Examining possible solutions to issue of sulfur smell from Perlick 650ss faucets

[sctcts]

Huh, I didn't realize that was where you found that PDF. You'd think they would just link the one page of that PDF that actually provides growler filling instructions.

Anyways, I feel like this only reinforces my point that their marketing department is just reusing old material – the page that references 304 clearly shows a 630SS, no flow control.

I agree they should be doing more due diligence to correct these kind of things on their website. They did remove the claim under the product details tab, that's what I was referring to earlier.

 

[fun4stuff]

Can I reuse the lye solution from the first alkaline rinse for the second?

 

[LBussy]

Can I reuse the lye solution from the first alkaline rinse for the second?

Absolutely.

 

[ryantollefson]

Thanks for all the info on here...

I have a keg of carbonated water, and am getting the sulfur smell like people are describing here; sulfur for the first little bit coming through the tap, then it's good until it sits for an extended period of time (8+ hours).

Thing is though, I have the Perlick 630SS faucets. I haven't seen anyone mention these as having the issue... should I try the passivation technique outlined on the whole thing? What else should I consider?

 

[LBussy]

Thanks for all the info on here...

I have a keg of carbonated water, and am getting the sulfur smell like people are describing here; sulfur for the first little bit coming through the tap, then it's good until it sits for an extended period of time (8+ hours).

Thing is though, I have the Perlick 630SS faucets. I haven't seen anyone mention these as having the issue... should I try the passivation technique outlined on the whole thing? What else should I consider?

I run carbonated water as well - it is slightly acidic but I would not expect it to get to the level of what some of us have found to be troublesome. Still, if you are getting the sulfur smell it comes from somewhere.

There's no harm in trying the fix on your internal pieces.

 

[BrunDog]

If he is using RO water there isn't much to buffer the carbonic acid, so the pH can drop by a bit.

 

[fun4stuff]

Absolutely.

Thanks again. The PDF was well organized and easy to follow. Got rid of the sulfur smell/taste that I was getting with my cider. I appreciate everyone's work in putting this together!

 

[LBussy]

Thanks again. The PDF was well organized and easy to follow. Got rid of the sulfur smell/taste that I was getting with my cider. I appreciate everyone's work in putting this together!

Glad to hear it! Love success stories.

 

[ryantollefson]

I run carbonated water as well - it is slightly acidic but I would not expect it to get to the level of what some of us have found to be troublesome. Still, if you are getting the sulfur smell it comes from somewhere.

There's no harm in trying the fix on your internal pieces.

Thanks for the response, I'll give it a shot.

If he is using RO water there isn't much to buffer the carbonic acid, so the pH can drop by a bit.

Nope, city water run through a carbon filter. City lists it as pH of 7.3 on last years water report, but I suppose I could test it to be sure.

This is a new setup, (used corny kegs, but everything else was brand new: lines/taps/regulator/etc.). I took apart the faucets and did a hot PBW soak for about 30 min. Then soaked in warm water for a bit and did a couple of warm water rinses of each part.

Other possible culprits?

• I used Petro-gel on all seals.
• Stainless Shanks between the line & the faucet.
• No starsan/other sanitizer was used for this - I figured it wasn't needed for just tap water.

 

[BrunDog]

Well, that theory is busted. Damn Perlick really should be handling this. This is the first we have heard of issues with the 630's though.

 

[sctcts]

Nope, city water run through a carbon filter. City lists it as pH of 7.3 on last years water report, but I suppose I could test it to be sure.

Just because it's city water doesn't mean it has any buffering capacity. You'd need to check how much carbonates or other minerals that contribute to 'hardness' of the water, this I what gives it buffering capacity. I'm guessing your water is not very hard, so carbonating it would make it fairly acidic. I think carbonated water typically has a pH of about 4? Could be wrong on that...

[*]Stainless Shanks between the line & the faucet.

What type of stainless steel are the shanks? I've seen 303 stainless shanks that could in theory show the same problems as the 650SS taps, though I've never actually heard of it happening.

 

[ryantollefson]

Just because it's city water doesn't mean it has any buffering capacity. You'd need to check how much carbonates or other minerals that contribute to 'hardness' of the water, this I what gives it buffering capacity. I'm guessing your water is not very hard, so carbonating it would make it fairly acidic. I think carbonated water typically has a pH of about 4? Could be wrong on that...

Could be this... pretty sure we're considered to have fairly soft water...
Total hardness on city report is listed at 37.

Will a pH meter be accurate on carbed water? I just got one, but haven't started using it yet.

What type of stainless steel are the shanks? I've seen 303 stainless shanks that could in theory show the same problems as the 650SS taps, though I've never actually heard of it happening.

Shanks are from Keg Connection, listed as 304 stainless... guess it could be wrong specs though.

 

[sctcts]

Yep, that's pretty soft water.

I think a pH meter should be accurate on carbonated water. Might as well try it, I don't see how it could hurt.

