Has anyone else had plastic brewing equipment/tools crack from overnight soaks in PBW? This has happened to me twice now and thinking it's from the long soaks in PBW after a brew session. Also seen this on a hyrdometer test jar. Thanks and Cheers!
Cracking of plastic auto siphon?
- Thread starter mls1970
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Yes, that's a thing. Famously for Better Bottles, and pretty much anything made out of acrylic plastic...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/pbw-and-plastics.521708/
Cheers!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/pbw-and-plastics.521708/
Cheers!
How old were the autosiphons? I have gone through 3 of them. Some plastics get brittle just with age.
As far as better bottles, I don't know about PBW. I use Oxyclean or the generics. Most often lately from Dollar General. I have left the solution in my bottles for up to a week very often. I have 7 of them. The newest is about 4 years old, the oldest is from July 2011. None of them show any signs of brittleness or cracking.
Oxyclean has worked well for me and is much cheaper than PBW.
From what I recall from threads years back refreshed with a touch of google, this isn't normal plastic aging.
The crazing was visible, and it's directly related to prolonged exposure to PBW and probably other similar cleaners...
Cheers!
The crazing was visible, and it's directly related to prolonged exposure to PBW and probably other similar cleaners...
Cheers!
The first one was a couple years old once cracked I pitched it, the one in picture was only used 2 or 3 times before I noticed cracking so now I'm pitching it as well. I don't really use them much any more but like to keep one on hand incase I need it to transfer. Thanks All! My suspicion seems confirmed!
Again I can't say to PBW, but since none of my other plastic has been affected at all from Oxyclean with sometimes sitting in it for a week or so. 2 autosiphon canes fractured. I suspect that at least in part it is the plastic or the manufacturing of those parts. Mine gave out at the curve at the top. I suspect the process to bend it doesn't help anything as far as longevity.
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Robert65
Major Obvious (recently promoted)
I've had autosiphons last nearly forever. I've generally replaced the canes after a number of years only because the seal eventually wears out, never broke a cane. The outer tube has never worn out on me, but I finally replaced it just recently because LHBS didn't have just a replacement inner cane on hand this time, so I bought a whole new one. So it appears that autosiphons don't necessarily inevitably fail. Maybe just faulty manufacturing or materials once in a while? I've also never soaked one for a long time in anything, but I'm unaware of PBW having such an effect on plastic.
(BTW the cane will last a lot longer if you do not store the autosiphon assembled, but keep the tube and cane separate between uses. This delays the seal deforming.)
(BTW the cane will last a lot longer if you do not store the autosiphon assembled, but keep the tube and cane separate between uses. This delays the seal deforming.)
Mine did the same thing . It still works though.
When my first one went it was already at least 4 years old. There was some crazing at the curve of the cane. I was siphoning and I could hear gurgling, I checked the tubing and it seemed tight so I looked and could see air entering through the cracks. I use some clear packaging tape to finish. I wonder if I stressed the curve during use, bending it a little more.
Dave Sarber
Unindicted Co-conspirator
Of all the different equipment items we use as brewers, I think the auto siphons are the most cheaply constructed pieces of crap. It would be nice if one of the manufacturers would put out a nice one, maybe of stainless steel.It would be way more expensive, but I bet it would sell like hotcakes, especially if replacement seals were made available.
That being said, I don't soak mine for long periods time in anything. Clean after use, drain and dry. Sanitize before next use.
Rinse and repeat.
Cheers!
That being said, I don't soak mine for long periods time in anything. Clean after use, drain and dry. Sanitize before next use.
Rinse and repeat.
Cheers!
Of all the different equipment items we use as brewers, I think the auto siphons are the most cheaply constructed pieces of crap. It would be nice if one of the manufacturers would put out a nice one, maybe of stainless steel.It would be way more expensive, but I bet it would sell like hotcakes, especially if replacement seals were made available.
That being said, I don't soak mine for long periods time in anything. Clean after use, drain and dry. Sanitize before next use.
Rinse and repeat.
Cheers!
There are stainless steel ones available. And yes they are expensive. Since I am getting 4 years or more out of the plastic ones. It would take quite a few of them and a lot of years to make the purchase of a stainless steel one pay off.
Dave Sarber
Unindicted Co-conspirator
Where may I find one of those?
I am on my second plastic one, and the seal is already getting iffy.
https://www.brewsensible.com/products/brewsssiphon
At $99.95 That is a lot of plastic ones and a lot of years before it pays itself off.....
If you aren't already get the bigger 1/2 inch plastic one. It siphons faster and is a little more rugged.
At $99.95 That is a lot of plastic ones and a lot of years before it pays itself off.....
If you aren't already get the bigger 1/2 inch plastic one. It siphons faster and is a little more rugged.
Dave Sarber
Unindicted Co-conspirator
ROFLMAO! Ask, and it shall be given! In my original post, I was thinking about adding that it would be nice to have cleaning brushes for it. Read the first review...the Excalibur of brewing canes!
