Storm/Kelly kettle maintenance?

[Bernie]

I'm not sure what sort of maintenance is needed, if any. I bought a second hand Aluminium storm kettle and I've used it a fair bit now. The inside was pitch black. It's not bothered me, but this morning I took it down to the beach to boil water for coffee for the family on the gas cooker I was using to cook the bacon, sausages and eggs. It seemed to take a very long time to boil and I think it might have something to do with the soot build up inside.

I started cleaning it before thinking to take a photo, so imagine the entire inside as black at the worst part you see here:


I scrubbed it by hand with steel wool and was slowly working the soot off:


I left a little on but stopped at this point because I don't like scouring the Aluminium with steel wool - I'm not trying to thin the inner wall after all.


I recall someone saying they wipe something inside the kettle to make the soot wipe away easily after use. Not sure what that is though.

Does anyone know what other maintenance these kettles need? Should I de-scale the inside chamber or just leave it?

[Valantine]

De-scaling is needed for all kettles, it improves the thermal conductivity. In future try using washing up liquid in the chimney, leave it to soak over night and most will come away with minimum scrubbing.

[midas]

De-Coking Fluid removes soot n carbon.........

[Bernie]

Thanks Midas. I Googled "De-Coking Fluid" but found everything from handwash to Paella rice, but nothing that looked appropriate. Do you have a link handy?

[midas]

Thanks Midas. I Googled "De-Coking Fluid" but found everything from handwash to Paella rice, but nothing that looked appropriate. Do you have a link handy?

No sorry Bernie,many years since I bought some from a motorcycle shop.decoked a bike,n have used up rest when my Semi-Auto Shotgun needed an annual "decoke"to remove baked on carbon.Give your local motorbike shop a call.

[jus_young]

Look for something like 'EGR & Carburetor Cleaner'

[Chubbs]

When I bought a kettle to be used at camp, it was absolutely covered in limescale. I bought some of the stuff below and it worked a treat.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OUST-ALL-P...-/350922657956

The kettle was aluminum and the scale was an inch thick in places. It took several boxes of the stuff to move it but you will find that you can buy the same stuff above in Aldi for only 99p a box.

Remember to wash very well after use as I remember Ashley being the first to use the kettle and the water came out fizzy !!.

[Valantine]

use the stuff for de-scaling clothes irons and kettles, available in most cheap shops

[dave budd]

i've managed to accidentally fire clean my kettle once of twice. Normally I use birch or pine in my kettle and they produce a lot of tar, but once in a while I happen to use oak or hawthorn and the extra heat seems to pop a lot of the tar/soot off. Not properly clean, but better than it was. The carburettor cleaner sounds like a winner though. Maybe white spririt or turps would also work, I've used them for thinning birch tar for varnish before?

[FryskKnyft]

How about covering the inside with aluminium foil?