Pot Went Black

[user 10246]

Hi all,

I bought a new 60ltr aluminium pot the other day, I boiled some water (about 30-40 ltrs) doing some testin with my burner etc.

Then I put some napisan in it just to clean it out, forgot about it last night & when I checked the pot this morning, it was all black on the inside.

Is this normal? Do I need to worry about it?

I boiled some more water in it this afternoon & it hasn't removed it or gone any lighter

Cheers
Goldy

 

[Fents]

would love to see a pic of this if you have a camera?

no idea on a sloution sorry mate...

 

[MarkBastard]

Pretty sure Aluminium + napisan is a big no no

 

[unrealeous]

elbow grease can fix anything.... you'll be able to polish it up like new, and get a good workout at the same time.

 

[Pennywise]

Doesn't oxygen based cleaners strip something out of the aluminium? Also remember reading that aluminium has a srong bond with oxygen, might have something to do with it?

 

[Fourstar]

Doesn't oxygen based cleaners strip something out of the aluminium? Also remember reading that aluminium has a srong bond with oxygen, might have something to do with it?

yeah that grey matter you get on the outisde of aluminium pots is its oxidisation, if you scrub your pot hard enough the water goes grey too. Just clean it out and let her dry. As simple as that.

 

[user 10246]

Here's a pretty bad picture of it

 

[Fents]

shit that dosnt look good.

 

[Fourstar]

does it scrub off?

 

[brettprevans]

OMG its the Alzheimers coming out of the aluminium

edit: sorry, no real help, other than try and scrub it off, let it dry and see what it does.

 

[Shed101]

I'm certainly no metallurgist, but i think vinegar cleans some metals up - no idea if aluminium will work.

You could g0$#e 'clean aluminum'... or just try vinegar and if it works you can thank me. If it doesn't, best keep it to yourself

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Pretty sure Aluminium + napisan is a big no no

As I read it, John Palmer seems to disagree:

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter2-2-1.html

As with so many things, if you decide that More is More, you might do something to the aluminum with Napisan, but if you don't soak it for too long or in too strong a solution, you might be okay. I've used it in dilute solutions for short periods and do not remember having an issue.

 

[MarkBastard]

As I read it, John Palmer seems to disagree:

These products combine sodium metasilicate with the percarbonate in a stable form which increases its effectivity and prevents the corrosion of metals like copper and aluminum that strong alkaline solutions can cause.

I read that as him saying that unlike regular Percarbonate mixtures such as Napisan, products like PBW are safe to use on Aluminium.

 

[user 10246]

OK, according to this website lemon juice will work.

I tried it & it seems to do the trick too, just gotta scrub a couple of cruddy extras off.

It also says not to leave in soapy water for long periods of time... :lol:

What do you guys generally use to clean aluminium pots?

 

[komodo]

Doesnt letric soda clean up aluminium. I seem to remember mum used to get all her silverware out (normally just before christmas - the only time it got used) and put them in a big aluminium pot with some letric soda then the tarnish just wiped off. I remember that the pot used to come up a treat too!

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I read that as him saying that unlike regular Percarbonate mixtures such as Napisan, products like PBW are safe to use on Aluminium.

I can't see that, but there are a couple (not many) MSDS -style things about the place that suggest a strong solution will corrode it, so don't store one in t'other.

I'm using PBW on all sorts of things and most of the time, I cleanse my kettle immediately I finish using it with water & elbow grease. After this little bout of reading, I might use PBW on it in preference to the whatsiname...

 

[MarkBastard]

"Strong Alkaline solutions" = regular napisan, ones that don't combine sodium metasilicate with the percarbonate.

AFAIK anyway.

 

[bradsbrew]

Give chap Chap a bell. Pretty sure he done the same thing. I use 100% sodium perc to clean my ali kettle but have never leave it soak due to what happened to Chap .

cheers Brad

 

[Bribie G]

Sodium Perc made my nickel plated mashing paint stirrer thing go black where it had been immersed, and it's never gone back to its original colour.

In your pot's case maybe it could apologise to the kettle

h34r:

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

"Strong Alkaline solutions" = regular napisan, ones that don't combine sodium metasilicate with the percarbonate.

AFAIK anyway.

I don't agree, yet. Napisan and suchlike things contain around 35% sodium percarbonate (at least the stuff that is close to my hand does). I wonder what the other 65% is and have given the manufacturer an email query to see if I can't find out. I reckon my lack of issues are probably due to the contact time, but wouldn't it be cool if...