I doubt the specs are wrong, 303 stainless shanks are pretty rare from what I've seen.

 

[LBussy]

You could always passivate your shanks - that would make sure all SS pieces are handled. I can't see them being an issue but you never know. Since you'll have the chems out anyway it's an easy thing to do.

 

[EternalHoppiness]

Wow, a huge thanks to agrazela, sctcts, and LBussy! I followed Lee's instructions on my two 650ss, and the sulfur smell is gone, even on the first pull after a week out of town. What a relief!

In my case it was sparkling mead on both 650ss faucets. One was worse than the other, but it had been through one extra star-san cycle. Now both are sulfur free.

I was baffled until I found this thread, as I never had any problems on my 530ss or 630ss faucets, even with mead and cider. I never imagined it would be the stainless that was the problem.

Thanks guys!

 

[LBussy]

Awesome that it worked for you! It's science but I'm still thrilled when it works.

 

[ryantollefson]

Could be this... pretty sure we're considered to have fairly soft water...
Total hardness on city report is listed at 37.

Will a pH meter be accurate on carbed water? I just got one, but haven't started using it yet.



Shanks are from Keg Connection, listed as 304 stainless... guess it could be wrong specs though.

The plot thickens... after a few weeks of use, the sulfur smell completely went away - even after letting it sit for up to a week at a time.

Then this afternoon I actually got around to mounting my taps (they had just been loose in the fridge), and check out what the shank looks like.

I think I found the culprit, and I'm no metallurgist, but this doesn't seem like 304 stainless to me.

 

[gnef]

It looks like you need to have a conversation with Keg Connection.

Does the silvery metal part flake off revealing the copper colored metal underneath? If so, that definitely sounds like a chrome plated brass shank.

On an all-stainless shank, you can drill, sand, or remove material with some other method, and it should not change color. This makes me want to take each of my shanks to my disc sander and double check them now.

 

[BrunDog]

You should be able to see the difference between chrome and stainless. But as noted some physical abrasion would be proof.

 

[ryantollefson]

It looks like you need to have a conversation with Keg Connection.

Yeah, I went to bed pretty upset about this. I was going to give them a chance to fix it, but was not really trusting them after seeing this... just went and was reviewing my order info before I called them... apparently I'm an idiot, and somehow selected the wrong shanks. I picked stainless on almost everything in the kit I bought, but must have missed a dropdown somewhere on the shanks.

Looks like this one was entirely my fault... :smack:

Back to Keg Connection to order the right thing.

 

[gnef]

Well, glad you figured it out!

I would keep these shanks though, you may want to use them to build a Jockey box in the future if you don't already have one (this is what I did with my old chrome plated brass shanks, and now have three jockey boxes that I've built).

 

[Ruvort]

Does anyone know if the sulfer issue also applies to the Perlick 690SS faucets? I am going to be receiving one in the mail soon and just wanted to check if I needed to go through the process with them or not.

Thank you

 

[day_trippr]

If the problem is the material used for the flow compensator, then yes, it'll likely have the same potential problem...

Cheers!

 

[Ruvort]

If the problem is the material used for the flow compensator, then yes, it'll likely have the same potential problem...

Cheers!

Sorry. After rereading my question, I realize my initial post wasn't very clear.

I was trying to ask if anyone knew if the same issues that effect the 650SS version also effect the 690SS?

 

[BrunDog]

I think day_trippr understood you. The problem with the 650 is the use of 303 stainless for at least one of the parts. If the 690 uses 303 stainless, then it likely will have the problem.

That said, I can't imagine that Perlick would be that dumb after the disaster with the 650's.

 

[RevKev]

I haven't had the issue and I just recurved mind a few months ago

 

[Justintoxicated]

The plot thickens... after a few weeks of use, the sulfur smell completely went away - even after letting it sit for up to a week at a time.

Then this afternoon I actually got around to mounting my taps (they had just been loose in the fridge), and check out what the shank looks like.

I think I found the culprit, and I'm no metallurgist, but this doesn't seem like 304 stainless to me.

I don't think the brass / chrome was the reason for sulfur smell, but the fact that you had something do that to your shank definatly suggests that whatever you were running in your tap is / was very acidic!

I had chrome shanks in use for years before they showed any brass, and I was running cider through them!

The smell from one of mine (My Citric carbonated water / tap ) went away on it's own. I never did use the chemicals I bought to "fix the problem" it just kind of went away. However I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually comes back so I may still do the treatment.

I bought my chrome shanks on accident as well. It was sold at SS Perklic tap with shank (So I assumed the shank was stianless too). It can be hard to tell the difference between the two visually, and my SS shanks are actually very slightly magnetic (Need a real strong magnet) while my chrome shanks are not... go figure!

 

[Ruvort]

I haven't had the issue and I just recurved mind a few months ago

Is this in reference to the 690SS or the 650SS?

