Keg System Deal / Ball Lock vs Pin Lock?

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=7739
Does this seem like a good price on a refurb system as far as you guys can tell? I've heard good things about midwest but want some peer opinion. I want a 2 keg system and this sounds perfect equipment-wise... but I would be interested to know if people have been able to assemble a comparable system from ebay/third party sales.

Also now that Im preparing to buy a nice set of kegging equipment, I would like to know if it matters whether they are Pin Lock or Ball Lock. Is one preferred? Can I intermix the 2 kinds in my system without recourse?

Thanks a lot guys!

Looks like a good deal to me. I spent more than that on pretty much the same setup, but it was all new stuff.

As for ball vs pin locks: I use ball lock, I don't have any experience with pin lock (I've seen them but never used them). Either way should work fine, but you gotta commit to one or the other, because they're not interchangeable---if you have ball lock disconnects on your lines, then you want only ball lock posts on your kegs...or vice versa with pins.

Ball lock is most common. This kit looks like Ball Lock.

No you can not intermix pin lock and ball lock, unless you have 2 sets of connects.

Just stick with Ball lock. It's most common.

Price wise, looks like a decent enough deal.

I went with ball lock. That is a pretty good price. I paid $227 but got an extra keg...

That looks like a pretty good deal. Especially with that dual controllable regulator. You are going to be hard pressed to do much better.

I have 7 ball lock a 2 pin lock a nieghbor sold to me cheap. I actually think the pin lock seems easier to get on and off but I never really use them as all my connections are ball lock.

Could you replace the posts on a pin-lock with ball lock posts and thus be able to salvage the use of those kegs?

I'm pretty sure the posts can just be replaced with the other kind...

conpewter said:

Could you replace the posts on a pin-lock with ball lock posts and thus be able to salvage the use of those kegs?

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Everything I've read, and every LHBS person I've asked says that you can NOT just replace the posts. I don't know why. I would assume that there must be different sized threads on the ball lock than the pins. I'm assuming that the reason for this was to keep Coke from swiping Pepsi's kegs and vice versa.

Beertk said:

That looks like a pretty good deal. Especially with that dual controllable regulator. You are going to be hard pressed to do much better.

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Yup I wish I had seen this before I bought my stuff from Kegconnection because this is actually a better deal with the dual reg and cheaper to boot. Must be 'cause the CO2 tank is reconditioned.

Bernie Brewer said:

Everything I've read, and every LHBS person I've asked says that you can NOT just replace the posts. I don't know why. I would assume that there must be different sized threads on the ball lock than the pins. I'm assuming that the reason for this was to keep Coke from swiping Pepsi's kegs and vice versa.

Click to expand...

The sizes and threading are different, even between ball-lock manufacturers. Can't just switch them out unfortunately

conpewter said:

Could you replace the posts on a pin-lock with ball lock posts and thus be able to salvage the use of those kegs?

Click to expand...

Nope; you usually can't swap posts. With some varieties you can, but not most.

Having said that, I use a random mix of pin and ball locks. The trick is to skip the quick keg disconnects that have hose barb connections, and use just the flare fitting ones. It takes all of 30 seconds to swap out one for the other. I keep a cheap 9/16" wrench right by my kegerator for just that purpose.

paranode said:

Yup I wish I had seen this before I bought my stuff from Kegconnection because this is actually a better deal with the dual reg and cheaper to boot. Must be 'cause the CO2 tank is reconditioned.

Click to expand...

Yea this looks about 10 bucks cheaper than kegconnection but I think Kegconnection has free shipping which might make them cheaper. BUT, the kegconnection setup does not have the dual regulator. So, looks like a good deal.

Yeah, being able to switch out the posts would be very nice. I can almost cram a pin lock on the back hump of my keggerator. (The coke kegs are shorter but fatter.)

Wow thanks a ton guys I appreciate the speedy replies!!

Im Gonna go with this setup then as my Sierra Nevada clone is almost ready and I'm getting very thirsty thinkin about it. Want the setup to be ready next week when its time to force carb