stainless or aluminum.....

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bluegrass
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stainless or aluminum.....

Post by bluegrass »

anyone know a surefire way to tell if a 1/2 bbl is SS or aluminum? It's a Red Hook keg. Thanks
firstbrew
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stainless or aluminum ?

Post by firstbrew »

Not an expert, but i woould use a magent to test it. aluminum will NOT attract the magnet. SS will. hope this helps.. FB
bluegrass
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Hmmmmmm

Post by bluegrass »

Magnets don't work on my stainless (at least I thought it was SS) brew pot or my sink. Are you sure about that? Thanks for the reply. Isn't this site great?!
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Mesa Maltworks
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Keg Grade SS Is Rendered Non-Ferric

Post by Mesa Maltworks »

The processing that the grade of stainless steel used in kegs undergoes renders the resultant metal non-ferric, meaning that the iron content is too low to be magnetic. Any of the medical grades and most of the kettle grade stainless is not magnetic as well. Only the cheapest stainless can (although I've never witnessed it) be magnetic, although weakly. It is these pots that will still pit and oxidize readily.

You can test for aluminum by using acid solutions. When acids (in the right proportion to water)contacts aluminum, it will bubble. This does not occur with stainless steel. There are other chemicals that are reactive with aluminum, but I can't recall them now. I'll look further if there continues to be interest.
bluegrass
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mmmmmmmm...........beeeeer

Post by bluegrass »

Thanks alot Mesa. You rock.
andytv
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Keg Grade SS is magnetic

Post by andytv »

I just ran a sanity check to prove to myself what I already knew, and have posted in discussions in this forum.... Keg Grade SS is mildly magnetic (at least Yuengling kegs are).
My test was simple, I placed a "fridge magnet" on the side of a upright keg and it stayed. I have a suggestion to those in doubt... try it out!

In addition, I checked a cornelius keg, two styles of brewpot, one 18-8 SS, and one 316 SS. All are magnetic to an extent.

From minimal research, I found that the following common alloys of SS are indeed magnetic;

18-8
316
Grade B8M 316
Alloy 20
Grade B6 410

More info can be found in the International Fasteners Institute (IFI)Hardware Standard, but why waste the time, most SS available to us consumers is 316 or 18-8. Other types are big bucks!! And are not usually used for cookware/food service equip.

Not to worry, the more expensive grades feature properties that are really not required by the homebrewer, unless you store your brewpot in salt water, and you require a tensile strength of 110,000 PSI+ !

I don't know about new kegs, but everything I checked was absolutely magnetic.
l48shark
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Yes, but barely

Post by l48shark »

After trying this out as you suggested, I will vouch for you. SS is magnetic. My magnet stuck to my brewpot and my Cornelius keg. However, I had to use a relatively powerful magnet as my fridge magnet could not hold up its own weight and the strong magnet attracted only slightly.
Cheers,
Ford
bluegrass
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must be Aluminum

Post by bluegrass »

That's the first thing I did. After I found no magnetivity, that's when I had to ask. The thing is, my brew pot does not attract magnets either. hmmmmmmm
bluegrass
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maybe that's what I'm doing wrong

Post by bluegrass »

I'll try a stonger magnet since I was trying fridge magnets too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Bier!
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