Water damaging kettle?

[Jack_teachat]

Dear all,

I recently switched my water filter from a Brita to a Wellness water system cartridge. Some of you may know about Wellness, but for those that don't there is some more information here...

http://www.wellnessfilter.com/

http://www.healthleadsuk.com/air-and-wa ... e-x-3.html

Basically, the Wellness system, as well as filtering the water for carbon like a Brita, actively softens and enhances water with Japanese minerals (details of which can be found in the second link) thus imitating Japanese mineral water.

Now I have no qualms with the filter itself, the water comes out fantastically neutral in taste and really allows the flavours of the tea to shine through; a side by side comparison with both Brita and bottled Highland Spring really highlights the difference!

However, I have a horrible feeling it may be having a detrimental affect on my two electric kettles. After a few weeks of usage I noticed a build up of light yellowy/brownish specks around the back of the unexposed element. I treated the kettle with some vinegar and warm water and lightly scrubbed away the markings, however a somewhat metallic taste lingered, even after a good few boils. I therefore switched to my other electric kettle and after a few more weeks I am noticing a similar build up, although I am yet to do anything about it.

In short: Could this be the water which is doing this to my kettles, and if so why?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Jack

[betta]

It might be helpful if you could post the picture of the yellow stain you mentioned before.
What kind of kettle are we talking about, with coil heating element or indirect?

[Jack_teachat]

It's ok, problem sorted! After a few helpful discussions with some fellow members we concluded that they were mineral deposits and I have now succesfully treated them.

Jack

[betta]

Good to know that you found the solution to the problem.
I read the link you gave up there and wonder what mineral might involve in this deposition/stain and iron is said to have been removed by the filter.
The fact that the yellow stain builts up after several weeks shows the water has a significant high amount of mineral.
It might be better not to drink exclusively water with high mineral content.

[Jack_teachat]

I apreciate the advice, however I am not too concerned about this to be honest. With the amount of endorsements this systems has recieved, including most importantly one from the Japanese Ministry of Health, I have little reason to doubt the safety of the water. I think the build up might have more to do with the fact that I often only boil a very small amount of water.

Jack

[Tead Off]

I apreciate the advice, however I am not too concerned about this to be honest. With the amount of endorsements this systems has recieved, including most importantly one from the Japanese Ministry of Health, I have little reason to doubt the safety of the water. I think the build up might have more to do with the fact that I often only boil a very small amount of water.

Jack

I believe this is commonly called scale. You see it as a whitish buildup in iron tetsubin most often. I am wondering if everyone experiences some of this when using stainless steel electric kettles. Here in Bangkok, I see a staining on the exterior of my kettle where water drips from the pouring spout down to its foot. Any users without any scale buildup inside or outside?

[JustinW]

I believe this is commonly called scale. You see it as a whitish buildup in iron tetsubin most often. I am wondering if everyone experiences some of this when using stainless steel electric kettles. Here in Bangkok, I see a staining on the exterior of my kettle where water drips from the pouring spout down to its foot. Any users without any scale buildup inside or outside?

I have one of http://www.imperialtea.com/Steel-Electr ... e-P23.aspx.

I've noticed that eventually (by 5th/6th infusion?) flakes start to develop in the bottom of the kettle. Maybe it is breaking off from the underneath of the element, I can't be sure because it's unreachable, but I notice this even after giving it the vinegar treatment. I always thought it was weird that flakes develop instead of it just sticking to the inside. It makes good tea regardless. After each use I wipe the inside with my hand and that is enough to remove the scale that frosted the inside, so I don't have much problem with it. Anyone else experience this?

Jack_teapot, that sounds really odd that the build up is yellow/brownish. Kind of sounds like rust. I can't see that changing filters would create such a change...unless your previous filter removed something that your new one doesn't...

[Chip]

Living with an artesian well with extremely hard water for several decades, I finally caved and got a water purifier, Adagio's GraviTea. I used to have so much scale in a week's use that I would have to descale each week with vinegar.

Since I started using the GraviTea on January 1st 2009, a year ago, I have not had to descale anything. Man, talk about simplifying my life. I never realized how much of a hassle it was to descale virtually everying until I did not have to do it.

[betta]

I've noticed that eventually (by 5th/6th infusion?) flakes start to develop in the bottom of the kettle. Maybe it is breaking off from the underneath of the element, I can't be sure because it's unreachable, but I notice this even after giving it the vinegar treatment. I always thought it was weird that flakes develop instead of it just sticking to the inside. It makes good tea regardless. After each use I wipe the inside with my hand and that is enough to remove the scale that frosted the inside, so I don't have much problem with it. Anyone else experience this?

Jack_teapot, that sounds really odd that the build up is yellow/brownish. Kind of sounds like rust. I can't see that changing filters would create such a change...unless your previous filter removed something that your new one doesn't...

Justin, what you have there is Carbonate deposit, which is result from water hardness. There're two main stuffs that cause water hardness, namely carbonate/bicarbonate and chloride. The white deposit is carbonate salt formed at the hot spot of the kettle. Chloride is generally removed by filtering using any kind of filter (brita, etc).
I guess what Jack found is most likely none of both of them. It is most likely deposited metal ion due to high mineral content in the water.

[JustinW]

Thanks betta! I remember looking at an analysis of my water and there being a really high amount of bicarbonates. I don't remember the carbonates being really high, but they probably are. I think the mineral content was around 200-300 ppm.

I was kind of worried it might not be so good for tea, but it makes great tea as far as I know (I drink mostly Wuyi with some TGY here and there). I should try out something like Poland Springs to see how it compares brewing Wuyi and Taiwanese oolongs. Maybe I could save some of the particles for experimenting too.


Justin