Next week I have planned for a full cleaning of all still components, copper, steal and gaskets. I will replace any gaskets that show signs of wear or, in my case, have scorch smells, which is quite a few of them
I will also break in two new 2,5kw low density elements.I was hoping for your thoughts and feedback on the following questions or steps I was planning to do, as a sanity check from you experienced guys.
Gaskets:
How do you clean PTFE gaskets? I was planning on soaking in mild dish washing detergent, then rinsing with hot water and air dry.
How do you treat new PTFE gaskets? Soak them in alcohol, boil them, any initiation rites you follow.
Copper:
I was planning on giving the two copper components I have a bath in PBW followed by a good clean on the inside with a soft brush.
Then I was planning on giving them a citric acid clean to give the copper back some of it's former shiny glory. Especially the copper spool looks dingy on the outside. I was also planning to give the copper mesh a citric bath once I'm done with the dome and the spool.
Steel:
All the steel components are going to share the PBW bath with the copper and then get the same scrub with a brush. Nothing more planned here.
Vinegar run:
I do have a few new components that I haven't used yet, rather they are fittings, like valves and a manometer. It's probably overkill to do a vinegar run just for a few valves, however, given the scorching issues I've had, I'm thinking a vinegar run with a full build can't really hurt. I'm not worried about removing patina (or whatever the coating of sulfites is called), in fact I want to kick off the next distilling season with a clean rig. 1-2 hours.
Sac run:
Having scores of fores, heads and foul scorched liquor, I was thinking of giving the two new elements their first taste of blood in a sacrificial run, using the same config of the still as I used in the vinegar run. 1 hour.
Steam run:
By now I think you can tell I have some OCD when it comes to cleaning my equipment. As an old brewer, I take these things a bit too serious. But there's just something about giving a still that's been cleaned and sanitized a final complete steam run-through that appeals to me. Water is the source of life, even if it is vapors.
Comments and suggestions are more than welcome.