Stainless Steel Pot Rusted Right Through

[Newts]

Hey guys,

Def not having a good week this week. Gave my new 50L stainless brew pot a test to see if it would hold water with the stainless steel weldless valve I put in it. Boiled and held water so all good.

Left it to cool and was holding water for a while, then when I've taken the lid off the pot has rusted badly around the base. In one spot it's rusted right through. The $10 pots I buy from Kmart store the same water for weeks without this issue.

Anyone else have this happen? I'm concerned the warranty won't hold as I've cut a hole in it for the valve. In any case the pots useless now. This is starting to get expensive...

Newts

 

[barls]

did it rust anywhere near the hole you cut??
if the answer is no then its a manufacturing fault more than likely

 

[KingKong]

How long did you leave it full of water for?

 

[Newts]

Nah, no where near it, it's around the bottom of the curved ring on the base of the pot. Surprisingly there's quite a few spots except where I've drilled the hole :huh:

 

[booargy]

handy imports?

 

[Black Devil Dog]

When you drilled, there would have been hot iron filings, if they were left in the pot, they could create starting points for rust.

 

[black_labb]

When you drilled, there would have been hot iron filings, if they were left in the pot, they could create starting points for rust.

rust specks from hot iron filings shouldn't grow beyond the rust specks and should definitely not rust through a pot. The rust specks are just specks of iron that have bonded to the stainless, not the start of rust spreading into the stainless.

If it has rusted through there is obviously a very serious metallurgical problem.

 

[Newts]

The water would have been in there a max of 2 weeks and it was far from full - only about 6 litres. In any case I don't think that thickness of metal should rust through in that time. And nah, it wasn't from handy imports, it was from a camping store.

I also doubt I left any stainless in there after I cut and filed the hole. I rinsed, scrubbed, rinsed, scrubbed etc etc after as I didn't want any of this getting into my beer.

Being honest, if I were to do this again I would just buy a pre-drilled good quality pot straight up. I can see this being a nightmare to try and get another pot from the same company and it may be the same quality. Wasn't a cheap pot either.

 

[keifer33]

If you purchased it from a brew shop and it it's the thin version I'm not surprised. I hit mine up with some Barkeepers friend and it hasn't returned but only store water in it overnight as the HLT.

 

[lael]

pics? It sounds like it might have been the weld around the base of the pot - I had this happen too - but hadn't drilled it yet. Boiled water for 2hours, let sit overnight and the next day it was rusting. Well worth checking any pot you buy before you drill them - returnable under trade practices if they rust and are stainless. (pre - drilling) - but you can still try

 

[Newts]

Getting late here so I'll post some pics tomorrow. I thought that it must have been on the weld too cause it looks like it. Shattered. Oh well, guess I'll go get plastered now :kooi:

 

[Yob]

What you need ie some good pot...

Sorry, probably too soon..

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Getting late here so I'll post some pics tomorrow. I thought that it must have been on the weld too cause it looks like it. Shattered. Oh well, guess I'll go get plastered now :kooi:

You could solder the spot up with silver solder, saves buying another pot.
Nev

 

[431neb]

I don't know much about dis-simalar metals and the like but some clever bugger will know if this could be an electolosis thing.. elecrolosis even ...Goddamn it... electrolysis (YAY!)

 

[lael]

Hmm, think it is just a) stainless is hard to weld well b) cheap and poor workmanship.

I still think take it back - argue that your drilling it doesn't change the weld being 'unfit for use'

 

[Newts]

Yob, you may be onto something...

Nev, did consider that but I doubt the long term viability. Might be alright for a while but it looks like it's cracking in a couple of places around the bottom which to me says it's going to completely fail in the not so long term.

neb, can't see it being electrolysis considering everything touching the pot is stainless. Unless someone else wants to enlighten me.

I will be hitting up the manufacturers but I'm not liking my chances. Now the quest begins for a good quality reasonably priced pot (not your pot yob ). Anyone have any ideas? I was going to get a third vessel at some point and now I guess it'll be a second second vessel instead :huh:

Currently lookin at the keg king stuff. Even their quality pots are pricey but I guess if that's what you have to pay, that's what you gotta pay.

Newts

 

[vittorio]

this started happening to one of my small batches pot, so i took the rust of with vinegar which worked like a treat...now after every brew, i clean my pots with vinegar and they have always been in top form!

 

[simplefisherman]

You will still get electrolysis action between different grades of stainless...

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Electrolysis will come into play if you have placed the pot on top of another metal, what I think you may have done is when you scrubbed the pot after welding you have rubbed off the chromium,leaving mild steel to start to rust, this can also happen when using oxalic acid with a scourer if it is a low grade stainless
I would take it back to the shop and ask for a refund, just because you have drilled a hole in it shouldn't make any difference, it has rusted so it is a poor quality stainless.