Kettle dip tube and ball valve are rusted - how to fix?

[ILMSTMF]

EDIT - False alarm. It's just dried up wort (I think). See post 6.

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Trying not to panic. Brewing tomorrow and just noticed the inside of the BK dip tube as well as the ball valve it connects to are rusted. The rest of the BK looks fine - I don't know if that indicates the dip tube / valve components are not stainless. Regardless, I have Bar Keeper's Friend powder. Should I try getting it in there? How and how much ratio of powder to water?

I am concerned with how this has affected previous batches of wort that have passed through...

Thanks for any help that can be offered!

 

[rburrelli]

If it is a 3 piece valve you can disassemble and try to clean. Barkeepers Friend recommends just making a paste-like mix.

are you sure it is rust? Sometimes dried beer buildup can look that way.

 

[McKnuckle]

Found this on the Morebeer site in response to a customer’s complaint/concern about some rust on stainless, which they believe is iron from the manufacturing process (?):

“If you do see a localized spot(s) of surface rust - simply get yourself a WHITE (NOT green type pad if you can avoid it) Scotchbrite pad, dab some Starsan onto the pad, and then GENTLY brush over the area in question until the surface rust has broken up and the area looks consistent with the surrounding areas of stainless. Then just rinse off, dry it with a paper towel, and the area will be good to go and free of the surface layer iron particles that were causing the issue to begin with.”

 

[ILMSTMF]

If it is a 3 piece valve you can disassemble and try to clean. Barkeepers Friend recommends just making a paste-like mix.

are you sure it is rust? Sometimes dried beer buildup can look that way.

Indeed, 3 piece valve. However, the problem areas are "in the tunnel" of it. The same can be said for the candy cane shaped pickup tube. That pickup tube is pretty damn thin - I don't know how I'll be able to get something through it to make contact with the affected surface.

Not sure if it's rust. I will say that the BK gets cleaned immediately after every brew day transfer. Not the next morning, not the next week. The same day. That's an Oxi soak and sponge scrub but the one key step is that the ball valve and pickup tube are opened during the cleanup allowing the Oxi to pass through. Followed by a rinse and, again, drain through the valve.
The BK gets wiped down with a lint-free dry cloth however, I can't really pass a drying cloth through the valve parts so I think that may have been what caused the "rusting".

I would really like to have this solved before brewing tomorrow. I wonder if it's worth putting a Q-tip with that BKF paste through the pickup tube then a rinse out? Any other ideas? Thanks!

 

[IslandLizard]

Can you post a picture showing the rust area(s)?
It's very uncommon to get rust inside a stainless valve or diptube.

The 3-piece valve has 4 bolts, you can unscrew, the whole thing will then come apart, don't lose anything. Much easier to clean and inspect.

A piece of metal wire (e.g., coat hanger, ) with a small piece of (cotton) cloth wrapped around it should make you a pipe cleaner to clean inside the various tubes. BKF will provide you with enough grit to scour it off.

Routine cleaning and air "drying" of the ball valve after brewing has a few details with it too. I'll post when we get there.
I only take the 3-piece valves apart every 6-10 brews, and rarely find any hidden treasure inside.

 

[ILMSTMF]

OK, I had a look at that pickup tube again and the brownish red stain is probably just dried up wort.

• I made a loose "paste" of BKF
• I used a Q-Tip to scrub the paste into the pickup tube
• I had to use several Q-Tips before they were coming out without staining
• Rinsed, repeated. Rinsed...repeated.
• I then put that piece into a small container of hot Oxi for a soak
• In the BK, I filled water up to and above the ball valve port
• I boiled it then removed from heat
• Then, using needle nose pliers, I inserted the pickup tube into the valve port. I do not recommend anyone try this, burnt myself a few times. Hindsight - I should have skipped the Oxi soak for that tube and just installed it for the clear water boil.
• Then I drained the water.

SWMBO, who saw the "rust" in the first place, says that I have cleaned that pickup tube. Huzzah.

Note - I just couldn't be bothered to try BKF on the rest of the ball valve. Especially the interior side of it which 1) will be a pain to get into and 2) happens to show that dried wort... but 3) the threaded exterior of the valve appears clean. I think that has to do with the fact that I use cam lock parts on that side. Those get taken apart and cleaned separately after brewing.

Thanks all! I'm calmed down now lol

 

[Stormcrow]

Glad you got it. My wife has some wire bristle tube cleaners of various widths that I'm always borrowing for the items you're talking about. Not sure where they came from, but they work great for breaking that stuff loose. I'm sure walmart or someplace like that probably sells them. https://www.amazon.com/Bottle-Clean...ocphy=1017047&hvtargid=pla-392814119403&psc=1. Here's what I'm talking about.