Starsan Caps $uck!

[DPBISME]

I love the product but the caps are the worst.

Screw them down, not even all that tight, and they break.

I would think this would be a SAFTY ISSUE.

Both caps broke on my recent large bottle and so I stuck it in a ziplock bag for safety...

Sure enough some where along the way the bag tipped over and about a cup poured in the bag,.

Lucky for me the Ziplock held else I would have acid all over the place.

I am going to complain to them about this issue...

They are lucky I did not burn myself.

DPB

UPDATE: (Five Star responded already,,, I mean less than two hours)

I let them know of the problem and they are sending me caps...

Nice Customer Service but I hope they fix the problem... ( do like the product )

Maybe I should send them this link...

DPB

 

[govner1]

Never had a problem in over 6 years.

 

[The_Bishop]

You don't need a pipe wrench to tighten the caps down, you know.

 

[DPBISME]

Never had a problem in over 6 years.

I have been having it for over 16... since I switched to the product...

 

[h22lude]

Never had a problem in over 6 years.

Same, I've been using it for 10 years with no problem. I'm going to say OP is tightening way too tight.

 

[DPBISME]

You don't need a pipe wrench to tighten the caps down, you know.

Ya, I get that,,,, but no other product I have ever bought has problem with the caps breaking... nothing in my shop and nothing in my kitchen...

In fact I cannot think of any example where these the cap of something is so poorly designed other than some yogurt containers that have cheap lids...

This is a potentially dangerous chemical... it should at least have a cap as good as a ketchup bottle.

DPB

 

[LBussy]

I have had that issue as well and I am not a gorilla nor do I use one to tighten caps.

I thought I was the only one ......

 

[TheHopfather]

Aren't StarSan caps like what you'd find on a medicine bottle? They seal into place and then spin freely, then you have to push down and twist to get them off? Seems safe to me, what is the company supposed to do about someone cranking them down until they break?

User error, send that email to yourself.

 

[CRZ]

My last 2 bottles the caps broke, the caps weren't over tightened. Funny thing is the cap is fine when placed on the bottle and stored. It's the next time I grab the bottle in 2-4 weeks I notice the top of the cap is cracked.

 

[DPBISME]

I have had that issue as well and I am not a gorilla nor do I use one to tighten caps.

I thought I was the only one ......

No Lee, it seems we are the only brewers with any MAN hand strength... HA!

Actually I have never had strong hands in spite of doing construction and other physical jobs... and since I have broken probably half a dozen of these makes me think it is not ME!

I mean really, it should be made to "crank down" since the last thing you need is to have acid leaking out in your house.

 

[raysmithtx]

I love the product but the caps are the worst.

Screw them down, not even all that tight, and they break.

DPB

Yep. Happens to me too. I suspect it's the acidic pH somehow weakening the plastic. And, no, I don't tighten them that tight. I have noticed that when the caps break, the caps (what's left of the caps) are very brittle.

 

[Horseflesh]

I also have had my caps break. It's not a normal occurrence with other bottles.

The other day I read that a 2 L soda bottle lid fits. Haven't tried it yet though.

 

[Eamster]

Yeah. Soda bottle caps work. That's what I have used before.

 

[Epos7]

Mine also broke, thought I was the only one.

 

[PlexVector]

I had one to break also...Real PITA.

 

[arnobg]

Interesting, I have never had this issue either. Then again a small bottle of star san lasts me over a year because I pre-mix and reuse it so I don't have to open the bottle often.

 

[jmark]

Mine always break... gone through 3 32oz bottles in 6 years of brewing (stuff lasts forever using spray bottles!) but the top of the caps have always split at some point... it's got to be the acidic solution.

 

[seabass07]

They changed them. Just bought starsan and it's got a child proof cap that's a lot stronger than the old ones. I've broken at least 3 of the old ones.

 

[DaNewf]

I'm still working my way through my first bottle but both of the caps on mine are broke. The top of the caps broke clear leaving me with threaded cylinders.

I just ripped a couple of pieces off of a plastic shopping bag, put them over the openings and screwed the "cylinders" down over them. This appears to work fine but I am very careful that the bottle remains upright (wedged into one of my brew supply boxes) so that the starsan doesn't make contact with the plastic bag material for any period of time.

 

[kh54s10]

I am working on a 16 ounce bottle that I bought 5 years ago, about 1 ounce left. One of the caps broke about 3 or so years ago. I did not replace it. I also did not over tighten it!!! Just put a cap from an old White Labs vial on it.

 

[bobbrews]

I agree that they are very flimsy caps. And it's not user error. I've never had a bleach cap break... or break a medicine bottle cap for that matter. Starsan just needs to use better caps to contain such a caustic solution.

 

[DPBISME]

UPDATE:

I let them know of the problem and they are sending me caps...

Nice Customer Service but I hope they fix the problem...

DPB

 

[jddevinn]

I've never had one split.... But now that I've read this thread I know I will

 

[jerbrew]

I've never had one split.... But now that I've read this thread I know I will

Just like I never broke a hydrometer till I saw the thread counting the broken ones. Which reminds me...I need to add to that.

 

[jddevinn]

Just like I never broke a hydrometer till I saw the thread counting the broken ones. Which reminds me...I need to add to that.

I've never broken a hydrometer either.










Dammit ipe:

 

[Brewenstein]

2L soda caps do work. Threads might be slightly different because they don't turn as easily as the factory cap, but no by much.

 

[fatherdan]

starsan caps sucks...

is that better?

 

[2eyejack]

Also have had starsan caps break. My replacement, which has been working for almost 3 years, is from a Dasani water bottle - was the closest thing at hand when the original cap broke and is still working fine.

 

[jerbrew]

I've never broken a hydrometer either.

Dammit ipe:

Don't read this thread. Whatever you do don't read this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=148083&page=139

 

[jddevinn]

The main thing that I have learned from this thread is:

1. I thought I did a good job at conserving and reusing StarSan...using a "big" bottle every 1.5 year or so.
2. I do not do a good job conserving StarSan compared to everyone else.