Low quality welds normal on kegs?

[nanobrau]

First time kegging. I bought a Slimline Torpedo. I noticed the interior welds are not high quality and not at all polished. Is this normal for kegs?

It shipped pressurized, so I’m not worried about leaks.

 

[dmbrew48]

I have not seen/used the newer slimline - mine are older - the normal ones.
That said, a word of caution on Torpedo kegs - check & replace the dip tube o-rings often.
The dip tube(s) is a two-piece (flared tube & sleeve) design vs a large flare of the normal dip tube. 1.) The 2-pc design tends to cut the o-rings, and 2.) the minimal tube flare can crack allowing the floating sleeve under the flare to shift creating a leak. YMMV.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Pics???

 

[Broken Crow]

As long as the weld doesn't exhibit porosity or crevices, I've seen it a lot and though it tends to generate worry in the detail-oriented owner; normal and proper cleaning and sanitizing take care of it. But as @GilSwillBasementBrews just said: Pics? ...they really are worth a thousand words.

 

[dmbrew48]

I think the pic Q was for the welds (as above) - but to clarify the dip tube....

 

[nanobrau]

Sorry, I definitely attached a picture. Not sure why it didn't appear in the post. Here it is:

 

[Beerstein]

I have one slimline torpedo I bought on accident two years ago (was going for the regular torpedo).

I'm not a great judge on welds, but the welds in mine are ground. They look average. Not great, just average.

 

[Beerstein]

Sorry, I definitely attached a picture. Not sure why it didn't appear in the post. Here it is:
View attachment 781222

Welds in mine look exactly like this. I've been using them for 2-3 years now with no problems.

 

[nanobrau]

Do you do a really long soak for both cleaning and sanitizing to compensate? It seems the folks that ferment in their kegs would run into sanitation issues if they didn't, but I'm just spitballing since I have yet to do this myself. The welds on homebrew-scale conicals, for example, are polished smooth. This seems like a night and day difference.

 

[Broken Crow]

To me, that looks like a machine weld that missed the seam by a couple mm's, with a second weld on the exterior that hit it.
If I see what I think I'm seeing, it looks like open crevices. I learned to weld when I was 10, but I have brain-damage now and could be missing something. Personally, I'd bring it up with the seller and include the pic.

 

[hotbeer]

Better quality welds require better welders and better inspections. Both which cost more in labor or machines.

If you don't complain about it to the vendor and the manufacturer, then they'll continue to do sloppy work.

 

[nanobrau]

If everyone else's keg welds look like this, I can probably rest easy. Like I said, I'm asking if this is normal. While I would prefer perfectly smooth welds, I'm not aware of such a product that checks all of the boxes that Slimline Torpedo does. If I had the option, I would just take my money to a competitor.

 

[Beerstein]

The torpedo brand is more expensive. They are marketing that the product is higher quality.

I've used some biolab cell culture fermenters. I've seen those welds. They are awesomely clean and perfect. Apples and Oranges.

 

[dmbrew48]

It's been a while since I've been in the welding process line of work, but face cracking is a sign of the weld puddle cooling too quickly and shrinking (or not a "good seam fill") - as in travel speed vs "power parameters".
Not to say the seam won't hold, but ... sure gives a poor appearance - refer to the top of the shown vertical seam - profile is just ok, it looks fairly clean.
However, approaching the intersection of the vertical/horizontal seams, the vertical weld has less fill and appears to show porosity at the stop point.
For me, my next 2.5 keg will be another keg brand - my $0.02..

Oh - one more - I replaced all the torpedo dip tubes with conventional non-ear flared tubes.

 

[hotbeer]

The weld, which wasn't a good weld, looks like its obviously been ground off and the butted edges of stainless exposed. Since those butted edges will essentially be a crack, then that seems like a hard place to clean and sanitize that will later be an issue if it isn't already.

And the black coloring in the exposed crack is also possible evidence of poor welding practice. Can't quite remember what the word is for that. Soot essentially.

Certainly I'd be asking the vendor and manufacturer about replacing it or getting my money back. I wouldn't be so worried about whether others put up with it or not. Might just be one that got by the inspection procedures.

My assumption is that these are new manufacture. If this is old used keg as most all corny kegs, then I suppose that's a different consideration.

 

[nanobrau]

It's brand new. Thanks for the feedback. I'll look into contacting MoreBeer about it.

 

[Bobby_M]

The weld didn't get full pentation and then some of the incomplete internal bead got hit with a burr grinder with no further polishing. Basically it's extremely unsanitary. I would only use it if you can heat sanitize it with some boiling water.

 

[bmc1313]

did you hear back from morebeer about it?

 

[nanobrau]

I did not. I did order two more Torpedo kegs a while ago and got them in yesterday. The weld quality is comparable, though this is the worst of the three. Since the first keg is not wildly different, I'm inclined to just RAHAHB. I will just adjust my expectations for future kegs accordingly.

 

[CharlaineC]

Id send it back that weld looks like a poor machine weld to me and would bbe a pain to sanitize

 

[PCABrewing]

Sorry, I definitely attached a picture. Not sure why it didn't appear in the post. Here it is:
View attachment 781222

That can't possibly meet NSF standards.
Is the item embossed with NSF label?
I ask because I was told the even a dent can make a vessel unusable.

 

[Beermeister32]

Hey, this weld doesn’t look factory…

 

[TLaffey]

Earlier this year I bought several new Italian made (AEB) kegs, paying the higher price specifically to get good welds.

 

[simbabrew]

I have several KegLand kegs and they all have very smooth interior welds.

 

[govner1]

Earlier this year I bought several new Italian made (AEB) kegs, paying the higher price specifically to get good welds.

This-^^^^^^

 

[Broken Crow]

I have several KegLand kegs and they all have very smooth interior welds.

Thanks for mentioning that! I'm about to buy one of those myself, but haven't seen anyone else on here comment on them as they seem to be a recent thing. My LHBS just got some in and I was hoping to find comments about them. Anything you can add?

 

[nanobrau]

Is the item embossed with NSF label?

Not that I can find.

Earlier this year I bought several new Italian made (AEB) kegs, paying the higher price specifically to get good welds.

First time I've heard of AEB. Do you mind taking a picture of the interior?

 

[TLaffey]

KEG418 at morebeer. I have one empty key available, so a few quick photos of it attached.

 

[nanobrau]

Those are certainly a tier up from the Torpedos.