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For those who ferment in plastic

I haven't changed a bucket yet. I have added a few because they are fairly cheap. I do clean them out (soak'em) with plain Oxyclean every once in a while to take out the dark stains. I also change (rotate) sanitizers so that I don't build up a resistance to any one of them. I have one carboy but since a friend of mine dropped one in his garage I only will use mine for emergency?

 
I've had the same buckets for five years now and I'm wondering if its time for some new ones.  They are showing some signs of wear but nothing that's really all that big of a deal.  I need new grommets but those are only like $0.50 and will brake even on newer buckets. I guess I'm just looking to justify the purchase of new stuff even though I really don't need it.  Of course they are pretty cheap so why not? 
 
One thing they say is that buckets scratch and bacteria can lodge there. I can see that but I can't see any scratches in my buckets? I suppose they may be there and bacteria doesn't need much room to breed. The only way to tell is when your beers get skunky. I don't have a problem with buying a new bucket for I can reuse the tap I have it it but what do you do with a bucket with a half inch hole near the bottom?
 
I have friends with Reagan/Bush The Elder-era buckets.  They soak with PBW and it turns white again.
 
What is PBW? 

Also, Bob, do you find the spigot on the buckets to be an issue?  I want these to be my fermenters but I read somewhere that the Ale Pail's with the spigot should only be used for bottling because the spigots might leak.  I also don't want to have any issues when I put my bucket in a larger bucket of water to moderate the temp.  Maybe I should just spend like $2 bucks on a plastic spigot at menards and put it on my racking cane so I can have better control over the flow? 
 
No issue with the spigot. I use a INVERT TUBE BACKNUT from here http://www.williamsbrewing.com/INVERT_TUBE_BACKNUT_P179C104.cfm
This stays inside the bucket instead of the regular nut. It stays above the trub. I have never had a leak in any of my four (standard) buckets. I always turn off the valve and turn it sideways so I don't knock it. It does bother me but in five years I have never lost a drop. I may have forgot to close the valve while filling but I think that that was a nightmare I had in the beginning! I just run a (proper hose) in hot tap water and put it on the spout. The hose is cut to the bottom of the bottling bucket so not to oxidate the wort.

I drill out my own buckets and add valves myself. Buy a proper valve form any brew supply store and at least try?
 
I've got a batch bubbling right now in the first brew bucket I purchased in 2001.

I've also got a stack of buckets.  They come in handy for too many reasons to list.  Any excuse to get one is a good excuse.
Right now I've got a pickle bucket with salt in it that I didn't use last winter, another with bleach solution and bottles from the redemption center.  Another has starsan and a well fitting lid.  Two more have batch number 63 bubbling away ( I made a double batch but only added 2hrs to the brewday, it's on another thread).  I have my old bottling bucket and another with a spigot that I use with a third that is drilled with holes as a lauter tun.  That original bucket has number 62 in it.

I did get a bucket, lid and adhesive thermometer my last trip to the supply store.  

That first one is starting to smell rank enough to find a new  use.

So to answer the original question... when it smells like ass a bucket that has had spoiled fermenting barley juice sitting in it for months if not years.
 
I use plastic eight gallon fermenters. They have been going great for 5 years. When I clean them I am pretty careful not to scratch or scuff them up.

As far a PBW,

There was a thread on another message board about PBW. One of the guys said that he mixed Oxy-clean in a 1:1 ratio with TSP and it worked just as well as PBW for cleaning his fermenters. I am almost out of PBW and am going to give it a try.
 
Good call on that link for TSP. I talked to someone else who said the TSP substitute works better. It may be the phosphates that leave the film. I am going to try mixing 1:1 oxyclean and tsp sub.  I will let you know about film residue.
 
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