will these metals rust when wet? I don't even know what the ball valve is made from.
 
This will remove the surface lead from the brass. It's a very small amount of lead but it is a good idea to go that route.
 
So the ball valve is safe. That's great news!

Is the vinegar/peroxide pickling necessary for the brass parts to be safe?

Will these metals rust when wet? I don't even know what the ball valve is made from.

Pickling the brass is the safest way to go. I don't bother with it though. I always run a lot of hot cleaning solution through my system whenever I install new fluid handling components whatever they may be. I figure that anything that may come off of the fittings will be flushed away with the cleaning solution and rinse water. I worry more about the possibility of getting struck by a meteor while brewing. That could really be bad.

The valve body is likely brass. The "ball" part is likely stainless steel. There should be zero issues with rust. Post a picture if you are still worried and need more assurance. Really though, I would stop worrying and get on with brewing. You will have plenty of other stuff to worry about once you get going.
 
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