Lead In Brass

[Fish]

For the scientists amongst us.

In the final throws of my all-grain set-up I dutifully set about cleaning all my equipment prior to use. One step being to soak my brass fittings in a 2:1 solution of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to remove any lead.

I soaked everything for about 10 minutes and the solution went green however so did my fittings. My questions being:

1. Have I removed the lead or do I need to do it again?

2. Should I have used 3% Hydrogen peroxide? I used 6%.

3. Should I change the solution after it turned green? As I only bought a 250ml bottle from the chemist I ended up using the same solution a few times to do all my brass fittings.

4. If I do need to do it again can anyone suggest a good place to buy it in bulk in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne (Box Hill).

5. If I don't need to do it again, how can I clean my brass fittings without using some nasty chemical that might make me very sick.java script:emoticon(':unsure:')
smilie

Thanks
Fish

 

[warrenlw63]

Fish.

Once is plenty. I used to be obsessive about pickling brass parts. I don't really bother any more. I figure the amount of lead in the brass bits would be fairly minimal anyway.

Warren -

 

[Wortgames]

After you've pickled them (10-15mins until they go grey) you need to give them a gentle scrub (eg with a scrubby sponge and detergent).

Pickling just frees up the lead in the surface, you then need to clean it off. After the first couple of uses the bright brass will go dull, you don't need to bother cleaning it up bright every time, the dullness is a protective oxide.

 

[jayse]

I have a lot of brass in my system and have never done anything to it and have never had a problem.

I have a lot of brass in my system and have never done anything to it and have never had a problem.

I have a lot of brass in my system and have never done anything to it and have never had a problem.

I have a lot of brass in my system and have never done anything to it and have never had a problem.

show me the blue prints, show me the blue prints, show me the blue prints....

see not a single problem at all :lol:
Jayse

 

[warrenlw63]

Yep,

I've got untreated brass and ally pots, it's...


The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ... The way of the future ...

:lol: :blink:

Warren -

 

[Fish]

Thanks guys,

I...I...I....I....I....feel better.....better....al...already!

I'll give them a scrub and see if I can clean them up a bit - not that keen on the green.

Thanks again.

Fish

 

[sosman]

I'll give them a scrub and see if I can clean them up a bit - not that keen on the green.

[post="97167"][/post]​

Green is not good. I think that is a copper compound. When I have pickled (3% H202) they just went a cleaner version of the original.

 

[Gout]

think green means to long in the mix.

 

[Kai]

"If the solution starts to turn green and the brass darkens, then the parts have been soaking too long and the copper in the brass is beginning to dissolve, exposing more lead. The solution has become contaminated and the part should be re-cleaned in a fresh solution."

http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixB.html

 

[MHB]

Unless you used soft solder, there should be no lead in the fittings at all. Lead was taken out of brass at about the same time as it was removed from Pewter (like 100 years ago), for the same reasons.

Modern brass fitting are 70/30 or 60/40 % Copper/Zinc anything you get from a hardware or plumbing supply will be lead free.

You can even get lead free solder, its usually 96/4 % Tin/Silver, a bit more expensive but saves the worry, might add $5 to the cost of your install.

Try not to pickle the brass too much, the green is Copper coming into solution, in the process you are roughening the surface and increasing the chance for corrosion later.

Good Brewing
MHB

 

[Batz]

Unless you used soft solder, there should be no lead in the fittings at all. Lead was taken out of brass at about the same time as it was removed from Pewter (like 100 years ago), for the same reasons.

Modern brass fitting are 70/30 or 60/40 % Copper/Zinc anything you get from a hardware or plumbing supply will be lead free.

You can even get lead free solder, it’s usually 96/4 % Tin/Silver, a bit more expensive but saves the worry, might add $5 to the cost of your install.

Try not to pickle the brass too much, the green is Copper coming into solution, in the process you are roughening the surface and increasing the chance for corrosion later.

Good Brewing
MHB

[post="97204"][/post]​

Now you done it!

Your all gunna die :blink: :huh:

 

[Ross]

Unless you used soft solder, there should be no lead in the fittings at all. Lead was taken out of brass at about the same time as it was removed from Pewter (like 100 years ago), for the same reasons.

Modern brass fitting are 70/30 or 60/40 % Copper/Zinc anything you get from a hardware or plumbing supply will be lead free.

