Hop strainer

[PhilMcGlass]

I'm making a hop strainer using left-over copper pipe.
Is it safe to use solder joints if the strainer is in the boiling wort?
No chance of lead migrating to the beer?
Will it make a differenc if I pickle the assembly in boiling vinegar prior to use?

Hope that makes sense.

Phil

[OldSpeckledBadger]

Use lead-free solder and you'll be OK.

[lancsSteve]

I didn't solder mine at all - just pushed it together into the elbows and made sure it was tight enough, made it easier to take apart and clean that way...

There are lead-free solders out there: http://www.screwfix.com/prods/77198/Plu ... -Lead-Free def wouldn't want a lead-containing one...

[harry_mac]

I didn't solder mine at all - just pushed it together into the elbows and made sure it was tight enough, made it easier to take apart and clean that way...

Same here for the same reason, and with the mash tun manifold. I've never had a problem with sections coming apart and the fact that the hop strainer isn't completely watertight doesn't seem to affect performance.

[PhilMcGlass]

Thanks folks.
Did consider unsoldered fittings but not sure about tightness of fit.
Guess I should take back the solder ring ones and get some end feed unsoldered fittings.
Should also make any modifications easier.
Phil

[harry_mac]

Thanks folks.
Did consider unsoldered fittings but not sure about tightness of fit.
Guess I should take back the solder ring ones and get some end feed unsoldered fittings.
Should also make any modifications easier.
Phil

It wouldn't do any harm to use the fittings you've got. I used soldered fittings for my mash tun because that's what I had handy at the time.