How often do you dissasemble valves? Replace tubing?

[Dland]

How often do others disassemble fermentor valves?

I've been running PBW/Saniclean in succession though everything before each brew, also rinse lines and plate cooler with Iodophor before putting them away, and work the valves while pumping solutions though. But a recent soured batch made me look to what I could be missing. I dissembled the fermentor valves, and did find a trace of slime on an inner seal, not the main packing seals, just the little outer one.

I'll probably break the valves down more often now, as I hate it when a batch goes bad, even though I suspect it was O2 stone or something stupid like that over looked. I seem to loose one every 20 batches or so, and I'll blame myself for being cleaning complacent. Heck I even mopped the floor and cleaned the stainless tables in my brew area this time.

Another question for you more seasoned brewers: How often do you replace your brewing tubing? Its got to break down after a while I suspect. The stuff I'm using is about 40 batches, less than a year and a half old. Wondering if I should order new.

 

[mongoose33]

I generally do it every time. If we're talking about a plastic spigot on a plastic fermenter, every time it's removed and separately cleaned. If you're talking about a stainless valve on a conical, every time.

I don't concern myself much with valves on my boil kettle as they're sanitized by boiling every time, but with the fermenter, I remove the valves and they get a soak in PBW.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

How often do others disassemble fermentor valves?
Another question for you more seasoned brewers: How often do you replace your brewing tubing? Its got to break down after a while I suspect. The stuff I'm using is about 40 batches, less than a year and a half old. Wondering if I should order new.

Honestly I got into the habit of cleaning the fermentor valves as soon as the buckets are empty. Would you believe I still ferment in the same plastic Ale Pail buckets I bought 8 years ago. The plastic valves have been replaced once or twice now but they still get the job done for me. As for tubing a good overnight soaking in powdered brewery wash works perfectly to get the 'stout' out of white silicone tubing.

 

[Dland]

If you're talking about a stainless valve on a conical, every time.

I don't concern myself much with valves on my boil kettle as they're sanitized by boiling every time, but with the fermenter, I remove the valves and they get a soak in PBW.

I guess I better find a source for valve seals, (stainless tri clamp conical type) I'm bound to break or distort them after a while. I do take the valves off fermentor every time, just have not been taking the valves apart. I'm not too worried about hot side valves either.

 

[augiedoggy]

I clean mine right after emptying them.. they clean very easily at that point with a small bottle brush. then I put a couple gallons of starsan in the fermenter and open and close the valves a couple times to fill them with it. I keep saying im going to buy more butterfly valves to avoid having to do this but im cheap I guess.

as far as silicone brewing hoses? Mine are about 5 years old and besides being discolored they seem fine. I bought new stuff but havent needed to use it yet.

I have a lot of hardplumbed lines off my rims connecting my 3 vessels vs long hoses on my hot side and run pbw through them to clean from time to time. I will actuate the valves as I recirc the pbw through and then rinse everything but thats it.