| Author |
Message |
    
Mike Mayer (152.163.252.67)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 01:42 am: | 
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Can someone remind me what to soak my brass fittings in (chemicals, concentration, and time) to get the lead out?? Thanks.
Mike |
Paul Edwards (68.249.99.15)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 01:50 am: |
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2 parts white vinegar
1 part drugstore hydrogen peroxide
soak brass for a few minutes until it turns buttery yellow. 5-10 minutes is usually enough
if the solution turns greenish, you soaked too long. |
Mike Mayer (152.163.252.67)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 01:53 am: |
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Thanks Paul!! |
Mike Mayer (152.163.252.67)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 01:55 am: |
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Oh, by the way, I've been using "untreated" brass fittings in my brewery for about a year now since I didn't realize (until reading some literature) that the lead in the brass could be a problem. So, at about 100 gallons of beer behind me now, how much have I lowered my IQ?????? |
Charles Xartman (24.194.156.166)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:44 am: |
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Frankly, the alchohol will get you long before the lead does. |
JimTanguay (67.5.121.127)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:46 am: |
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I just built a copper manifold. Do I need to do anything to "break it in" besides lots of grain? |
Randy McCord (216.174.177.135)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:59 am: |
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I don't understand this whole idea really. I've put piping in many, many buildings and installed a lot of potable water lines. Do you realize that 90% of these potable water lines have brass ball valves, check valves, etc.? I tried the deleading solution above, but when I done a lead check with a kit, it still showed lead present on the valve. Now, this test was done on the outside "rough" area of the valve. The inside is machined smooth and after screwing in a pipe nipple, there is very little of the inner brass actually contacting the wort. Another thing, the test showed very little presence of lead on the valve before and after soaking in the solution. Just my thoughts on this whole brass and lead deal, I'm not trying to scare anyone. By the way, all of the valves in my system are brass, I don't really worry about it. If I lived by what the state of Calif. declared, I wouldn't be able to eat, or drink, or drive, or who knows what else. Just my personal opinion. |
Bill Pierce (24.141.63.119)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 03:22 am: |
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Tap water lacks the acidity of wort and beer. Leaching of surface lead is not a problem with brass fittings in potable water systems. As for brewing, if you haven't already pickled the brass a couple of batches will do the job for you. It's just that a small amount of lead will have made it into the beer. It's probably no more than many of us were exposed to back in the days of leaded gas, but any environmental lead is not a good thing. |
Randy McCord (216.174.177.135)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 03:49 am: |
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I would think that water with a high ph would do the same thing. Copper water lines in this area do not last very long. It seems to eat at brass the same way. Although this could be the mineral content and/or hardness "eating" at them. |
Bill Pierce (24.141.63.119)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 01:05 pm: |
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Randy, the leaching of the lead from the surface of the brass occurs at a low rather than high pH. |
Rich Bartsch (24.12.156.37)
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 05:39 am: |
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Is the "CA has determined that this product is made of cancer causing materials" the same problem as "this product contains lead"? I have seen both warnings and neither of them thrills me all that much. Will the cure listed above correct both problems? |
Randy McCord (216.174.177.137)
| | Posted on Thursday, December 25, 2003 - 05:44 am: |
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I believe that is correct Rich, The warning states that this product contains lead which is known to cause cancer, reproductive damage and all other diseases in Cali. Ha ha, cancer and reproductive damage is mentioned but the latter is not. What doesn't cause cancer? |
Walt Fischer (24.221.196.114)
| | Posted on Thursday, December 25, 2003 - 10:43 pm: |
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Life causes death.... so much.. 
So die while drinking, I say..
Walt |
Mike Kessenich (165.189.92.23)
| | Posted on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 01:30 pm: |
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If it only causes cancer in California, I'm safe way up here in WI, right? |
Brews and Views Archive 2004