Is This Salvagable?

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Kugeo
Novice
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 11:07 am

Is This Salvagable?

Post by Kugeo »

Happy "Big Game" day everybody! (Don't want to get the site in trouble for copywright ingringement :D ). After having to shut down mid-run, on restart I tried to get things rolling a little faster by pre-heating the thump keg with a torch (see pic). I had the nozzle right up against the hole in the keg and the flame rolled up under the keg nicely. Worked great for a few minutes and when the thumper was warmed up I shut it off. About 20 minutes later I checked the copper coming over from the boiler and it was hot almost all the way to the thumper. But when I checked the thumper and it was cold again (it was a fairly chilly day). So I set up the torch to try to get the thumper warmed up again. This time I didn't get the tip of the nozzle up against the keg like I had previously. Well... I got a little carried away and let the stainless get cherry red, and soon after noticed smoke coming out of the condenser. It only had distilled water and what alcohol and other stuff that it had already filtered during the first part of the run. I shut down again, dumped the thump, and added back some fresh water. Unfortunately, the rest of the run was ruined. Funky, not quite a scorch smell, but a burnt synthetic type smell that didn't go away. Since it was the thumper it didn't affect my 2nd gen UJSSM (thank goodness) in the boiler. I'm planning to let it soak in Star San and then boil off some vinegar to clean the spot.

Two questions:
1. Is the keg ruined?
2. If not, do I need to do another sac run after running vinegar through it?

Thanks for any direction/help you can lend!

Kugeo
Attachments
The hot spot from the inside
The hot spot from the inside
The hot spot on the outside
The hot spot on the outside
The initial heat that didn't over heat the keg.  The second time, I had the torch back about another 1/2" or so.
The initial heat that didn't over heat the keg. The second time, I had the torch back about another 1/2" or so.
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: Is This Salvagable?

Post by rad14701 »

Hopefully, the keg isn't ruined... If you didn't get the inside hot enough to induce rusting, which might be treatable by passivating the stainless steel, you should be good to go... Just need to learn a little patience in the hobby and/or get a better heat source...
StillerBoy
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3387
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: Is This Salvagable?

Post by StillerBoy »

Clean the inside and outside using a fine scotches pad with some Bar Keepers Friend, then passivating the area with vinegar.. and you should be good as new..

Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "

– Albert Einstein
Kugeo
Novice
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 11:07 am

Re: Is This Salvagable?

Post by Kugeo »

Thanks for the help guys! As for patience, two quarts of rye and two quarts of UJSSM on medium toasted oak chips. THAT will test your patience!
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