Did I mess it up? Ball lock keg lids

[helterscelter]

Ok. I'm lazy.

A fairly long time ago I was washing and sanitizing my kegs. I have several so I tend to do them in batches. One thing led to another and I ended up leaving my keg lids orings poppets and prvs in a bucket of starsan. Fast forward 6 or 8 months and all the starsan has evaporated. Leaving all my lids very tarnished.

I've scrubbed them all with pbw and bar keepers friend. Then soaked in acid #5 (150f at 5oz per gallon) for several hours.

I was hoping the tarnish would go away but unfortunately no such luck.

Are these ok? Salvageable?

 

[JohnSand]

I don't know for sure. But they aren't in contact with the beer, so if they hold pressure I would use them.

 

[day_trippr]

Aren't corny keg lids aluminum?
The potential problem is the rim of the lid that the O-ring seals against may be so corroded it won't hold pressure.
Lots of keg lube may be necessary...

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

Aren't corny keg lids aluminum?

Nope, all SS.

 

[day_trippr]

You must be right, it'd be crazy to use aluminum with acidic soda syrup.
But I've always thought the lids were the most un-stainless-looking things I've ever seen...

Cheers!

 

[Queequeg]

That's what unpolished stainless looks like.

 

[helterscelter]

I don't know for sure. But they aren't in contact with the beer, so if they hold pressure I would use them.

the corrosion? on the top of the lid/around the PRV isn't too concerning..

it's the the tarnish on the inside lip of the lid seal and on the bottom -- which are exposed to beer.. I'd hate to have little nasties hiding in my lids, quietly ruining entire kegs of beer.. I'm intending to lager/age some of these batches for a couple months..

I suppose I could try polishing them up some, see if the tarnish comes off -- though the scrubbing/cleaning/acid soak/etc I've already done didn't touch it..

 

[JohnSand]

I see your point, sanitation might be harder.
You can probably boil them. Replacing them would give you peace of mind.