food grade ball valve

[madmantr]

Is there a way to tell if a ball valve is food grade?
thanks

[maplwrks]

You can tell if it screws on to your tank or not!!

[Haynes Forest Products]

Dang Maplwrks That was funny I just wish I wasnt drinking a Coke when I read it:lol: If you get one from HD it is for potable water so that would be FOOD GRADE. I just got in the mail 6 Gemini SS ball valves 1" $30.00 BUT the valve might screw onto a 1" pipe but they AINT FULL FLOW the internals are 5/8s:mad: When ever you buy a valve look and make sure they are full flow. I would stay away from gate valves because they will hold rotten sap in the outer shell of the casting when its open.

[Goggleeye]

Ditto. Any valve for plumbing potable water will be suitable. Just make sure you keep them far enough from your heat source so you don't ruin the nylon seat. I've got both CPVC and brass valves in my set-up.

[KenWP]

If you read the labels on them buy the ones certified as low lead also. The SS ones don't have that problem but the brass and bronze ones do.

[mapleman3]

I'm glad some of you use Brass, now I don't feel so bad going to use a few . I have my new auto draw off I built but don't have extra ss ball valves yet($$ are low at this point) so I'm goint to use a few 1" full flow ball valves. I just hate having all that nice stainless with a brass valve in between. I'm not worried about the lead issue as I think I will only use it for a week or so, I really don't think my hot syrup will suck the lead out of brass. especially a potable water valve.

How many out doing the same?

SS valves I can get for around 27 each.. but like I said... LOW on maple funds at this point, wait a week and sell some syrup then I'll be all set.

[mapleman3]

Ok, So after I posted this I did more searching and found another thread way back , in it lots of you using Brass, So I will do that for this season and stainless (to look prestty ) next year. I will look fo the no lead type

[KenWP]

They list non lead valves on a few places also now and they are not to much more money then the other ones.

[Father & Son]

Here's a good place to deal with for valves and fittings www.buyfittingsonline.com

Jim

[softmaple]

www.discovervalve.com (http://www.discovervalve.com)

or

B.E. Crowley in Springfield MA

[farmall h]

Maple man, my Small Bros. was built with brass draw off valves. Does the wife prefer silver or gold?:rolleyes: ;) :lol:

[maple sapper]

Id go stainless any time possible. The brass fittings I have used in the past have had residue on them even after cleaning them after the previous use. I had a fitting on a piece of clear tubing and was repulsed when I saw how nasty it was on the inside. So stainless cleans nice and leaves not stain, NO PUN. Spend the money on good stuff for the best food avail.

[red maples]

depends on the exact use for it. but you can get lead free brass. I have a foot valve in my tank for my trasnfer pump that is lead free brass.

cold application PVC is fine. becareful of cracks under freezes.

Shoot for Stainless but like most said brass is fine but look for lead free brass.

and avoid the brass valves used for boilers, and furnaces as they mostly contain lead!!!

[Goggleeye]

Not to resurrect an old topic, but I have a few questions about lead free brass. Last year, I put regular brass valves on me pre-heater and syrup pan before I heard anything about the lead-free brass valves. I guess I just assumed that brass was OK because that's what our house is plumbed with. Has there been any testing on how much lead will leach into the sap and syrup. Is there something in the chemistry of maple that will mobilize the lead? I didn't think temps at or below boiling could mobilize it. I understand that any increase in temp increases molecular motion and the likelihood of mobilization, but I didn't think it would be to the degree of creating any concern. Any thoughts?
I just want to be as safe as possible, especially with all the syrup our family now consumes.

[DrTimPerkins]

Has there been any testing on how much lead will leach into the sap and syrup. Is there something in the chemistry of maple that will mobilize the lead? I didn't think temps at or below boiling could mobilize it. I understand that any increase in temp increases molecular motion and the likelihood of mobilization, but I didn't think it would be to the degree of creating any concern.

First off, the amount of lead added by syrup passing through a single brass valve, or even 10 brass valves, is fairly minimal and probably not a big concern.

To answer your specific questions:

Yes, there has been a LOT of testing done within the past 15 yrs of how much lead will leach from different materials into sap or syrup (mostly done at UVM PMRC, about 7 yrs of work).

Sap is not like water. Typically it is slightly acidic, which causes leaching of lead from materials at a far higher rate than does water. Temperature isn't all that important. What is important is the amount of contact sap or syrup has with lead-containing materials and the contact time. So passing sap or syrup through a pump or valve isn't such a bad thing....unless you're doing it a lot, or especially if you're recirculating it (like you might with a filter press, or if you pump from a collection tank to a transfer tank to storage tank to a feed tank). Every time sap or syrup passes by that brass piece, it picks up a little bit more lead.

Most lead comes from contact of sap, or partially boiled syrup, with lead solder in buckets, storage tanks, or evaporators (especially back/sap pans). or from storage in containers with lead (old ternplate milk cans). There is virtually no detectible amount of lead coming from the tree itself -- all of it is added during collection and processing. Generally it isn't a problem, unless a good share of your equipment contains lead. There are ways to reduce or prevent lead from being a problem.

If you have other questions about lead in maple...feel free to email me off-list at Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

[Goggleeye]

Dr. Perkins

Thanks for the information. Glad to know I'm not giving my kids brain damage and that I don't have to switch over right away. Guess I'll switch out as I make improvements with time.

Thanks again.