MHB

[post="97204"][/post]​

Where on earth did you get this info?? I'm intrigued...

60/40 machining brass has between 1 & 4% lead.

70/30 brass is lead free, but is extremely soft & totally unsuitable for brass fittings.

Cheers Ross

Edit: In case you are in doubt, here's the spec sheets for one of the most common brasses manuctured in Australia for plumbing fittings (note 3.25% lead)
http://www.conex.com.au/Datasheet/352.pdf

 

[Sean]

We had this conversation many times in CAMRA (in connection to brass cask taps, which are way, way better than plastic or stainless steel). The unofficial response my branch worked on came from one of our very active members who's profession is as a Senior Environmental Health Officer - "don't worry about it - brass taps are absolutely fine, and they only disappeared because of scare-mongering by a certain national brewery who will remain nameless". Well, he actually named the brewery, but I won't here.

Keep brass well away from cider though, unless you want an authentic Devon Colic.

 

[big d]

if lead in brass was so bad for you im sure a long time ago there wouldve been many warnings on its use in certain industries that were food/people related.reckon your brews would have to be very acidic to leach any lead out and even then if it did so im sure you would be looking at visible corrosion on the taps/fittings.
i use ss fittings because i get them for the correct price otherwise i guess i would be using brass fittings .

cheers
big d

 

[Ross]

if lead in brass was so bad for you im sure a long time ago there wouldve been many warnings on its use in certain industries that were food/people related.reckon your brews would have to be very acidic to leach any lead out and even then if it did so im sure you would be looking at visible corrosion on the taps/fittings.
i use ss fittings because i get them for the correct price otherwise i guess i would be using brass fittings .

cheers
big d

[post="97240"][/post]​

nothing wrong with brass - but s/s woo hoo

 

[delboy]

if brass was something to be worried about we would have all been poisoned years ago buy commercial breweries and pubs .

i bet most of you lot smoke that will kill ya first if you dont pickle your kidneys or poison your livers with the amount of bittering hops you use ?

EAT ! DRINK ! AND BE MERRY FOR TOMORROW YOU MAY GET RUN OVER>

DELBOY

 

[Fish]

So it appears I have simply created work for myself by 'pickling' my fittings - great!

Should I just re-do them in the solution / scrub them clean?

or

does anyone have any simpler way of de-greening (technical term) them?

Fish

 

[delboy]

FISH just soak them all in cokeacola over nite it will clean then up and make em shiny

dont worry about the lead in the brass too much i think that the 3 or so percent in a fitting would not contaminate your brew .I think you would absorb more lead into your body buy having a walk down the road in a busy suberb. :lol:


just keep them clean no real need to be anal about piddely little bits off lead in a fitting afterall the breweries used brass fitting for years until ISO 9002-9001-9000-
SWISS FOOD HYGENE STANDARDS were introduced in the 80's for control and quality assurance.

DELBOY

 

[delboy]

well i thought i would resurect this old arguement about brass.

I have just learnt that there are 2 grades of brass

(INDUSTRIAL BRASS AND D.R. BRASS)

Industrial brass contains lead and d.r brass is lead free. if it has DR stamped on the fitting it is lead free this is used in all water fitting brass .

not sure about yank stuff (brass) or cheap asian (brass) but ausie made and N.Z made brass and Britsh has the same 2 .
so there you go brass is ok when it comes to beer making as long as it is the lead free stuff .MARKED AS (D.R) or all water grade brass

DELBOY :beer:

 

[Sean]

well i thought i would resurect this old arguement about brass.

I have just learnt that there are 2 grades of brass

(INDUSTRIAL BRASS AND D.R. BRASS)

Industrial brass contains lead and d.r brass is lead free. if it has DR stamped on the fitting it is lead free this is used in all water fitting brass .

not sure about yank stuff (brass) or cheap asian (brass) but ausie made and N.Z made brass and Britsh has the same 2 .
so there you go brass is ok when it comes to beer making as long as it is the lead free stuff .MARKED AS (D.R) or all water grade brass

DELBOY :beer:

[post="123658"][/post]​

Do you have a source for this information, because I don't believe it is correct.

As http://svc025.wic010v.server-web.com/DataS...Brass%20352.pdf
says, DR brass has around 3% lead
See also the link given in an earlier post.

DR is Dezincification resistant, not lead free.