Crack in my carboy

[wherestheyeast]

I don't know how long it's been there, but I noticed a hairline crack in the bottom of my carboy. It starts on the bottom about an inch away from the center and ends on the side about 1/2" above the bottom.

I probably shouldn't use it, but the boil is just about finished on a batch & I've got nothing else to use....

 

[passedpawn]

Good luck with that. Looks like the prologue to the next glass carboy disaster.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

are you sure that's a crack rather than a casting defect?

I can't tell from here whether it goes all the way through the glass.

I am at a point where i trust my used vintage industrial chemical carboys a lot more than the current bargain basement recycled window glass carboys.

 

[sww35]

Duct tape the dog mess out of that carboy just in case it is a crack. Just so that if it does decide to break,.... the glass doesn't cut you all to hell.

 

[wherestheyeast]

are you sure that's a crack rather than a casting defect?

I can't tell from here whether it goes all the way through the glass.

I am at a point where i trust my used vintage industrial chemical carboys a lot more than the current bargain basement recycled window glass carboys.

Yeah, I'm not sure.... I've never noticed it before (but that doesn't mean anything). I've had it since 1999 (but it has sat in storage for 99% of its life). I don't think it goes all the way through, but I can feel it with my fingernail.

I recently got a brew-hauler, but just to be safe will be using a milk crate to move it room-to-room. I use the water/ice bath method of temp control, can I leave the brew-hauler sumberged in the water, on the carboy?

 

[DeafSmith]

It could just be a superficial defect - I have one in my carboy like that but examination under a magnifying glass shows that it is just on the surface. If it is really a crack through the glass, you should be able to see a dark shadow in the glass if you catch the light just right. But even if it looks superficial, the duct tape is probably a good precaution. And carry it in a milk crate or BrewHauler so you don't have to pick up the carboy in your arms.

 

[ChuckO]

Looks more like a surface imperfection to me, but keep the carboy in a milk crate anyway. Any surface discontinuity is a stress riser, even those minute scratches on the bottom rim where the carboy has sat on a rough surface.

 

[MrEggSandwich]

on my 5 gallon carboy last night before I racked into it. It was on the outside, right in the middle of the bottom (about 3-4 inches long), and I could feel it with my nail. It just seemed like a surface scratch.

I guess I will wear my welding gloves and use a milk crate. Better Bottles looking better every day. Love my glass, but it is scary.

 

[wherestheyeast]

Update: still using the same carboy. Been using the brew hauler every time it's full.

Hopefully I'm not tempting fate.

-WTY

 

[BansheeRider]

Update: still using the same carboy. Been using the brew hauler every time it's full.

Hopefully I'm not tempting fate.

-WTY

I think for $15 tempting fate is not worth it. Go buy a new fermenting bucket until you can purchase a new carboy.

 

[brewfreeordie]

If it gets bigger it could start to leak. Even if you don't have a catastrophic failure there's a good chance you'll come home to a sticky puddle.

It's hurts, but I wouldn't risk it.

 

[AnOldUR]

Had something like that. Hard to tell if it was an imperfection, scratch or crack. Used a Sharpie to mark both ends and used it. That was three years and many batches of beer ago. It hasn't grown so guess it's safe, but I'm still extra careful when handling it.

 

[annoyingrob]

I had one crack like that.

I recommend picking a few more up on kijiji or somewhere for cheap, and toss that one.

 

[ButcherBoy]

Put the number for the hospital in your cell phone under ICE (In Case of Emergency). You'll probably need it soon if you keep using that.

 

[tsototh]

Ok, I've got a crack myself, in my carboy that is. Looks like where a rock hits your windshield. This is the first time I've noticed it and I'm not sure how it happened? Maybe I bumped it with my other carboy?

What do you think? Tape it or trash it?

 

[SEndorf]

"Star" cracks are a disaster waiting to happen. (Unlike the OP's situation which may just be an imperfection and not run through to the other side.)
I would not use it.

 

[DrWill]

Update: still using the same carboy. Been using the brew hauler every time it's full.

Hopefully I'm not tempting fate.

-WTY

You are. A temperature swing could cause that to shear.

And yes, I'm writing from experience.

 

[passedpawn]

Ok, I've got a crack myself, in my carboy that is. Looks like where a rock hits your windshield. This is the first time I've noticed it and I'm not sure how it happened? Maybe I bumped it with my other carboy?

What do you think? Tape it or trash it?

I'm be very careful carrying that to the recycling bin!

 

[AnOldUR]

Yeah, disregard any suggestion I made above. That thing is the proverbial, "accident waiting to happen!"

 

[tsototh]

I had just bottled my first batch of Apfelwein out of it too! Bummer. I got it used from a guy who used it for wine. Must be a cheapo. It is smooth all over (no ridges like my other one).

 

[gdbrewer]

Trash it, or recycle, before you end up in the meat wagon.