Rust in my 1-yr old Lapierre Jr flue pan?

[tgormley358]

Prepping for my first boil last night I was cleaning the 2x3.5 back pan of my 1-yr old Lap Jr 2x5 evaporator. I noticed a red-brown “stain” along the bottom corner where it meets the back wall (photo attached). It wouldn’t come out so I looked closer and it looks like rust in the weld. Is that bad news? Will it affect my syrup taste? I’ve contacted the retailer who sold it to me, who asked what I used to clean the pan. Last year I used only white vinegar with water at the end of the season. I’ve used pan cleaner before but I don’t think I did last spring. Is this rust, and can I get it out? Will Lapierre take care of it?

Tom1956419565

[tgormley358]

The retail shop told me it’s caused by my using vinegar to clean the pan. This is unfortunate since my impression is many here have Suggested using vinegar. Lapierre recommends using pan cleaner instead.

[Amber Gold]

That's interesting. Except the first few seasons when I just let the sap ferment in the pans to create an acid, I've always used vinegar and never had an issue.

[Bruce L]

Had same issue,but on a larger scale years ago with a Small Brothers 3 x 10 flue pan,which had severe rusting after only one season. Luckily during the summer tour,the president of Small Brothers was in the area,drove over to see the pan,said they had had problems with several batches of stainless sheets,and they made me a new pan,just had to pick it up myself in exchange for the 1 year old one.You might want to go higher up the ladder to see if Lapierre will do anything about it

[heus]

I dont believe for a second that it was caused by your use of vinegar.

[wiam]

I dont believe for a second that it was caused by your use of vinegar.
Second that

[maple flats]

I agree, unless you left the vinegar set in the pan for months, then didn't rinse after draining. I think there was an issue with the SS. It might have been a batch of imported fake SS.
I have only used vinegar for over 16 seasons, no rust.

[cwhite]

you should call lapierre in swanton 802-868-2328

[Jal-Bear]

I would contact Lapierre. The past 4 years I boiled with that same exact evaporator and at the end of the season I would fill with water and dump several gallons of white vinegar, bring to a boil and let sit overnight and flush out next day. Never had an issue with rust.

[tgormley358]

Thanks for the input and support. I’m going to call Lapierre. The dealer says it is pin holes created by the vinegar, but I emptied and rinsed the pan with water within a day or two max.

[Chickenman]

The juice plant I worked at we had some welds in our piping that started to rust. We found out we had bad filler rod. I really don't think it was the vinegar that caused it.

[steam maker]

usually stainless only rusts if its low grade stainless or if carbon is introduced to the weld , via bad filler wire ,or using wire brushes or wheels that have ground steel. stainless carries some pretty bad stuff and is fine . find it hard to believe vinager is worse than the stuff that gets run in paper mills and chemical plants

[DrTimPerkins]

Acetic acid (vinegar) can severely damage 304 stainless. It has only minor effects on 316 stainless.

http://hayata.com/stainless-steel-chemical-resistance-chart-ab/

[ecolbeck]

Acetic acid (vinegar) can severely damage 304 stainless. It has only minor effects on 316 stainless.

http://hayata.com/stainless-steel-chemical-resistance-chart-ab/

It seems that according to the table the severe effects occur at extremely high acid concentrations. The stuff we use as regular consumers is very low concentration (I believe 5%). However, time and high temperature would likely enhance those effects.

[Mark]

Evaporation of the water will concentrate the acid.

[DrTimPerkins]

Evaporation of the water will concentrate the acid.

And time will make it worse. There are pinholes, or just surface rust? What do you burn in the evaporator? How do you clean the underside of the pan? How was the pan stored over the off-season?

[220 maple]

Word of the Day, Passivate, Google It!

Mark 220 Maple

[jmayerl]

I would bet my money on a bad weld, I can’t tell exactly by the picture but that seams most likely. If they don’t make the situation better I would sell it as soon as season is over and just get a SL since it will always have a lifetime warranty and his stuff is better welded than anything else I have seen out there.

[ecolbeck]

Does this mean that those of us who use vinegar to clean our pans are taking a significant risk or is this situation unique?

[DrTimPerkins]

Ther is insufficient information at this point to determine the exact cause(s) of this problem.

[raptorfan85]

Have you ever boiled anything other then sap in it? I did a test boil in my pan with my tap water, which has very high iron in it. The iron precipitated out of the tap water and I got some small rust spots. From now on when I add water to clean it will only be distilled water, lesson learned.

[tgormley358]

Just a quick update that Lapierre has responded well to me about this issue. Without going into detail, they’re interested in looking at the pan and will make it right for me. They’ve told me there should be no impact for the time being.

Tom
On my syrup

[tgormley358]

Update - I’ve been in touch with Lapierre - they’ve been very helpful. Without going into detail they want to see the pan to understand what happened and want a happy customer so they’re working with me. They also said it shouldn’t affect my syrup so thenuegency is not high.

Tom