Getting scale off faucets?

[Ale_Brewer]

So my (6) Perlick 525SS faucets were getting pretty nasty so I decided to disassemble and clean all the stainless faucets and beer shanks. I separated the o-rings and plastic from the stainless, then soaked the stainless for a couple days in hot water and PBW. Drained the water off and they looked all scaled up. I put all the stainless in a tray and ran it through the dishwasher twice, once with PBW and once with dishwasher soap. They still look the same! How in the heck do I get these things looking like new?

 

[day_trippr]

That reads like there was no scale on the faucets prior to the PBW soak, so it must be from the PBW. That is actually pretty common, particularly if the solution started off hot (like 150°F) and allowed to cool significantly, and if rinsed with less than the same temperature water it's unlikely to come off without help.

In that case, I would make up some weak acid/water solution using white vinegar or citric acid and give them an agitating bath in it. Shouldn't take long to remove the scale, and shouldn't harm the SS finish...

Cheers!

 

[Ale_Brewer]

That reads like there was no scale on the faucets prior to the PBW soak, so it must be from the PBW. That is actually pretty common, particularly if the solution started off hot (like 150°F) and allowed to cool significantly, and if rinsed with less than the same temperature water it's unlikely to come off without help.

In that case, I would make up some weak acid/water solution using white vinegar or citric acid and give them an agitating bath in it. Shouldn't take long to remove the scale, and shouldn't harm the SS finish...

Cheers!

You are correct. Just years of beer and condensation that washing the lines wouldn't get to (mainly exterior) and that's exactly what happened. Any suggestions for a vinegar concentration ratio?

 

[day_trippr]

When my first use of PBW (at room temperature) left a white haze inside a pair of carboys I used a cup of white vinegar in a quart of water and swirled it around in one then the other. Worked great, left both of them clear again...

Cheers!

 

[Ale_Brewer]

Worked like a champ! Thanks!

 

[day_trippr]

Cheers!