pvc faucet on cooler

[Born Brewing Co.]

The spickets I have put together on my igloo coolers are 1/2in. pvc ball valves from Lowes. I'm pretty sure they aren't food grade. However, I did clean them and sanitize them. Will they be alright? I have heard various views that the pvc will emit gases into the wort or the pvc will melt. What do you folks use? I brought my cooler in with me to Lowes, but didn't get a real good fit using brass. I am about 2 weeks out from doing my first all grain brew. I trying to think everything through, and not slop together the operation. Thanks for the help!!

 

[Dark_Ale]

The spickets I have put together on my igloo coolers are 1/2in. pvc ball valves from Lowes. I'm pretty sure they aren't food grade. However, I did clean them and sanitize them. Will they be alright? I have heard various views that the pvc will emit gases into the wort or the pvc will melt. What do you folks use? I brought my cooler in with me to Lowes, but didn't get a real good fit using brass. I am about 2 weeks out from doing my first all grain brew. I trying to think everything through, and not slop together the operation. Thanks for the help!!

I use stainless cause its easy for me to get, but you can use pvc as long as it is high temp and if you are unsure boil it first, I believe I read somewhere you should boil it first....but not sure, I have seen many mash tuns with pvc headers. Just make a dry run heat some water up put it in your tun, drain it save a bit of the water and taste it when its cool to see if it carried over some weird taste. There is cold water pipe, hot water pipe, differant schedules of pipe. I believe hot water is cpvc hot water I believe its grey.

 

[Dude]

The spickets I have put together on my igloo coolers are 1/2in. pvc ball valves from Lowes. I'm pretty sure they aren't food grade. However, I did clean them and sanitize them. Will they be alright? I have heard various views that the pvc will emit gases into the wort or the pvc will melt. What do you folks use? I brought my cooler in with me to Lowes, but didn't get a real good fit using brass. I am about 2 weeks out from doing my first all grain brew. I trying to think everything through, and not slop together the operation. Thanks for the help!!

Hey bud....make sure it is CPVC. I believe regular PVC fittings are only heat rated to like 87 degrees before they do funky stuff. CPVC is usually located near the PVC piping and is much better (food grade, more heat resistant) for our applications. The stuff I just bought at Lowe's is cream colored.

 

[DyerNeedOfBeer]

Cream colored is correct. That is the CPVC which is rated at higher temp. It still is not rated at boiling temp but definitely better than the normal PVC.

 

[Born Brewing Co.]

Thanks all. As I mentioned the pvc valves I had definitely were not cpvc or heat worthy. So after about an hour at Lowes opening small bags and checking connections I got all brass ball valves and barbed connectors for lines. All that is left to buy/build is wort chiller and sparge arm.

Happy Fathers Day!!!

 

[Dude]

Thanks all. As I mentioned the pvc valves I had definitely were not cpvc or heat worthy. So after about an hour at Lowes opening small bags and checking connections I got all brass ball valves and barbed connectors for lines. All that is left to buy/build is wort chiller and sparge arm.

Happy Fathers Day!!!

One note on the brass valves as well--make sure to soak anything brass in a 2:1 solution of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (2 parts vinegar, 1 part hydrogen peroxide) to rid the surface layer of lead. You'll only need to soak for about 5 minutes--you'll be able to tell its done when the solution begins to turn blue.

 

[Born Brewing Co.]

I did not know that, thanks Orrelse.

Sure enough, I soaked brass in 2:1 (vinegar:hp) solution for about 7 minutes and a very blue color formed around fittings. I rinsed them off and assembled back on liquor tank and mash tun.