I am a mechanic (aircraft), and learned many, many years ago to get the best tool you can afford, and this is probably it!
Robert65
Major Obvious (recently promoted)
Yikes! And it still doesn't offer replacement seals, so you'd probably have to replace the whole inner cane at least as often as I have the plastic one, but at something like 3-4 times the cost. No thanks.
I trashed all mine. Even after replacing my third one, I noticed little cracks in the neck portion of the cane. One of my club members told me the plastic canes are bad about cracking in that area over time. So, I took his advice and got a stainless cane and started doing pressure transfers.
One of the best things I've done.
One of the best things I've done.
Dave Sarber
Unindicted Co-conspirator
I ordered it. O-rings can be had about anywhere, and the outer seal on the cane looks pretty robust.
@kh54s10 , thanks for that link!
McHop
Active Member
I got tired of replacing cracked plastic siphons every few years and bought the stainless one. The thing is a beast and will hopefully last a lifetime.
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Of all the different equipment items we use as brewers, I think the auto siphons are the most cheaply constructed pieces of crap. It would be nice if one of the manufacturers would put out a nice one, maybe of stainless steel.It would be way more expensive, but I bet it would sell like hotcakes, especially if replacement seals were made available.
That being said, I don't soak mine for long periods time in anything. Clean after use, drain and dry. Sanitize before next use.
Rinse and repeat.
Cheers!
Probably the worst thing about auto-siphons is the fact they siphon a crap-ton of air when they get a little worn, thus oxidizing your beer. I finally gave up on using them and bought one of those mini-diaphragm pumps to do transfers. Little to no air uptake at the beginning (verses a huge gulp and bubble from the auto-siphon) and no ingress and leakage through the tube as it gets worn from use and harsh cleaners. Diaphragm pumps are far superior to auto-siphons and well worth the investment, plus you don't have to lift the emptying vessel higher than the receiving one. Sure saves my aging back.
Brooo Brother
Robert65
Major Obvious (recently promoted)
Link to pump?
I still have and use my 30" stainless racking cane I got in 2008. Was like $13 then from MoreBeer, they've only become cheaper over time. There's nothing that can fail on it. No need for an auto siphon here, neither stainless nor plastic.
Now when we filled, and later emptied, our club barrel it was darn handy to have that diaphragm pump one of our members owns. But in lieu of that, alas taking longer, a racking cane and gravity could have filled it. Transferring the beer from the barrel back to kegs, not so.
Now when we filled, and later emptied, our club barrel it was darn handy to have that diaphragm pump one of our members owns. But in lieu of that, alas taking longer, a racking cane and gravity could have filled it. Transferring the beer from the barrel back to kegs, not so.
Just from overnight? That's odd indeed.
My hydrometer test jar shows crazing (spider webbing), but nothing like in your picture. But mine only had longer soaks in Starsan, not PBW.
Crazing is a common ailment with acrylics (not PET). Expensive ($1000+) film scanner drums would exhibit it too over time. The evaporation of the drum cleaner was first thought to be causing it, but I've never heard the conclusive word on it. I think it's in the manufacturing. Any stress, like a little bending, causes the tiny fractures that were latent. Think of safety glass.
Shortest life I've had on an autosiphon was on a long version carrying it to the car; I was parked in a very tight space. Getting into the car I kind of fell onto the seat and the door closed--CRACK!
Baaaack into the LHBS...
That said I noticed crazing in my better bottle after a prolonged PBW soak then never made that mistake again...haven't needed to do that with the autosiphone since nothing really cakes on, just a rinse with soap and water then hit it with sanitizer and store it separately.
Baaaack into the LHBS...
That said I noticed crazing in my better bottle after a prolonged PBW soak then never made that mistake again...haven't needed to do that with the autosiphone since nothing really cakes on, just a rinse with soap and water then hit it with sanitizer and store it separately.
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Couldn't find the link but it is the Anti-Gravity Transfer Pump, $69 at Northern Brewer. Had it less than a year, but so far so good. Self priming, easily pumps wine 'uphill' from my fermenter (on the floor) to a carboy on the work bench. Cleans and sanitizes easily. Stainless steel racking tube. Very compact, though a bit noisy which is typical of a diaphragm pump.
Brooo Brother
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Mine has some slight cracks, but nothing like that...and I've owned it since 1994. Yep...over 25 years old.
I tip my fermenters so the yeast gathers to one side. I know my cracks are self-induced because I use a small spring clamp to hold mine from falling into the yeast while siphoning.
I tip my fermenters so the yeast gathers to one side. I know my cracks are self-induced because I use a small spring clamp to hold mine from falling into the yeast while siphoning.
A lot can be replaced, but there are a few proprietary parts on it. Be careful with the bottom cap. It's silicone and the sharp edges on the bottom of the siphon can tear a hole if you drop it into a bucket.
