Mashtun Silver Solder, Flux Issue

[t_c]

Hey

Just made me a manifold for my mashtun for my first AG

just wanna make sure im using the right flux and solder

apparently this flux is dangerous stuff, and i dont like the idea of and residual traces ending up
in my wort.

"Silver solder flux should not often be allowed to come in direct contact with the skin on your hands. Prolonged exposure can cause nervous system damage."


also i actually left the manifold in the water over night and noticed the white flux leaching into the water
probly just needs a good scrub. but how could i scrub the inside? as i applied flux very liberally.

so heres some pics

 

[TidalPete]

I have always used Comweld 965 food-grade solder (Not silver solder) & Comweld 965 flux for all my copperwork in the brewery thus keeping everything to a food-grade standard. Have had it for yonks & don't know offhand if it is still around. I'm sure there is something similar available though.
Leaving the manifold soak in a hydrochloric acid solution for a few days should get rid of any flux on the inside.
:beer:

 

[mika]

I used a Eutectic Silver Solder suitable for food processing equipment, and I've got a fair bit of flux about the place as well, though it doesn't mention anything about neverous system damage :huh:.
I cleaned the major lumps off with a wire brush on a die-grinder. For the rest of it, I found this stainless steel cleaner in the local supermarket. Got all sort's of warning's on it, so hopefully it's bad enough to finish the job
Essteele, Stainless Steel & Copper, Cleaner Paste (Contains SULPHAMIC ACID) apparently not suitable on 400 series stainless steels.
I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[MHB]

There are two families of solder, Hard and Soft.

You have a soft solder and a hard soldering flux.
Most Silver solders are hard solders; the one you have is a lead free replacement for domestic soft solder.
To use the solder you have, just clean the metal with steel wool, or a Brillo pad, and use a soft solder flux. I use Laco paste you can get it at any hardware or plumbing supply.
You will only need a propane torch for the soft solder; with hard solder you normally use an Oxy torch.

That solder is a good choice for the application.

MHB

 

[ausdb]

Hey

Just made me a manifold for my mashtun for my first AG

just wanna make sure im using the right flux and solder

apparently this flux is dangerous stuff, and i dont like the idea of and residual traces ending up
in my wort.

"Silver solder flux should not often be allowed to come in direct contact with the skin on your hands. Prolonged exposure can cause nervous system damage."
also i actually left the manifold in the water over night and noticed the white flux leaching into the water
probly just needs a good scrub. but how could i scrub the inside? as i applied flux very liberally.

The flux you have is for silver brazing or 'hard soldering', the solder you have is 'soft solder'. You want a soldering flux like 'Bakers fluid' with it.

If you are just doing copper to copper joints then use a phos-copper silver solder which is self fluxing, it will also do copper to brass with the flux you already have. Brown tip (15%silver) is slightly more expensive than yellow tip (2% silver) but flows better. If you use that then you don't really need to worry about getting rid of the flux . Both of these are food grade as they contain no cadmium and all the copper pipes in your house were probably soldered with yellow tip silver solder.

As its for a mash tun you could have probably just press fitted the joints together then crimped them slightly with a few centre punch marks, this would work just as well and allow you to pull it apart to clean it.

 

[Keifer]

As its for a mash tun you could have probably just press fitted the joints together then crimped them slightly with a few centre punch marks, this would work just as well and allow you to pull it apart to clean it.

That's what i would do, i at first soldered my copper manifold together, then made a new one because of the lead risk. Second one is just a pull-apart type one (6 pieces) and have found that it works well and is very easy to clean.

Cheers,
Keith

 

[sstacey]

I just used soft lead free solder, mainly tin with a few percent copper, nothing dangerous. It was fine to solder copper pipe together without any flux. I heated the pipe with a torch and then applied the solder as you would a silver solder.

Not sure how that helps you now that you have already used flux but it might help someone else in the future.

 

[Sloth]

wish i had of found this post earlier....

I have collected all the things i thought i would need for soldering my copper manifold together including a small butane blow torch thing (about the size of a pen).

Went to do some test soldering last night and came across a problem...

the melted solder tends to form blobs and not flow around the join as expected. Once cooled, the solder doesnt even stay attached to the pipe, just falls straight off.

Any help would be much appreciated. i have done normal soldering before but nothing with copper piping.

Cheers, Sloth.

 

[campro]

Gday Sloth,

I was shown how to do this last weekend with very good results - used a pen torch and silver solder as you did and no flux. The following advice made all the difference:
- give the pieces to be soldered a good clean with steel wool or a scrubby first - it should be shiny or bright
- solder blobs when the metal isn't hot enough
- when it is is the right temp, the solder should flow around the join through capilary action
- heat the larger piece and heat in an upward direction
- heat the metal about 5mm from the tip of the flame (hottest part)

Hope this helps. Good luck with it.

Cheers
Rod

 

[Ross]

Nice advice Rod & welcome to the forum...

...But even with a name like sloth I'm sure he's have finished the project wthin 14 months

cheers Ross

 

[oldbugman]

Being a fridgie and doing a far bit of copper to copper soldering in my time. I'd say why bother soldering. simply crimp it all together so it's a tight fit.

 

[yardy]

Nice advice Rod & welcome to the forum...

...But even with a name like sloth I'm sure he's have finished the project wthin 14 months

cheers Ross

:lol:

 

[amita]

Hey

Just made me a manifold for my mashtun for my first AG



View attachment 10809

just looking at your manifold, I thought it needed to have a slotted rod in the middle as well, to make the wort drain evenly throughout the whole mash?

I think palmer writee about this in his book,

good luck with the brews

cheers amita

 

[yardy]

just looking at your manifold, I thought it needed to have a slotted rod in the middle as well, to make the wort drain evenly throughout the whole mash?

I think palmer writee about this in his book,

good luck with the brews

cheers amita

old thread but thats what i did HERE

cheers
Yard

 

[Thirsty Boy]

It might just be a a light trick or something, but it looks like your manifold is set up so that the slots will end up on the top rather than the bottom?? I dont think thats the way they are supposed to go.

I just soldered up a return manifold for my HERMS using a lead free silver solder and a little flux that is predominantly acid.. I gave teh whole thing a good soak in nappisan which is basic, to neutralize the acid, then a soak in diluted vinegar to neutralize the nappisan and shine up the copper.

 

[sah]

It might just be a a light trick or something, but it looks like your manifold is set up so that the slots will end up on the top rather than the bottom?? I dont think thats the way they are supposed to go.

You want the slots resting against the bottom of the tun, otherwise you'll lose too much sweet sweet wort.

regards,
Scott