How often do you strip your ball valves down?

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JonA

Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by JonA » Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:27 pm

After reading the post I managed to get one of my Screwfix 15mm ones apart - and pretty much destroyed it during the process, seemed like it had some kind of threadlock on it (or maybe it was solidified malt!) and was seriously tight. Problem is that the "nut" end has 8 faces instead of 6 so you can't put a socket on - plus the casing is made of monkey-metal. I don't think they are really designed to come apart.
Anyway inside was pretty disgusting and smelly even thought it had always been flushed through with Antiformin after each brew.

Just ordered some 3 piece ones from BES

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by guypettigrew » Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:46 pm

JonA wrote:
Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:27 pm
inside was pretty disgusting and smelly even though it had always been flushed through with Antiformin after each brew.

Just ordered some 3 piece ones from BES
Scary, isn't it, how revolting the inside of these valves can get. The BES ones look good. The info doesn't say what sort of stainless they are but, as they are rated for water, they are probably food safe.

Guy

JonA

Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by JonA » Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:51 pm

guypettigrew wrote:
Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:46 pm

Scary, isn't it, how revolting the inside of these valves can get. The BES ones look good. The info doesn't say what sort of stainless they are but, as they are rated for water, they are probably food safe.

Guy
It sure is scary - I'd never thought about cleaning the inside of these valves until I read your post. I think the BES ones will be ok, the ones I'm using now definitely are not SS at all and using the 3 piece ones you can easily take a look inside them!

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by Jocky » Wed Oct 04, 2017 6:58 am

I hadn't thought about it, but I think you might be right Jon that the manufacturers put thread lock on the valves after assembly. Saves them getting rejected, returned or even facing legal action for coming apart at the wrong time.
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by sbond10 » Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:21 am

Cheapest place for stripable valves and tank connecter s ? I always wanna keep a bit of copper in tho somewhere

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by sbond10 » Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:01 am

Quick search and this will leave you posh stainless brewers short on change

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/316-STAINLESS- ... 1605822330

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by Fil » Fri Oct 06, 2017 6:17 pm

a short length of clean copper tube dropped into a kettle for the boil should provide all the copper you need in your beer. i will admit that after investing a lot of time and effort in fabricating the 100% SS brew kettle and brewery to fit my purpose i was disappointed with the first few beers out. brew #1 well that was a learning experience .. but the following brews also lacked a certain je-ne-cest-qua And i have since started to use some copper tubes to support the FB in the tun and have a circa 2" length of clean copper 15mm tube that i also drop in the kettle for the boil..

fwiw i sourced nice n cheap 316SS 3 part ball valves from ebay via far east sellers of sanitary SS fittings.. at the time for circa £10 inc delivery.. tho that was well before brexit and the resulting drop in the £.. (when sellers have volume sales and 99% + positive feedback i think its worth a punt..)
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by sbond10 » Sat Oct 07, 2017 9:53 am

Yes I've seen a complete tap kit for about 14 quid from the far East but I couldn't find the steel grade and I've seen horror story's of 316 grade that rusted from far East so was looking for reccomondations more than anything.

Yes it was your topic fil that encouraged me to keep my bits of brass and copper within my tank

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by keith1664 » Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:24 am

Keg Kingdom do a 3 piece valve for £8.60 + P&P. 304 stainless IIRC.


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JonA

Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by JonA » Mon Oct 09, 2017 10:07 am

guypettigrew wrote:
Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:46 pm
JonA wrote:
Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:27 pm
inside was pretty disgusting and smelly even though it had always been flushed through with Antiformin after each brew.

Just ordered some 3 piece ones from BES
Scary, isn't it, how revolting the inside of these valves can get. The BES ones look good. The info doesn't say what sort of stainless they are but, as they are rated for water, they are probably food safe.

Guy
BES ones just arrived - proper job :D

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by sbond10 » Mon Oct 09, 2017 6:21 pm

Got a link to the bes ones

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by guypettigrew » Mon Oct 09, 2017 6:51 pm

Here you go.

And Angel Homebrew sell them for slightly more, but you know they are suited for brewing.

Guy

JonA

Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by JonA » Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:39 pm

sbond10 wrote:
Mon Oct 09, 2017 6:21 pm
Got a link to the bes ones
sure...
https://www.bes.co.uk/3-piece-1-2in-sta ... llel-f-x-f

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by sbond10 » Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:48 pm

They look nice. Am I being thick when I ask how you unbolt it in situ considering the nuts at the back and the bolts at the front

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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?

Post by guypettigrew » Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:32 pm

You undo the nuts at the front, or the screws depending on how it's fitted, then the middle part containing the ball valve, seating gaskets and the ball itself drops out.

The rear part of the valve stays attached to the kettle (or whatever) but can easily be cleaned and starsan'd.

Once you get one and strip it down you'll see how it works.

Guy

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