Vinegar run

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Vinegar run

Postby Fireplace01 » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:33 am

I can’t quite seem to find out why the vinegar run on a new still
Is it used as a “pickle” for the steam or is there another advantage?
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby coffe addict » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:39 am

Vinegar is acidic and acid is a very good cleaner! It's effective at removing oxidation. It's also pretty harmless to us humans.
There's probably others but that's off the top of my head
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby Doubleuj » Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:28 pm

As coffee said, we do a vinegar run to clean out the inside of the still, especially when its new. there could be stuff like cutting fluids, flux etc that was left behind in the manufacturing process.
after your vinegar run its best to do a sacrificial run also, this gets rid of the vinegar and any more possible "stuff" that's there. don't drink your sac run, but store it and re use it next time you need to clean your still. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Oh and pickling is usually used as a term to describe treating the surface of brass for use in stills, but we wont open the debate of brass in stills here. :naughty:
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby Fireplace01 » Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:50 pm

Sweet I have made a stainless still and used a true acid for pickling all the metal to remove all oxides and sulphates will just give a citric bath and hot wash
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby hillzabilly » Tue Jan 09, 2018 5:39 pm

Doubleuj wrote:As coffee said, we do a vinegar run to clean out the inside of the still, especially when its new. there could be stuff like cutting fluids, flux etc that was left behind in the manufacturing process.
after your vinegar run its best to do a sacrificial run also, this gets rid of the vinegar and any more possible "stuff" that's there. don't drink your sac run, but store it and re use it next time you need to clean your still. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Oh and pickling is usually used as a term to describe treating the surface of brass for use in stills, but we wont open the debate of brass in stills here. :naughty:

:text-+1: I have allways done this to be sure ,and as a standard wich the forum advises I would hope you will to.Some pics of ya still would be noice too.cheers hillzabilly ;-)
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby Pauder » Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:47 pm

Don't you try dilute your alcohol with vinegar instead of distilled water, wasn't on purpose, just grabbed the wrong bottle. Not recommended :crying-blue:
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby Pauder » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:27 pm

hillzabilly wrote:
Doubleuj wrote:As coffee said, we do a vinegar run to clean out the inside of the still, especially when its new. there could be stuff like cutting fluids, flux etc that was left behind in the manufacturing process.
after your vinegar run its best to do a sacrificial run also, this gets rid of the vinegar and any more possible "stuff" that's there. don't drink your sac run, but store it and re use it next time you need to clean your still. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Oh and pickling is usually used as a term to describe treating the surface of brass for use in stills, but we wont open the debate of brass in stills here. :naughty:

:text-+1: I have allways done this to be sure ,and as a standard wich the forum advises I would hope you will to.Some pics of ya still would be noice too.cheers hillzabilly ;-)



What ratio of vinegar to water do you recommend?
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby db1979 » Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:34 am

50/50 is the ratio recommended in kiwi stillers cleaning tutorial.
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby Pauder » Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:46 pm

db1979 wrote:50/50 is the ratio recommended in kiwi stillers cleaning tutorial.


Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby hillzabilly » Tue Jan 16, 2018 9:13 pm

You could also use a citric acid solution,you can get citric acid from the HBS in 1kilo bags for about $10 bucks,and use 3-4 tablespoons per 5litres of water,I also use it to clean the copper packing in my packed section also for soaking and cleaning bubble plates and other copper bits.cheers hillzabilly ;-)
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby Pauder » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:39 pm

hillzabilly wrote:You could also use a citric acid solution,you can get citric acid from the HBS in 1kilo bags for about $10 bucks,and use 3-4 tablespoons per 5litres of water,I also use it to clean the copper packing in my packed section also for soaking and cleaning bubble plates and other copper bits.cheers hillzabilly ;-)


Cheers. Sounds cheaper than buying vinegar :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Vinegar run

Postby bluc » Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:01 pm

Vinegar is only bout $1litre from coles for the homebrand one. But citric will be fine. Never actually thought of citric for cleaning run before but use if for soaking bits....
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