Passivating Stainless Steel FV ?.

[Greg2013]

I just ordered some Barkeeper's Friend from link below,i went with this option because my keg setup could also do with a good clean.Hopefully this will be here end of next week,should be handy to have around anyway.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172164153963?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Do not use that on the inside of any vessel....it will taint everything for a long time...

I would have thought that too but yet all the advice from USA brewers so far has been to use it on the inside and wash well after. I will make use of it anyway on outside cleanup of my kegs. 

It'll shine up the outside nicely....but trust me on the inside...an expensive lesson

Farrrk,oh well like you say it will do the outside of me kegs anyway.Now to try to work out how much starsan i need for this monster.

[Greg2013]

Not to keep flogging this horse but i found a pdf on passivating SS Fvs for those of you interested,i know there are a few people out there like me with new shinys.

According to this pdf the Starsan Conc. for adequate passivation is 1oz/Gal(3.8lt),this equates to 7.8ml Starsan/Litre water,a temperature of 21c-27c and let it stand for 20mins

[Damofto]

Thanks for that, about time I started using Starsan anyway.

[Greg2013]

Thanks for that, about time I started using Starsan anyway.

No worries,though in my case it means i need 350ml Starsan for this 50lt Fv

[Drum]

Thanks for that, about time I started using Starsan anyway.

No worries,though in my case it means i need 350ml Starsan for this 50lt Fv

Ok, I havent read all the links posted and I don't use starsan and am assuming that the problem is that it's expensive so please excuse me if this is a stupid suggestion. From what I gather you need to have the inner surface of the fv in contact with either an acid or starsan or whatever for a given time to create the oxide layer.  Why does that mean having to fill the full volume of the fv? Why not make up a few litres of whichever solution you can get cheapest and roll the fv to cover the inner surfaces?  I do the same with plastic fv's when sanitising. 1L of sanitiser instead of the 5L the instructions say to make up, and a good twist and shake of the fv to make sure it coats all the inner surfaces.  you will have to be a bit more gentle with brand new shiny I know but 2 or 3L of star san is all you'll need to make up.

[Greg2013]

Thanks for that, about time I started using Starsan anyway.

No worries,though in my case it means i need 350ml Starsan for this 50lt Fv

Ok, I havent read all the links posted and I don't use starsan and am assuming that the problem is that it's expensive so please excuse me if this is a stupid suggestion. From what I gather you need to have the inner surface of the fv in contact with either an acid or starsan or whatever for a given time to create the oxide layer.  Why does that mean having to fill the full volume of the fv? Why not make up a few litres of whichever solution you can get cheapest and roll the fv to cover the inner surfaces?  I do the same with plastic fv's when sanitising. 1L of sanitiser instead of the 5L the instructions say to make up, and a good twist and shake of the fv to make sure it coats all the inner surfaces.  you will have to be a bit more gentle with brand new shiny I know but 2 or 3L of star san is all you'll need to make up.

I never thought of that tbh,would be great if that was sufficient,maybe someone else can speak to whether doing it like this is sufficient.

[Leann ull]

That's how I clean my Carboys

[SkiBeagle]

https://ssbrewtech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200206485-CLEANING-CARE-STAINLESS

Enough there to scare the daylights out of you, Greg!

[Greg2013]

https://ssbrewtech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200206485-CLEANING-CARE-STAINLESS

Enough there to scare the daylights out of you, Greg!

As it turns out i did have to use a small amount of SS cleaner(not BKF) on the inside as the seams were rusted the entire length of the inside. Once i got rid of that rust i washed it out with hot oxclean and sponge,rinsed it well,and then dumped in two litres of double strength Starsan.I shook it well to coat the inside and let it sit for 30mins,repeated that process,then dumped the starsan into the sink and put the lid into that.Dried out the inside of the FV with a towel and left it out back in the air for the day to passivate.

[SkiBeagle]

Exactly what I did. Very important to get rid of the rust. Then oxyclean and starsan to finish for the airdry.

[Greg2013]

Exactly what I did. Very important to get rid of the rust. Then oxyclean and starsan to finish for the airdry.

Well it's got 40 litres of ESB bubbling away inside it now so fingers crossed.

[Shanna]

https://ssbrewtech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200206485-CLEANING-CARE-STAINLESS

Enough there to scare the daylights out of you, Greg!

As it turns out i did have to use a small amount of SS cleaner(not BKF) on the inside as the seams were rusted the entire length of the inside. Once i got rid of that rust i washed it out with hot oxclean and sponge,rinsed it well,and then dumped in two litres of double strength Starsan.I shook it well to coat the inside and let it sit for 30mins,repeated that process,then dumped the starsan into the sink and put the lid into that.Dried out the inside of the FV with a towel and left it out back in the air for the day to passivate.

What ss cleaner did you use Greg?

Shanna

[Greg2013]

https://ssbrewtech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200206485-CLEANING-CARE-STAINLESS

Enough there to scare the daylights out of you, Greg!

As it turns out i did have to use a small amount of SS cleaner(not BKF) on the inside as the seams were rusted the entire length of the inside. Once i got rid of that rust i washed it out with hot oxclean and sponge,rinsed it well,and then dumped in two litres of double strength Starsan.I shook it well to coat the inside and let it sit for 30mins,repeated that process,then dumped the starsan into the sink and put the lid into that.Dried out the inside of the FV with a towel and left it out back in the air for the day to passivate.

What ss cleaner did you use Greg?

Shanna

Lidl W5 stainless steel cleaner because i had it to hand(forgot i had it doh) and the BKF had not come in yet. It was only a light rub on the internal central seam running the length of the vertical inside,also inside underneath where the welds on the handles would be needed a rub too.Basically what happened was after washing it initially with oxyclean and towel drying it started to rust in those places.

[hassettbrew]

I have a new shiny SS FV i need to passivate,however i have no Starsan to hand and largest i can get citric acid in locally is 100gr tubs.What else can i use to do the job that i might be able to get locally ? For instance i can get kettle descaler which is Formic Acid and i am curious would that do the job safely,also may be possible to get dairy bulk tank descaler locally which i believe is a mix of nitric and phosphoric acid. I would like to get it done over the next few days if possible as i can't get Starsan anyway until next week

I am asking because i am impatient for one,secondly the FV is 50lt so i am assuming i would need a shit ton of Starsan to do the job which could be expensive. Alternatives that could be sourced locally is what i am asking for,tia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formic_acid

intresting reading on formic acid, great usefull stuff. Now I know how to get rid of me warts 

[Shanna]

https://ssbrewtech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200206485-CLEANING-CARE-STAINLESS

Enough there to scare the daylights out of you, Greg!

As it turns out i did have to use a small amount of SS cleaner(not BKF) on the inside as the seams were rusted the entire length of the inside. Once i got rid of that rust i washed it out with hot oxclean and sponge,rinsed it well,and then dumped in two litres of double strength Starsan.I shook it well to coat the inside and let it sit for 30mins,repeated that process,then dumped the starsan into the sink and put the lid into that.Dried out the inside of the FV with a towel and left it out back in the air for the day to passivate.

How much starsan went in to that 2 litres?

Shanna