Pin Holes In Corny Keg

[Fatgodzilla]

The bane of the kegging man - my corny has sprung a leak ! It looks like a pin hole size that leaks when the keg is pressurised. I don't need this keg (got a few spares) and am likely to pull it apart to educate myself on how a keg works. However, why abandon a good keg completely ? Are these kegs easily fixable or once a hole comes, treat it as the end of its useable life ?

 

[porky]

The bane of the kegging man - my corny has sprung a leak ! It looks like a pin hole size that leaks when the keg is pressurised. I don't need this keg (got a few spares) and am likely to pull it apart to educate myself on how a keg works. However, why abandon a good keg completely ? Are these kegs easily fixable or once a hole comes, treat it as the end of its useable life ?

Could be fixed. I silver soldered a cracked lid for a mate. Worked fine.
The real issue is if the inside is pitted in a lot of places then it is done.
If it looks good then you should be ok repairing it.

Cheers,
Bud

 

[Cracka]

I got a keg about 12 months ago that had been repaired. Looked like a nice tig job and it has given me no problems. I suppose it depends on wether the keg has started to pit or not. Once they start pitting you'll keep getting holes down the track.

 

[Kenny the plumber]

How do you pit a stainless keg? Iv'e had mine for 5 years and they were 2nd hand when I got them. I have been told not to wash them with a caustic soloution so I scrub them with Neo and sometimes use seconds? a keg line cleaner. Seems to work well no pits so far. So is it a acid or alkaline soloution causing the pits? . Is there anything I can do to avoide pits in my kegs?

 

[porky]

How do you pit a stainless keg? Iv'e had mine for 5 years and they were 2nd hand when I got them. I have been told not to wash them with a caustic soloution so I scrub them with Neo and sometimes use seconds? a keg line cleaner. Seems to work well no pits so far. So is it a acid or alkaline soloution causing the pits? . Is there anything I can do to avoide pits in my kegs?

Using bleach can cause pitting. Don't know about the other things. I use a pressure washer to clean and nappy san to soak.

Cheers,
Bud

 

[newguy]

As others have suggested, the pinhole can be repaired. As to what pits SS, it's definitely not caustic. Chlorine does. Don't use bleach, no matter how dilute, to sanitise SS and you'll be fine.

The pitting could also be caused by the SS somehow becoming "unpickled" (wow, what a technical term) and thus becoming susceptible to oxygen. You might try retreating it with acid.

 

[Fents]

Using bleach can cause pitting. Don't know about the other things. I use a pressure washer to clean and nappy san to soak.

Cheers,
Bud

how much time does a pressure washer save on washing brew gear! its a god send and i couldnt live without mine now.

 

[bigfridge]

As others have suggested, the pinhole can be repaired. As to what pits SS, it's definitely not caustic. Chlorine does. Don't use bleach, no matter how dilute, to sanitise SS and you'll be fine.

The pitting could also be caused by the SS somehow becoming "unpickled" (wow, what a technical term) and thus becoming susceptible to oxygen. You might try retreating it with acid.

Speaking as a Metallurgist(retired) Chlorine from Bleach is the culprit. But there is no way that the surface can become 'unpickled' in normal use as the protective oxide layer continually repairs itself. The only way to disrupt the oxide layer is by welding. This causes some of the chrome to be tied up with carbon (instead of oxygen) and hence it can't form the protective layer.

But kegs are made from a grade of stainless designed for welding - 304L. The 'L' means low carbon hence no pickling is needed for any home repairs.

The pinholes form from regions of differing oxygen potential and this can be under a piece of gunk (in a dirty keg) or from the liquid/air line if it was soaked in bleach. As others have said - you should never use bleach on your kegs. 'Every soak you do is doing your keg damage'.

Dave

 

[TasChris]

How do you pit a stainless keg? Iv'e had mine for 5 years and they were 2nd hand when I got them. I have been told not to wash them with a caustic soloution so I scrub them with Neo and sometimes use seconds? a keg line cleaner. Seems to work well no pits so far. So is it a acid or alkaline soloution causing the pits? . Is there anything I can do to avoide pits in my kegs?

Certain chemicals are able to pentrate the protective layer, known as the passive layer, ( Chrome Oxide) which protects stainless steel from corrosion.
Chemicals such as salts of Chlorine, Bromine and Iodine. Chlorine is the worst as it also helps to encourage galvanic corrision, ( corrosion caused by two different metals or alloys in an electrolyte)
Pitting is particularly bad in stainless as once a chemical such as Chlorine salts have penetrated through the passive layer there can be a galvanic reaction between the passive layer and the "active" layer. The large passive area then corrodes the small active area quite quickly

Don't use Chlorine based products on stainless steel or if you do minimise the time of contact, rinse very well, then allow the surface to come into contact with oxygen to help re oxidise the chrome in the stainless to rebuild the passive layer.
Thats all I remember from stainless steel metallurgy from many moons ago

Chris

 

[breaky]

how much time does a pressure washer save on washing brew gear! its a god send and i couldnt live without mine now.

Hi Fents'

What type of pressure washer ya got??
Thinking of getting one myself

 

[Jazman]

i got a karcher makes life easy to clean the kettle

 

[Georgedgerton]

Keep in mind it is a pressure vessel and while it may not be an issue it could be a sign the the keg is getting beyond it's "best before date" Might be time to consider retiring to the Old Kegs Home.

 

[phoenixdigital]

Dredging up an old thread here but does anyone know how to fix pin holes in kegs?

I have a little butane torch and some silver solder. I have scrubbed the outside of the keg with steel wool and scratched the outside with the tip of a screw driver to give the solder somewhere to stick.

I then heated the keg at the pinhole till it was red hot and introduced the silver solder. The stuff just dribbles off the keg like butter and doesn't stick to the hole.

Any tips?

Probably will retire the keg but if I can fix it that would be a win as well.

 

[Brewman_]

You might need some flux, not really sure?

I would take it to a Fabrication shop that work with SS, take a couple of long necks for the boys and see how you go. They are normally interested in brewing so you might get it fixed properly at the right price.

Fear_n_loath

 

[booargy]

Think it may be roo ted.

 

[mashout]

Rapid fix

 

[phoenixdigital]

Rapid fix

Wow that stuff looks pretty good.

Can buy for about $35 including delivery. Cheaper than a new keg.

Now the other thing is how food safe is it?

hmmmmmm

 

[Batz]

As said above you need a bit of flux, I have repaired one of my kegs over 8 years ago and it's still going fine.

batz

 

[Cube]

Ok what is the best cleaner, and safest for SS, to use? Star San?

I'm paranoid now I've been using no rinse bleach/vinegar. Luckily only about 2 times per keg so far.

 

[Batz]

Ok what is the best cleaner, and safest for SS, to use? Star San?

I'm paranoid now I've been using no rinse bleach/vinegar. Luckily only about 2 times per keg so far.

Don't worry about it, I have cleaned my kegs with bleach for several years before I heard all this bleach and stainless stuff. I'm talking 12-14 years ago and I still have those kegs in use.
I still put some bleach in a keg if I have a bad stain in the bottom, I think the whole thing maybe a crock.
So what about this, I'll do a experiment hey? I have some stainless sheet about the same thickness as kegs, I'll cut a strip and put it in straight bleach for a few months and we'll see what happens.

batz