Campden tablet - when to add?

[Scotty]

I am about to use campden tablets for the 1st time. I will be boiling the 1st 5l of water (I assume this will get rid of the chlorine?), but I don't know when to add a tablet to the rest of the water. I brew from kits if that helps?

Thanks

**sorry chaps, just realised I've posted this in the wrong section, can mod's please move thanks**

[jamesb]

If your water company doesn't use chloramine in the water, boiling it should be fine. Chloramine isn't given off when boiling so you'd have to add some sodium met (or bit of camden tablet) if that's the case.

For the rest of the water, add half a tablet and stir in when you're ready to add it to the rest of the kit. The tablet should work almost instantly (or so I've been told).

[Scotty]

does that mean I can make up my brew and then add it?

[Scotty]

thanks Chris, I don't have at present anything large enough to treat the amounts of water required. My water is pretty hard but doen't reek of chlorine.

As my pan holds about 5 litres of water, would it be possible to add a small amount of the crushed tablet to each pot full of water before adding it to the FV?

[Eric]

Thanks for this question and the splendid answers so far. I hope you don't mind if I hijack it slightly.

Could anyone tell me how long it takes for sodium metabisulphite to dechlorinate the water and is it temperature dependent?

I've made up a sodium met. solution for dosing my water. Should I add it to cold water and wait OR could I take hot water from the combi boiler (at say 50 degree C) and mix it and my other water conditioning ingredients and immediately raise it to mash temperature?

[Jim]

Thanks for this question and the splendid answers so far. I hope you don't mind if I hijack it slightly.

Could anyone tell me how long it takes for sodium metabisulphite to dechlorinate the water and is it temperature dependent?

I've made up a sodium met. solution for dosing my water. Should I add it to cold water and wait OR could I take hot water from the combi boiler (at say 50 degree C) and mix it and my other water conditioning ingredients and immediately raise it to mash temperature?

Eric, apparently the reaction is almost instantaneous, so no need to wait. I doubt if the temperature makes much of a differnce - at higher temperatures it will probably go faster. Most people add it to cold water from the tap, afaik.

[Eric]

Thanks Jim, that's great.

This is getting better all the time except I've not found time to brew. I suppose it will all work out for the best in the end. I've rewritten my schedule several times, each with better detail than the last hopefully avoiding many problems.

I think that might be the last question as the answer means an hour saved and it could all happen quite soon.

Cheers.