How often do you strip your ball valves down?
Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
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
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?
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
Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
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!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
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
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?
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?
Quick search and this will leave you posh stainless brewers short on change
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/316-STAINLESS- ... 1605822330
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/316-STAINLESS- ... 1605822330
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
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..)
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..)
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
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
Yes it was your topic fil that encouraged me to keep my bits of brass and copper within my tank
Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
Keg Kingdom do a 3 piece valve for £8.60 + P&P. 304 stainless IIRC.
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
BES ones just arrived - proper jobguypettigrew wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:46 pmScary, 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
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
Got a link to the bes ones
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
Here you go.
And Angel Homebrew sell them for slightly more, but you know they are suited for brewing.
Guy
And Angel Homebrew sell them for slightly more, but you know they are suited for brewing.
Guy
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Re: How often do you strip your ball valves down?
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?
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
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