Fermenator g4 orings cracking

[AlbertaBeer]

I’m new to all this wonderful stuff and maybe it’s something I’m not doing right but has anyone else had issues with the orings that come with their fermenator cracking up?

Second time cleaning thing up I noticed one of the orings on the spunding valve starting to crack. Now on this last batch while trying to transfer to the keg the racking valve was leaking badly at the stem only to find out the oring for that is absolutely pootched.

I use pbw to wash and sanitize with star San. Nothing has been left for any excessive amount of time in contact with either one so I’m hoping it’s just some bad orings and not something I’m doing?! I don’t know

 

[GoodTruble]

I'm not familiar with this equipment, but I've never seen an o-ring fail/fray that badly.

My guess would be just an odd, defective o-ring. Hopefully it's not hard to get a new one and swap it in.

 

[AlbertaBeer]

Yea I’m not sure what to think as I’ve never seen an oring deteriorate that bad in such a short amount of time. The one in the racking valve seems odd that it would be the cleaners doing it, if any residual got stuck there both orings would have been in contact with it not just the stem oring

I’m not sure what material these are, if I had to guess they’re maybe a fluorosilicone. I have regular buna orings in my service truck that I’m sure will work if at least just temporary

 

[AlbertaBeer]

So I emailed blichmann to see what they thought and they figure it is from the star San. Possibly too strong of a mix, maybe I f’d up but I thought I was pretty close on my mix

The orings are silicone and they sell the replacements. I might just order up some new ones rather than mess around with buna orings

 

[TexanTrail]

So I emailed blichmann to see what they thought and they figure it is from the star San. Possibly too strong of a mix, maybe I f’d up but I thought I was pretty close on my mix

The orings are silicone and they sell the replacements. I might just order up some new ones rather than mess around with buna orings

So, any more history on cracked o-rings? I just finished my 3rd batch on my G4. Cracked on the first batch, and again on this last batch. 2 times in 3 batches.

 

[AlbertaBeer]

So, any more history on cracked o-rings? I just finished my 3rd batch on my G4. Cracked on the first batch, and again on this last batch. 2 times in 3 batches.

I’ve been pretty busy with work lately so I haven’t done a whole lot of batches since I had replaced the orings. I have been a little more cautious about my starsan mixing ratio and haven’t had any more issues since