How often do you strip your ball valves down?

[guypettigrew]

For ages I've been intending to strip down and clean out the three piece ball valve on my boiler. But it's always been a job to do 'after the next brew'.

Well, today I've finally done it. And it really needed doing. Horrid greenish slime mould stuff growing in it where the ball sits. It's astounding I've been able to make any drinkable beer at all!

It all got a good scrub in very hot water then a soaking in Starsan before reassembling it.

So, how often do you strip your valves down for a proper clean?

Guy

[adeybambam]

Never! But based on what you found i'll make sure I do before my next brew.

[Mashman]

Every third brew or so

[Secla]

I used to do my boiler every brew. Mash tun just every now and again

[guypettigrew]

So once a year, after about 20+ brews, is a bit slovenly!

I'll have to seriously improve my cleaning routine. I've worked out a way of disassembling the valve without removing the whole assembly from the boiler, which is good. Means it shouldn't need leak testing next time. Currently boiling up about 40 litres of water in the kettle. No leaks so far.

Guy

[Jambo]

Never... one way or another my ball valves always have very hot water through them a time or two prior to draining the wort into the FV, which I'd always hoped would be sufficient.

I also always make an effort to rinse the valves opening/closing multiple times after a brew.

[Kev888]

It somewhat depends upon the process. If boiling wort is recirculated through the valve (and any post-boil pipework) for a while during the boil, and if the wort then being emptied is near boiling, it is relatively unlikely to pick up an infection from the valve. So in that case just maintaining a general level of cleanliness and hygiene is sufficient. The same goes for pre-boil valves, such as on the MT.

But if the wort is cooled in the kettle before emptying through the valve, the cooled wort is more vulnerable to infection as it passes through. So in that case it is more important to make sure the valve is disinfected (as well as just being cleaned), before use. At one time I believed that a valve in reasonably close proximity to the wort for the duration of the boil would pick up enough heat to disinfect it without further measures (and it often does). But over the years I've read of a few trustworthy instances which indicate this can't be relied upon in all setups; people may tell you it's fine, but they've never tested it with your system or process.

My own preference is recirculation of near-boiling wort, since even a pre-cleaned valve will see bug-ridden wort when the kettle is first filled, and could in theory just about harbour some of this away from sufficient heat to sterilise it. But that is less easy if the system doesn't have a >100c pump.

[Jocky]

I do mine after every brew where I use the ball valve. Even with blasting water through them after use I find there's a little residual wort which grows bugs until the next brew day.

Now I have them set up on my kettles so that I can unscrew the front part of the valve, removing the ball and washers, and leaving the back part of the valve in place on the pot. I clean the whole assembly and leave it taken apart until the next brew day, which helps remind me to sanitise the internals before reassembly.

As a side note, with the two piece valves it's best to take them apart when you first get them, otherwise I have found them stuck fast together after a few brews and unable to separate the two parts.

[guypettigrew]

Now I have them set up on my kettles so that I can unscrew the front part of the valve, removing the ball and washers, and leaving the back part of the valve in place on the pot. I clean the whole assembly and leave it taken apart until the next brew day, which helps remind me to sanitise the internals before reassembly.

Exactly what I'm planning on doing, Jockey. Except I hadn't thought of leaving it in bits until next brewday. Excellent idea.

How easy is it to get the back washer out (the one at the kettle end) without taking the whole valve off the kettle?

Guy

[Jocky]

You don't need to take the whole valve off the kettle at all.

The two 'washers' (actually they're seat rings) that are either side of the ball just pop out once you have split the valve body into its two pieces. It means that you can completely disassemble the valve while leaving half the body on the pot.

I can also assemble/disassemble mine entirely by hand, without any leaks. I only needed tools to split the valve the first time.

Just don't lose the bits between brew days

[guypettigrew]

Thanks. I was going to strip it down again to have a look, but realised it was much easier just to ask you!

Guy

[sbond10]

My ball valve won't strip so I have just have wash as best as I can

[Jocky]

The two piece valves should all strip - the problem is that if you don't do it when you first get them they can be impossible to take apart after a few brews of sticky wort through them.

Even then I've only been able to undo two piece valves by putting an appropriately sized spanner on each half and then STANDING on it.

[Bigbud78]

I use 2 piece valves, much easier and quicker to clean than a 3 piece. Do my boil kettle every time and mash tun every few

[sbond10]

Mine can from Powell.and various people have said it won't strip