Brass Vs Chrome

[MCT]

Just wondering if anybody knows if chrome parts are safe to use in a kettle?
I'm thinking about replacing my old brown :icon_vomit: brass fittings with some new chrome bits I just found. Will they corrode quickly?
Any help appreciated!
Mick.

 

[MCT]

Just wondering if anybody knows if chrome parts are safe to use in a kettle?
I'm thinking about replacing my old brown :icon_vomit: brass fittings with some new chrome bits I just found. Will they corrode quickly?
Any help appreciated!
Mick.

Ahh nevermind, another search just answered my question. Don't know why it didn't come up the first time I searched (probably spelt it wrong haha).

If anyone wants to know, YES chrome is fine .

(Pls delete the thread).

 

[LethalCorpse]

Erm...no it's not. It'll corrode quicker than the brass ones did.

 

[reviled]

So does a brass tap actually work on a kettle? Cos theyre pretty cheap in comparison to a SS one...

 

[SJW]

So does a brass tap actually work on a kettle? Cos theyre pretty cheap in comparison to a SS one...

I can't see why not. Most std fitting are nickel Plated brass.
Just for the record I got my brewery up and running with brass elbows and tees and nickel plated brass valves and that cheap "food grade" pvc pipe. I did this with a view to going all s/s and silicone pipe in the future. Well 80 AG brews later its still going fine and so am I so I think its 99% bling factor when it comes to s/s and silicone.
(dons flame suit)


Steve

 

[domonsura]

There is nothing wrong with chrome plated fittings, and they will not corrode faster than brass will (in fact to a point, chromed fittings are more resistant to corrosion than a standard brass one is), MCT will just have to apply the same principles as you would with brass and not use corrosive cleaners around it. I am aware of hundreds of people using chrome plated brass in their breweries without problems.

And sorry SJW, but stainless is not 99% bling factor at all. It is 100% food grade and chemical resistant, with the added bonus of having a nice appearance that is easy to maintain and very forgiving when you neglect it's maintenance. That's why it's the standard metal of choice in any food grade application.

Brass fittings are just cheaper, they don't really compare to stainless in any way that matters other than cost.

 

[HoppingMad]

Don't have either chrome or brass (opted for stainless as its food grade for safety), but believe if you're using brass fittings like the sort found in the irrigation section at bunnings you need to pickle them first in some kind of solution as the brass can be harmful.

Have read this on several posts on AHB - seems to be plenty of peope doing this, might be advised to do a search on it (to find out what the mix is that people are using) if you go for brass.

Hopper.

 

[Carbonator]

Erm...no it's not. It'll corrode quicker than the brass ones did.

Proof that beer eats chrome;

Stainless Steel is the answer. Apparently Brass does have lead in it and some Agents will release it (in minute quantities), I'm told, but it would need to be confirmed by one of the Chemists currently contributing here.

 

[domonsura]

Notice that where the 'corrosion' has started is where the rims of glasses have been contacting the tap? What you're looking at is not proof that beer eat chrome at all, it's proof that the chrome surface can be damaged and worn down by banging a few thousand glasses against it, as a result exposing the brass.

Brass available in this country has usually been de-zincified, which is where the lead comes from. Ask any good plumbing outlet that know what they are talking about if their brass products contain lead and they will tell you no.

 

[Carbonator]

Notice that where the 'corrosion' has started is where the rims of glasses have been contacting the tap? What you're looking at is not proof that beer eat chrome at all, it's proof that the chrome surface can be damaged and worn down by banging a few thousand glasses against it, as a result exposing the brass.

Brass available in this country has usually been de-zincified, which is where the lead comes from. Ask any good plumbing outlet that know what they are talking about if their brass products contain lead and they will tell you no.

Possibly true about the "glass banging" against the tap, but would like to here it from a Chemist too. I know some of the beer line cleaners in the past may have been corrosive too and perhaps this particular tap in my picture was subject to a harsh chemical caught in a glass held up at the tap, as the line of missing chrome forms a symmetrical tidal pattern all the way around!

Thanks for clearing that up about the lead and zink as I didn't know the full story!