My brew kettle spang a leak!

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IwanaBrich

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I originally posted this in the DIY forum in error.

My brew pot seems to have sprung a leak and I'm not sure what to do about it. The pot has two welded fittings (Valve and thermometer) and it seems like the bottom fitting (for the valve) has a tiny crack in it that leaks and I'm not sure what is anything can be done about it.

I know TIG welding is a possible solution, but I can't TIG weld. Does anyone know about what that would cost have that done?

Is there a way for me silver solder it or is there some other solution?

Your thoughts are appreciated!
 
Just make sure the solder doesn't have lead, zinc, or cadmium in it.
 
Ah.....I don't speak Chinese, so I didn't bother contacting the mfg. :) I'm sorry I didn't buy a better pot, like a Polar Tech or Blichmann. Sometimes its cheaper to more!

The soldering article was very interesting, but it focused more on soldering a fitting onto a stainless pot. My pot has a crack in the wall and possibly in the weld that attaches the fitting to the pot. The crack seems to follow the around the bottom edge of the fitting. I attached a pic. So I won't be able get in there and sand/clean the stainless, like it says in the article. I guess, I could cut the fitting off and then solder a new one on, but I think I would make a mess of the pot taking the fitting off. I was hoping that there was a way to get the solder to flow into the crack and seal it much like solder does into a copper fitting.

Is there anyway to fix it or do I just have a piece of scrap metal on my hands?

P1030283.jpg
 
Clean the area well, degrease with acetone, apply liquid flux (make sure flux gets into the crack), heat with a propane torch and apply silver solder until it flows into the crack.

Wire brush it and it should be good to go. The Sta-Brite solder is lead-free and cadmium-free, so it won't be a problem on the inside of the kettle.
 
I enjoy making wine, cider and I am a TIG welder. I don't want to spam your post but I do have something to offer. This is a TIG welding problem. If you try the solder approach, and it later fails (that is possible), then it will require more labor to properly repair it using the TIG process.

I offer precision TIG welding repair and custom project work for brewers and vintners in the Portland and Beaverton area. Steel, stainless steel, aluminum alloys.


Call Johann at 503-490-6471
http://pdxtigwelding.com/
 
I dunno, Max, thats a very very fine crack -I'd be concerned the flux didn't penetrate the ends very well -and if it doesn't, the solder will never seal. If the poster has access to someone with a tig (or a local shop -or depending on the cost of sending it to the last posters' shop) I'd strongly consider doing that instead of hitting it with solder (only to add to the cost of having to clean the problem and then fix it) -still, its worth trying to fix (when one considers the cost of a good pot). I'm a big fan of soldering, but have my doubts about this particular job.
Hope we get an update!
 
I dunno, Max, thats a very very fine crack -I'd be concerned the flux didn't penetrate the ends very well -and if it doesn't, the solder will never seal. If the poster has access to someone with a tig (or a local shop -or depending on the cost of sending it to the last posters' shop) I'd strongly consider doing that instead of hitting it with solder (only to add to the cost of having to clean the problem and then fix it) -still, its worth trying to fix (when one considers the cost of a good pot). I'm a big fan of soldering, but have my doubts about this particular job.
Hope we get an update!

Now that a pic has been posted after my posts I see it's a tiny crack and solder may not penetrate. For solder to work, one would have to cover the whole area over the crack with a fillet. Same case for brazing.

But I think TIG would be the best option. If soldering was tried first and failed, there would be another metal in there contaminating the area to be TIG welded.
 
I was afraid that soldering might not work. So I called my local welding supply (I have a MIG welder) and they gave me the name of local TIG welder, so I called him. Well he wants $50 to weld it. Is that high? If so, does anyone Brewer Friendly TIG welder on Long Island, who'd do it?

Would it be possible for me to grind/cut off the fitting and go with a weldless fitting or possibly solder on another fitting on?

How are weldless fittings anyway? I know a lot use them, but I never have.
 
I was afraid that soldering might not work. So I called my local welding supply (I have a MIG welder) and they gave me the name of local TIG welder, so I called him. Well he wants $50 to weld it. Is that high? If so, does anyone Brewer Friendly TIG welder on Long Island, who'd do it?

Would it be possible for me to grind/cut off the fitting and go with a weldless fitting or possibly solder on another fitting on?

How are weldless fittings anyway? I know a lot use them, but I never have.

I suppose you could call around and see if you get any lower estimates. Regardless of who you hire, make sure you ask if they are proficient in doing sanitary welding. If they can't give you a good answer to that, move on to someone else.

But really, $50 to make the BK sound is money well-spent. Keep in mind the welder has to backfill the space with inert gas, so there's a bit of prep.
 
$50 is only high if everyone else will do it for less.

If it was me I'd build a purge box for the outside of the fitting and then just fusion weld it from the inside and finish it with a grind.
 
I was afraid that soldering might not work. So I called my local welding supply (I have a MIG welder) and they gave me the name of local TIG welder, so I called him. Well he wants $50 to weld it. Is that high? If so, does anyone Brewer Friendly TIG welder on Long Island, who'd do it?

Would it be possible for me to grind/cut off the fitting and go with a weldless fitting or possibly solder on another fitting on?

How are weldless fittings anyway? I know a lot use them, but I never have.


Did you ever have this welded? Did it work? I have a similar crack right in my pot at the spot where I installed my drain ball valve with a hole punch.
 
Clean the area well, degrease with acetone, apply liquid flux (make sure flux gets into the crack), heat with a propane torch and apply silver solder until it flows into the crack.

Wire brush it and it should be good to go. The Sta-Brite solder is lead-free and cadmium-free, so it won't be a problem on the inside of the kettle.

Winner...winner...Chicken dinner.:ban: Not much in a kettle that silver solder applied correctly can't fix.
 
Winner...winner...Chicken dinner.:ban: Not much in a kettle that silver solder applied correctly can't fix.

OK, I don't have much to lose. Maybe I'll try it. I can just sand the area, clean with acetone, apply flux to crack, heat around the crack and slowly get closer to the flux and then start touching the solder to the pot to see if it melts into the crack? Afterward, I can grind it down smooth again with an angle grinder and then clean up with soap and water?
 
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