Thank you

 

[Ruvort]

I think day_trippr understood you. The problem with the 650 is the use of 303 stainless for at least one of the parts. If the 690 uses 303 stainless, then it likely will have the problem.

That said, I can't imagine that Perlick would be that dumb after the disaster with the 650's.

Thank you. I hope that they did solve it with the 690SS. Would it hurt to go through the same process with them just in case?

 

[day_trippr]

I think day_trippr understood you. The problem with the 650 is the use of 303 stainless for at least one of the parts. If the 690 uses 303 stainless, then it likely will have the problem.

That said, I can't imagine that Perlick would be that dumb after the disaster with the 650's.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least. The two faucets and all the parts therein are identical save for a different faucet lever.
Did Perlick ever acknowledge the 650ss problem?

Cheers!

 

[LBussy]

Would it hurt to go through the same process with them just in case?

No, it would not hurt regular SS at all.

 

[Ruvort]

No, it would not hurt regular SS at all.

Awesome! Thank you guys very much.

 

[BrunDog]

Wouldn't surprise me in the least. The two faucets and all the parts therein are identical save for a different faucet lever.

Did Perlick ever acknowledge the 650ss problem?



Cheers!

That depends on what you consider "acknowledge". I spoke with an engineer there and he was aware of the problem and claimed they were working on a fix. But since they have been silent publicly, and no such fix has been presented, we should assume they are trying to cover it up.

I haven't had any issue with mine, and I am stuck with them now considering the investment, but if I were starting from zero, I would not give Perlick my business.

For a couple of bucks to their books they should have offered replacement parts made of 304 and did what's right.

 

[jprank2]

This is a great thread. Thanks for all your work guys.

I noticed this on my 650SS's a few months ago after letting star san sit in them. I have had star san smell like that once before, I believe it was when my water softener needed more salt, or perhaps it was just really old star san, I forget. After pushing the beer through the smell went away, so I just ignored it.

I noticed it again a couple nights ago after cleaning and found this thread. I have a saison (pH=4.3) on tap that has scored well but I don't really like. Last night I tried the saison through a picnic tap and it tasted noticibly brighter. Either it was just me imagining things or it really could be the taps imparting an off flavor/aroma to the beer even though it has a normal beer pH.

Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and do this process on all four of my 650SS taps.

Question- for those of you who did this process with success, what parts did you treat? I believe it was agrazela that said that the flow control lever was discolored after treating.

 

[LBussy]

I did all but the faucet body and bonnet - just for the sake of completeness.

 

[jprank2]

Thanks for your quick reply Lee. Why did you choose to omit the bonnet and body but not the external flow control lever? Did any of the parts you treated show any signs of discoloration compared to the non-treated parts?

Thanks,
John

 

[LBussy]

Well, the second time I did this I threw them all in actually, then fished out the body and bonnet (and handle jacket) and forgot about the lever and other parts because I was being lazy.

*Maybe* there was some discoloration, but it's just a matter of it being a shade darker if anything.

There's three parts I passivated the first time I did this:

• Handle Lever
• Flow Control Barrel
• Flow-Control Compensator

Doing those gave me the results I wanted.

 

[fun4stuff]

Well, the secodn time I did this I threw them all in actually, then fished out the body and bonnet (and handle jacket) and forgot about the lever and other parts because I was being lazy.

*Maybe* there was some discoloration, but it's just a matter of it being a shade darker if anything.

There's three parts I passivated the first time I did this:

• Handle Lever
• Flow Control Barrel
• Flow-Control Compensator

Doing those gave me the results I wanted.

I did these 3 parts. I did not notice any discoloration.

 

[jprank2]

So I tried this for the first time last night and was unsuccessful. Just when I was about to put the parts in the Lye solution the bottom of the Jar broke off. It looks like it was a clean break at the part where the bottom meets the sides.

Has anyone had this issue? I'm using Ball jars. Luckily I had the jar in a pot (double boiler method) so there was no real mess. What did you use for a container?

 

[LBussy]

So I tried this for the first time last night and was unsuccessful. Just when I was about to put the parts in the Lye solution the bottom of the Jar broke off. It looks like it was a clean break at the part where the bottom meets the sides.

Has anyone had this issue? I'm using Ball jars. Luckily I had the jar in a pot (double boiler method) so there was no real mess. What did you use for a container?

Very glad you were not hurt when it broke.

When you add lye to water it generates heat. You have to swirl/stir the solution until it is dissolved or else that can happen. The lye sits on the bottom and superheats that part of the jar which can cause a stress fracture.

I use Ball jars as well because they are generally tolerant of the heat. Just give them a swirl or use a stainless steel spoon to stir it while it dissolves. If you have a stainless steel container (like a milk frothing cup) that would be a good choice that will not break. Make sure not to use aluminum! If you choose plastic, make sure it is something made of polypropylene ("5" in the triangle) as it will take higher heat.