Exploding StarSan

[artyusmc]

I had a little leftover old so to get rid of a bottle I pour it into the new starsan bottle near to the top, put the cap on. Then one minute later it goes BOOM!!

Wife upset, I'm burning from concrete starsan in face and ear, but now kitchen ceilings walls floor children are all sanitized. SWMBO has stated why can't we buy beer like everybody else?

Can any chemical scientist tell me besides overfilling the bottle and sealing it what happen why did old and sorta old starsan react like that ???

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

it does foam so it obviously expands
the proper SWMBO reply is "oh, you're no fun"

 

[artyusmc]

Expands when Exposed to air?

 

[bottlebomber]

I've never heard of anything like this happening...

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

Didn't read right... wow!

 

[D0ug]

Was the old Starsan diluted at all? You know the old saying "Do as you oughta' add acid to wat-ah"

Heat of dissociation can cause boiling when water is added to concentrated acid.

 

[artyusmc]

No water was added. The stuff that splattered was white and pasty.

 

[artyusmc]

I rechecked the bottle it was liquid line cleaner , so I poured starsan into liquid line cleaner

 

[D0ug]

That could explain it. Did everyone get it washed off?
Hope no one was hurt, good luck!

 

[FRS]

Acid (star san)+alkaline (LLC) reactions are usually exothermic; that could cause a build up of pressure and explosion, as you describe.

Read the label twice next time, or have one fewer homebrew

 

[bottlebomber]

So you added a concentrated acid to a powerful alkaline. Sounds like it could have been a lot worse

 

[artyusmc]

Worst part stone sober, but I got the worst of it. Mostly wiped down with water and thing adverse to worry about like when wife washes the contaminated towels in the washer???

 

[FRS]

Said towels might have some holes in them when they come out of the washer, but I don't think you'd hurt anything else.

You could pre-rinse them in the drive way if they have a ton of chemicals on them. Be sure to dilute the runoff wit has much water as possible.

 

[D0ug]

Your post made it look like maybe the kids could have gotten splashed? If so get them in the shower, it can take a while for chemical burns to become noticeable.

 

[artyusmc]

Towels rinsed in tub, kids ok , my pride is batter. I could feel the burning while showering fun stuff. Beer still not bottled,

 

[D0ug]

We all have those days once in a while.

 

[JonnyJumpUp]

So you added a concentrated acid to a powerful alkaline. Sounds like it could have been a lot worse

Meh

Acid + Base = Salt + Water + Heat

 

[Ryush806]

Do you not have your chemicals in the original bottles? I don't want to sound like too much of a ****** but that's just a recipe for disaster in homebrewing or in normal home chemicals (bleach + ammonia = chlorine gas)

 

[bottlebomber]

Meh

Acid + Base = Salt + Water + Heat

Right, if the two happen to be appropriately balanced so that they are neutralized, instead of just hot acid blowing everywhere.

Do you not have your chemicals in the original bottles? I don't want to sound like too much of a ****** but that's just a recipe for disaster in homebrewing or in normal home chemicals (bleach + ammonia = chlorine gas)

We have a guy that does deliveries for our office supplies who runs his own delivery van. For some reason he poured the rest of a can of chainsaw lube into an empty bottle of brake fluid. Then he poured the "brake fluid" into his van. It totally wiped out his whole system which he had to have replaced, costing thousands of dollars. Moral of the story is, put things in their proper containers, or at least mark them. Eventually you will forget what is in what.

 

[Ryush806]

Right, if the two happen to be appropriately balanced so that they are neutralized, instead of just hot acid blowing everywhere.

Or base...either one would suck though. I work with hot bases and they don't really like to stay inside of the pipe/vessels at times. You definitely know it when it hits you...

 

[malkore]

How? a bottle of BLC looks nothing like a bottle of star-san or sani-clean.

Don't drink and pour chemicals...is the moral here.

 

[audger]

^^ he said he was sober at the time.

i am still wondering how a bottle of line cleaner could be mistaken for a bottle of starsan though.... another reason not to combine chemicals. in a lab you never combine anything; you use one bottle, then open the next when that ones empty. never pour the remainder of one into another. even if they are identical.

atleast this didnt end worse- it had the potential to.

 

[artyusmc]

I never Read the contents of the second bottle when shipped from b3.

I ordered starsan so I assumed they shipped starsan.

I noticed the bottles were different but I figured the second bottle was a refill, for the first.

So yes my fault which I never denied. Just a lesson learned that i thought every homebrewer could learn from, and share a laugh about.

 

[rvklein]

I rechecked the bottle it was liquid line cleaner , so I poured starsan into liquid line cleaner

there's needs to be a thread HoF. I nominate this one & the guy that brewed in rusty barrels!

:rockin:

 

[bottlebomber]

there's needs to be a thread HoF. I nominate this one & the guy that brewed in rusty barrels!

:rockin:

Oh yeah that guy... Notice how he suddenly disappeared a few months after starting to brew using his setup lol

 

[bja]

We all have those days once in a while.

No, not like that.

 

[artyusmc]

This is equal to dropping a glass carboy, fermenter lid blowing off and any other man made homebrew disaster ..

 

[D0ug]

No, not like that.

Come on not one? Forget to set the parking brake and the car rolls into the porch? Dog gets out runs into the street and gets hit by a car? Kid slips and falls down the stairs breaking an arm?

Not once?

 

[bja]

Come on not one? Forget to set the parking brake and the car rolls into the porch? Dog gets out runs into the street and gets hit by a car? Kid slips and falls down the stairs breaking an arm?

Not once?

As much fun as it all sounds, no.

 

[artyusmc]

Exactly Doug

Wife now promises to buy a supply of SNPA kegs if I stop brewing

 

[bja]

Exactly Doug

Wife now promises to buy a supply of SNPA kegs if I stop brewing

Tell her to make it SN Torpedo IPA and she's got a deal.

 

[D0ug]

As much fun as it all sounds, no.

Alright, we all have one of those days once in a while, EXCEPT bja.