SCORE!! (I think-you tell me)

[Bernie Brewer]

So I was at church this morning and was talking to a guy and it turns out he runs a bottled water business. He gave me a couple of empties- all I have to do is some minor electrical work at his house. Can anyone tell me if those plastic water carboys are the same as Better Bottles. He said they are made of PET plastic, and they have an AQUASTEEL trademark stmaped on the bottom. If they are no good for brewing, it's no big deal, I paid nothing for them

 

[the_bird]

They have a number on the bottom? Pretty sure you're looking for a "1".

 

[Bernie Brewer]

No, just the recycle code. that's a 7

 

[the_bird]

I'm pretty sure that's bad news... that's basically "other" plastics, which means that you really don't know WHAT it is. The "1" in the recycle symbol indicates that it truly is PET.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code

 

[chillHayze]

Yes a 7 is not PET. My coworker used one for a secondary and he said it made the beer taste a bit plastic-ey. I never tried the beer but he said it was drinkable, just had a slight plastic taste to it.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Thanks guys- it was worth a go

 

[Walker]

Thanks guys- it was worth a go

Make sure you use aluminum wiring when you do the work on his house.

 

[Jim Karr]

But I've fermented hundreds of gallons of wine in these very same bottles....no problems at all.

 

[Orfy]

Use them, it wont kill you.

 

[Cheesefood]

I recently used a 7. I don't know if it was the bottles fault, but my beer didn't end up the way I'd hoped it would.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Make sure you use aluminum wiring when you do the work on his house.

Aluminum wire is quite common. It's actually cheaper and easier to pull.
Seldom seen in homes, though, except for services.

 

[Orfy]

Don't blame the bottle!

 

[the_bird]

Aluminum wire is quite common. It's actually cheaper and easier to pull.
Seldom seen in homes, though, except for services.

Isn't aluminum dangerous? I think SOME of the wiring in the house may be AL, some of the older stuff is a dull, greyish color. Whenever I've replaced switches, I've made sure to spend more for the AL ones, but it does make me wonder if I have to be careful when replacing fixtures and the like...

 

[RichBrewer]

Isn't aluminum dangerous? I think SOME of the wiring in the house may be AL, some of the older stuff is a dull, greyish color. Whenever I've replaced switches, I've made sure to spend more for the AL ones, but it does make me wonder if I have to be careful when replacing fixtures and the like...

Is it a dissimilar metal problem more than the aluminum wire itself?

 

[Bernie Brewer]

AL isn't quite as good a conductor as Cu, so Al conductors need to be oversized a bit. And the dissimilar metal problem is solved with a dab of Noalox (SP?).

 

[chillHayze]

Switching is a problem with Al. Switching on-off-on ad infinitum caused the wire to switch junction to corrode and loosen over time. Leading to sparks and eventually fires. Just ask my buddy who lost his house to it. Although insurance paid for a better house...

Al works for power distribution lines b/c there is very little switching on those wires. They are hot unless weather knocks them out and the station cuts the line power.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Yeah I'll agree with that. you almost never see AL on branch circuits, but quite often on feeders and services.

 

[the_bird]

I'm not 100% sure it's AL, but some of the older wiring in the house is definately gray in color. Original to the house. Is that definately AL, or could it be something else?

 

[Orfy]

it doesn't take long.

 

[Fiery Sword]

i wonder if electricians have aluminum vs. copper arguments. i hear that aluminum can cause long term heath problems.

...okokokokok i agree.....

 

[chillHayze]

I have used aluminum brewpot for 30 years or so...actually I forget when I started... was it 25 years ago?? ah nevermind...