I just (legally) got my first 1/2 bbl Sanke keg for conversion to a keggle. I think it previously held a bit of Old St. Anky (obscure? movie reference), because it smelled like a wastewater treatment plant when I relieved the keg pressure. Nothing a little OxyClean and BKF won't fix...
Anyway, I read about disassembling the Sanke fitting on this site. Something he doesn't mention:
RELIEVE THE KEG PRESSURE BEFORE DISASSEMBLY!!!.
That aside, his instructions are pretty comprehensive...until...
It seems he was a little more destructive than was required, so I'll post my own version here (no cutting required, reassembly is possible). The fittings on my keg were just slightly different, but I think the same procedure would work with one like he shows on his site. On to the good stuff:
Here is the entire assembled spear:
Here is the spring retainer that looks like a challenge:
You don't need any fancy tools - just a big wrench. Just press and turn, catching one of the tabs with the edge of the wrench face, until the retainer ring is unlocked. It doesn't take a ton of strength.
What it looks like with the retainer unlocked:
Anyway, I read about disassembling the Sanke fitting on this site. Something he doesn't mention:
RELIEVE THE KEG PRESSURE BEFORE DISASSEMBLY!!!.
That aside, his instructions are pretty comprehensive...until...
I cut open the ball valve to see if there was further disassembly possible. There isn't.
It seems he was a little more destructive than was required, so I'll post my own version here (no cutting required, reassembly is possible). The fittings on my keg were just slightly different, but I think the same procedure would work with one like he shows on his site. On to the good stuff:
Here is the entire assembled spear:
Here is the spring retainer that looks like a challenge:
You don't need any fancy tools - just a big wrench. Just press and turn, catching one of the tabs with the edge of the wrench face, until the retainer ring is unlocked. It doesn't take a ton of strength.
What it looks like with the retainer unlocked: