When the manufacturer recommends you passivate with something like Star San, does that mean fill the entire 20g kettle? Or just maybe 4g and apply with a sponge to the rest? Just wondering if I need a big bottle of Star San.
Not everyone has CIP. There must be other ways, especially for larger kettles. Even for a 10 gallon kettle, that's still a lot of acid.Don't fall for the idea that starsan is an appropriate for passivation. Get some Citric acid. The ratio is 1 LB of citric acid per 2 gallons of 150F water. It should be in contact for about an hour which either means filling it all the way or running it through a CIP ball.
Since I don't have any, and I don't have CIP, that would mean 10 lbs of citric acid. Fwiw, the ones recommending Star San is As Brewtech in their instructions.Don't fall for the idea that starsan is an appropriate for passivation. Get some Citric acid. The ratio is 1 LB of citric acid per 2 gallons of 150F water. It should be in contact for about an hour which either means filling it all the way or running it through a CIP ball.
I have a new kettle on the way and was going to use StarSan, as per instructions, to passivate.I'm aware that SS recommends using StarSan but that won't passivate. It's not worth spending up all the starsan to be honest. Just give it a good wash out with dish soap or hot PBW. If you get any spot rusting at any of the kettle welds, hit those with Bar Keeper's Friend.
Check out the article.I have a new kettle on the way and was going to use StarSan, as per instructions, to passivate.
Do you mind giving a little more instruction on why it won't work? Given that the manufacturer says we should, it'd be super helpful if you could explain why this simply won't do what we think it does... thanks!
Apologies, I missed that. Thanks for responding!Check out the article.
https://***************.com/wiki/Passivation
This article is great. The website also has a good article on cleaning stainlessCheck out the article.
https://***************.com/wiki/Passivation
There's a lot of scientific evidence that says high temp improves effectiveness.I think just keeping all surfaces wet, by occasionally sloshing the citric acid around, should do it.
That's why I said 140F.There's a lot of scientific evidence that says high temp improves effectiveness.
From where?I found 150°F as the general recommendation.
Well shoot. I bought some from Amazon but at about double that price.You can get 10# of Citric Acid from Alpha Chemicals for $14.50 plus (quite reasonable) shipping.
The used passivation liquid can be stored for repeated (future) use, I doubt it will go bad at that strength. I had some "white clouds" (looking like suspended cotton wool balls) form in a bottle of (odorless) photographic Stop Bath concentrate, but it still worked fine, as was the pH of the working solution. It may have been buffered somewhat.
You might want to check out the linked article I wrote ... I reviewed not only latest version of ASTM A967 (2017), but also all the relevant literature, including multiple scientific studies looking at surface chromium percentage.This might be a good document to look at: http://www.galvanizeit.com/uploads/resources/astm-a-967.pdf
Somebody (RPH?) posted a talk from a NASA dude who didn't agree 100% with the engineers in Conshohocken (not making this up, that's the name of the town; apparently it means 'pleasant valley').
I wouldn't go overboard with this whole passivation thing; unless you have a reason to believe your equipment was machined with the wrong tools that embedded a lot of non-stainless steel in the surface of your stainless, or some weird stuff happened while welding, stainless should just passivate itself.
If you can find a large heavy mass to put in the kettle, it would reduce the amount of liquid needed to fill it.
Almost too simple, I was thinking along those same lines.If you can find a large heavy mass to put in the kettle, it would reduce the amount of liquid needed to fill it.
That might work since it would fit inside the round heating element. Would citric acid wear out the rubber / plastic bottom of a keg?Maybe a full keg?
I was thinking I could use one of my old SS brewing pots but they have spigots on them and won't fit. I will have to see if I can get creative.That’s a good question. I wouldn’t think the acid would harm the rubber, but I’m not sure. The adhesive that holds the rubber to the stainless could be a concern too. You could try wrapping that with tape to seal the acid solution out.
It turns out it doesn't matter much for the near future because I'm an idiot and didn't realize my outlet is 4 prong and my new system is 3 prong. So I'm waiting on an electrician.That’s a good question. I wouldn’t think the acid would harm the rubber, but I’m not sure. The adhesive that holds the rubber to the stainless could be a concern too. You could try wrapping that with tape to seal the acid solution out.
Citric acid doesn't harm plastics or rubber parts.That’s a good question. I wouldn’t think the acid would harm the rubber, but I’m not sure. The adhesive that holds the rubber to the stainless could be a concern too. You could try wrapping that with tape to seal the acid solution out.
It turns out it doesn't matter much for the near future because I'm an idiot and didn't realize my outlet is 4 prong and my new system is 3 prong. So I'm waiting on an electrician.
Right!Depending on your system, you may be able to buy or make an adapter to go from your 4-prong outlet to the 3-prong controller.
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