S.S balls turned black after the boil?

[Bubbles2]

I just bought some 1 oz Stainless 440 g25 and I use them to weight the Hop bags down during boil... I have done this before using the same but smaller .5 oz balls and no change in color or finish... Any one have thoughts on the finish, and what it might be as far as adverse effects on health?

All of these (see pic) were in the 60 min boil 212ºf Two (the smaller ones) stayed chrome but the new 1 oz ones turned Black....

 

[dreaded_rust]

I've never seen SS turn black like that. Not in brewing, not in my kitchen, not in my previous job working in a SS fabrication facility.
Have you contacted the place uou bought them from? Are you sure they're stainless? Are they magnetic?

 

[Soulshine2]

I just bought some 1 oz Stainless 440 g25 and I use them to weight the Hop bags down during boil... I have done this before using the same but smaller .5 oz balls and no change in color or finish... Any one have thoughts on the finish, and what it might be as far as adverse effects on health?

All of these (see pic) were in the 60 min boil 212ºf Two (the smaller ones) stayed chrome but the new 1 oz ones turned Black....

were they food grade stainless? Stainless steel has a wide range of alloys. looks like they oxidized .

 

[Bubbles2]

I've never seen SS turn black like that. Not in brewing, not in my kitchen, not in my previous job working in a SS fabrication facility.
Have you contacted the place uou bought them from? Are you sure they're stainless? Are they magnetic?

Yes they are magnetic and both were in the boil and both are from the same manufacture.

were they food grade stainless? Stainless steel has a wide range of alloys. looks like they oxidized .

I do not know if they are FDA, both are from the same seller and I have contacted him.

The question is although it appears to be oxidized, what are your thoughts on health risks to the batch? No more then the crap the city allows in the water and what is in our wells from mining?

 

[MaxStout]

SS nuts. Cheap, don't corrode.

 

[Aristoi]

I have seen that happen with the threaded portion of my ball lock disconnects and barbs when soaked in starsan. The Barb is SS but he rest is not. I thought it would have all been stainless. When i asked local homebrew store they said it was common for chrome plated brass to do that when soaked in acid solution overnight. If when dry and run your finger over it is a little sticky it is probably same issue as what i had. Sorry but that may look like stainless but is likely not.

Since in my situation is non-beer contact, i cleaned mine up with bar keepers friend and a toothbrush and kept using and learned not to leave in starsan for long periods of time.

 

[Vale71]

Yes they are magnetic and both were in the boil and both are from the same manufacture.

If they are magnetic then they are some type of ferritic steel which is inferior as far as corrosion resistance goes. The usual food grade steels (AISI 304, AISI 316) are amagnetic.

 

[Soulshine2]

Yes they are magnetic and both were in the boil and both are from the same manufacture.


I do not know if they are FDA, both are from the same seller and I have contacted him.

The question is although it appears to be oxidized, what are your thoughts on health risks to the batch? No more then the crap the city allows in the water and what is in our wells from mining?

What were they sold as for purpose and where were they made.

 

[Bubbles2]

What were they sold as for purpose and where were they made.

DID not state what they were for..Ebeh Sold as 1 oz Stainless 440 g25. The smaller 1/2oz ones are from the same manufacture or Seller, and were under the exact same conditions. No Star San or Oxy, just a 60 min boil.
I stayed away from glass marbles (orig) but I might have to go that direction and not have more then 1 in a bag...

 

[Bubbles2]

I have seen that happen with the threaded portion of my ball lock disconnects and barbs when soaked in starsan. The Barb is SS but he rest is not. I thought it would have all been stainless. When i asked local homebrew store they said it was common for chrome plated brass to do that when soaked in acid solution overnight. If when dry and run your finger over it is a little sticky it is probably same issue as what i had. Sorry but that may look like stainless but is likely not.

Since in my situation is non-beer contact, i cleaned mine up with bar keepers friend and a toothbrush and kept using and learned not to leave in starsan for long periods of time.

Maybe the lower Ph and Boil reacted as an acid to the polish or Chrome job...?
Oddly though the others are the same but had no effect (see pic)

 

[bleme]

Did you passivate them before using?

 

[Bubbles2]

Did you passivate them before using?

yeah I used Jet Dry in the dishwasher....LOL

 

[day_trippr]

Some types of SS contain molybdenum, which can turn black...

Cheers!

 

[grampamark]

At least they didn't turn blue.

 

[Bubbles2]

Some types of SS contain molybdenum, which can turn black...

Cheers!

Thanks Daytrippr, looks like I will be purging some sulpher with this batch.

 

[Bubbles2]

At least they didn't turn blue.

Worse I am black balled, no opportunity at all....

 

[Beer Nuts]

I have done this before using the same but smaller .5 oz balls and no change in color or finish... Any one have thoughts on the finish, and what it might be as far as adverse effects on health?

I think you should see a doctor.

 

[shetc]

Did you passivate them before using?

I found it impossible to passivate my balls.

 

[dreaded_rust]

DID not state what they were for..Ebeh Sold as 1 oz Stainless 440 g25. The smaller 1/2oz ones are from the same manufacture or Seller, and were under the exact same conditions. No Star San or Oxy, just a 60 min boil.
I stayed away from glass marbles (orig) but I might have to go that direction and not have more then 1 in a bag...

Id be willing to bet that these are NOT 440 ss. 440 is pretty commonly used for ball bearings, (which may be what you bought) , knives and razor blades. it is very corrosion resistant and actually can be magnetic. 440 is usually ~1% carbon and <1% molybdenum. Like I've said, Ive never seen ss turn that black (especially so quickly) but I really havnt worked much with 440 so who knows.
If it were my brew, i wouldnt use them anymore and id find a replacement from somewhere local so you can be extra sure that they're the right ss. Probably better off with a 300 series steel.

 

[Beer Nuts]

What exactly are these balls supposed to do?

 

[Bubbles2]

Id be willing to bet that these are NOT 440 ss. 440 is pretty commonly used for ball bearings, (which may be what you bought) , knives and razor blades. it is very corrosion resistant and actually can be magnetic. 440 is usually ~1% carbon and <1% molybdenum. Like I've said, Ive never seen ss turn that black (especially so quickly) but I really havnt worked much with 440 so who knows.
If it were my brew, i wouldnt use them anymore and id find a replacement from somewhere local so you can be extra sure that they're the right ss. Probably better off with a 300 series steel.

The seller got back and swore they are surgical, blamed it on an acidic environment. In their defense I did boil with choc nibs and carafa 1 which lowers the PH, yet the other two were not affected...there again. They told me to leave em 1/2 submerged overnight and if they do not rust they are S.S...
I asked why the others (smaller) were not affected and are they sure that is what they sent? So I am waiting if I hear from them.

 

[yowzers]

Get 304 or 316 stainless and you'll be fine.

 

[AkTom]

I use old ss butter knives for weight. Heavy and easy to clean. ymmv
Cheers

 

[Bubbles2]

I use old ss butter knives for weight. Heavy and easy to clean. ymmv
Cheers

Like 18/10 utensils and hook the bag's string around em? I am having a heck of a time finding stainless steel balls that are food safe.

 

[day_trippr]

Why are we weighting hop bags for the boil?

I often use a bag for 60 minute additions to avoid clogging up my 6" SS spider with hot break - saving it for late/post-boil additions. I never weight the bag, yet it's always totally submerged...

Cheers!

 

[AkTom]

Oops. I use them for dry hopping.

 

[MaxStout]

Why are we weighting hop bags for the boil?

I often use a bag for 60 minute additions to avoid clogging up my 6" SS spider with hot break - saving it for late/post-boil additions. I never weight the bag, yet it's always totally submerged...

Cheers!

You've had better luck than me. If I don't put some weight into the bag on my spider, the boil will make the bag float up in the wort.

 

[Bubbles2]

Why are we weighting hop bags for the boil?

I often use a bag for 60 minute additions to avoid clogging up my 6" SS spider with hot break - saving it for late/post-boil additions. I never weight the bag, yet it's always totally submerged...

Cheers!

The "tea bags" I have are a very fine mesh nylon and they float, even with .5oz ball in there, displacement and holding o2...I want them to sink and do not care for hop residue in my boil. I am getting a pretty clear beer using a large fine mesh for my partial and those for my hops. I found a place that has 20mm AISI 304 Stainless Steel Bearing balls Grade 100 ( AISI304) So I am good. Hopefully this Seller actually is selling what they are advertising.

 

[day_trippr]

When I use them I use paint strainer bags - they're either 300 or 400 micron nylon mesh when new (note: use them a dozen times and they're much, much tighter). I'm almost exclusively a pellet hopper, the bag will totally sink during the boil, to the point I'm fishing for the bag before starting a whirlpool recirculation because it often gets sucked up into the dip tube bringing everything to a hard stop...

Cheers!

 

[Bubbles2]

When I use them I use paint strainer bags - they're either 300 or 400 micron nylon mesh when new (note: use them a dozen times and they're much, much tighter). I'm almost exclusively a pellet hopper, the bag will totally sink during the boil, to the point I'm fishing for the bag before starting a whirlpool recirculation because it often gets sucked up into the dip tube bringing everything to a hard stop...

Cheers!

Mine are a finer then paint bags. They are FDA for Tea and such. Mine float even after pushing down on em to let the air out, over and over. hence the weights.