So, it's been a while since I brewed last. I knew it was going to be a while so I filled my empty fermenters and kegs with a star san solution to keep everything pretty well sanitized in my absence. I just picked up the stuff to start brewing again and noticed that my wine thief and auto siphon fell into the bucket from the shelf they were sitting on. They are now both opaque and stained from the star san. Is there anything I should worry about as far as the star san mixing with the plastic for any given time? Or did the chemical reaction simply just turn the plastic opaque and I'm good to go?
Wine Thief + Auto Siphon...star san fail :(
- Thread starter Brewnoob1
- Start date
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Your empty kegs and fermenters were filled with star san, but left open the whole time? Bet that star san is dusty!
I don't think you'd need to be worried about plastic leaching into the solution, but you might want to check the PH of the star san to ensure it's still below 3 and usable. And probably replace your now opaque auto siphon and thief, which sort of sucks...
I don't think you'd need to be worried about plastic leaching into the solution, but you might want to check the PH of the star san to ensure it's still below 3 and usable. And probably replace your now opaque auto siphon and thief, which sort of sucks...
rico567
Well-Known Member
Curious. I've had my wine thief and autosiphon for five years, and soak them in Star San each time I want to use them (usually for at least an hour) and they're still crystal-clear. I wonder if something else could be at work here?
OP
OP
Brewnoob1
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure. I had the lid on everything but 1 bucket. I didn't think I'd be away from brewing but for a few weeks so didn't think much of it. Of course, before I use the equipment, I'll be rinsing and washing again. That was just a precautionary thing to keep bugs and nasties out of my buckets in the meantime. I hate to replace just because of them being opaque unless they are now not functional due to the star san bath for the last month or so.
soak them in hot water for a while.
the ionic charge of the plastic will draw the surfactant in star-san onto the plastic, causing haze.
the hot water will leech the haze back into solution.
vinyl hose does this much faster since its softer/more porous, but hard plastic will eventually haze if left that long. its not 'damaged' though just hazed.
the ionic charge of the plastic will draw the surfactant in star-san onto the plastic, causing haze.
the hot water will leech the haze back into solution.
vinyl hose does this much faster since its softer/more porous, but hard plastic will eventually haze if left that long. its not 'damaged' though just hazed.
