Carboy melted a little... Toxic?

[jwbeard]

Midway through the process of heating up my spathe water, I realized I had a little too much water in the kettle. I bled a little into my carboy, and quickly noticed that it was not happy. The plastic melted a little (nothing burned, just misshapen).

Can I still pitch into the carboy?

 

[CadillacAndy]

What kind of carboy are you using? I use 5 gallon plastic buckets, and have never had one get misshapen or melt - even with boiling water in them.

 

[jwbeard]

They're plastic. I have a bottling bucket I can ferment in if the carboy is done for, though that's less ideal...

 

[beninan]

I would think you would be able to pitch into it, as any toxins would have probably only entered into the water that initially caused it to become misshapen, but what do I know...

Maybe soak is in Oxyclean/PBW for a bit?

 

[unionrdr]

I'd pitch it. If for nothing else,I wouldn't trust it's structural integrity. Besides some chemical change in re-heating the plastic. I've also seen just about everywhere not to put boiling liquid into those.

 

[CadillacAndy]

I would probably agree with Beninan - that if any toxins would have leached out, they would have gone in to the water that was in there. I would certainly wash it out and triple rinse, just to make sure. Does it smell like burned plastic inside the carboy? It also could be a little bit smaller than the original volume - it looks like the plastic may have contracted a little bit.

I'd say if it doesn't smell like burned plastic, clean it out and go for it.

 

[unionrdr]

"may've contracted a bit"?? It's all veiny like a Martian's head. I'd pitch it.

 

[Transamguy77]

They're plastic. I have a bottling bucket I can ferment in if the carboy is done for, though that's less ideal...

<img src="https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=46652"/>

Less ideal than what? Using that melted plastic container? I personally would not use it, that part of the plastic may have become brittle and may start leaking at some point, not to mention you truely don't know about the toxins that may or not have leaked out.

 

[CadillacAndy]

"may've contracted a bit"?? It's all veiny like a Martian's head. I'd pitch it.

That's a pretty accurate description! If anything, I agree that I'd be more worried about the structural integrity of it.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,that was my 1st thought. I also had flashbacks to the 1953 War of the Worlds.