Kegs Locking style

The best reason to choose ball lock (or pin lock) is because it's your second (or later) keg and it matches the first. i.e. interchangeable parts. They also have slightly different footprints, if space is very tight.

Edit: I should have added that ball lock kegs are taller and thinner than pin lock kegs. So if floor space in the keezer is key, ball lock would be better, but if height is the problem, pin lock might be better.

 

This is my main reason for using ball locks. 2 pin locks will not fit side-by-side in my kegerator.

 

Right now ball locks are more expensive, and the supply is starting to dry up. If you think you will buy more at a later date, there may only be pin locks left.

There is no way you can get the pin lock connects mixed up. You can mix up the ball locks - it is a little hard to do but it can be done. Then getting it off is even harder.

 

Same here, and my step-father-in-law has pin locks for the height factor.

I have also heard pin locks may be the better way to go now, with the ball lock supply drying up.

 

Does this just apply to used soda kegs, or new as well? Assuming the former only..

 

At risk of sounding like an ignorant ball-lock owner, could you not (if desired) convert the posts from one to the other, or are they completely different sizes?

 

Not sure about the sizes but it would be cheaper to just have both kinds of disconnects on hand (provided you have the threaded type).

Disconnects cost about 1/2 as much as complete posts plus you would only need to make the purchase once instead of every time you bought a pin lock keg.

 

If you mix them up it is damn near impossible to get the ball lock post off intact. I have both kinds of kegs and I just change the connectors as needed. Since almost all of my kegs were given to me free, two sets of connectors is cheap and easy.

 

The threads to connect the post to the keg body are different on ball locks and pin locks so they are not interchangeable.

 

The new ones available (imported) aren't really the same thing. For example, the poppets apparently can't be removed. But I do wish someone would buy one of the damn things and report on it.

 

I got four of the new ones as wedding gifts (2.5 and 5 gallon)... While the kegs work great (Easier to seal w/o any leakage; lid seems to fit in tighter with less gap spacing), I miss having the rubber handles on top, as the metal handle hurts to carry (Apparently NB sells new ones with rubber tops). I've been cleaning them in place and haven't had any issues with sanitation or cleaning, but one of the "Out" posts on one of the kegs seems to dislike a couple of my ball lock connectors and has been troublesome to hook up for serving.

 

Thanks for the report! How do you clean them in place?

 

I have a "pin Lock" keg that is now a ball lock. The LHBS had posts made to convert pin lock to ball lock. Yes the threads are different, but these were machined to mate up. LHBS is Adventures in Homebrewing in Michigan.

 

You can rig up a system with a pump to recirculate PBW (or the caustic of your choice) out the beer out and back in. There are some stuff on the net on how to do this, I don't remember where at the moment.

 

I think it's funny how many of us would buy a 3 tier brew stand for upwards of $1000 without hesitation and still bitch about a new ball lock keg costing about $120.

 

So, I take it you ahve not seen these new ones from China? I am not ready for those yet.

 

The ones I have are from Italy, and seem to be very well made. Where are the Chinese ones popping up?

 

Theres a method on BYO thats actually a true CIP procedure.. mine is somewhat bastardized.. I'll fill one keg with an oxyclean solution, hook up CO2 at ~5 psi and the connect a jumper line from the out port onto the respective port on another keg that has its lid off (or I'll just vent the lid on the second keg). After transferring I'll let the oxyclean solution sit for 30 minutes then hook up the next keg to clean. After all have been oxycleaned I'll just flush with water, then do the same thing with sanitizer (minus the water rinse), purge them, and store purged.

 

I was them at my LHBS (prototypes that were floor displays), I also saw some in use at the NHC.