Ball lock vs Pin Lock: Ball lock ftw?

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punk_rockin2001

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I'm a cheapskate and I'm just about to buy my kegging setup. Due to being cheap pin lock kegs seemed to be the way to go since they are a good 30% cheaper virtually everywhere. BUT there seem to be 3 significant conveniences that ball lock offer which I think will justify the extra cost.

1. Pressure relief valve. I know it can be done on pinlocks, I'm talking pure convenience here.

2. The ability to seemingly always be able to fit 1 more ball lock the pin lock. I dorked out and cut several 9" circles (pin lock width) to figure out the best configuration. I can fit 3 pin locks on the bottom shelf, but I can fit 4 ball locks. And the ability to grow seems to be another necessity w/kegging.

3. And the ability to clean the ball locks like in this video are what pushed me all the way out of my cheap state of mind just for once.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I started with 3 ball locks and realized I needed more kegs so looked around and found two more kegs that were cheaper so ordered those, of course they were pin locks that I hadn't noticed while ordering.

I used them for a short time but the in post always seemed to be leaking if the hose got bumped and it was kind of pain to have to swap out the disconnects when switching kegs. I know many people use the pin locks but I had no luck with them. So sold them and found two more ball locks.

Much easier to keep them all the same and to me the connections are just more secure. Pluse like you said easier to purge and don't take as much room.

Have you checked out Beverage Element's used ball locks? They look a little different than the ones in the video and have only one handle vice two, which I prefer because it allows easier access to the QDs. They run just right around $29.
 
Dan said:
I started with 3 ball locks and realized I needed more kegs so looked around and found two more kegs that were cheaper so ordered those, of course they were pin locks that I hadn't noticed while ordering.

I used them for a short time but the in post always seemed to be leaking if the hose got bumped and it was kind of pain to have to swap out the disconnects when switching kegs. I know many people use the pin locks but I had no luck with them. So sold them and found two more ball locks.

Much easier to keep them all the same and to me the connections are just more secure. Pluse like you said easier to purge and don't take as much room.

Have you checked out Beverage Element's used ball locks? They look a little different than the ones in the video and have only one handle vice two, which I prefer because it allows easier access to the QDs. They run just right around $29.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dan, those are the kegs I planned to buy. I placed my order earlier. Kegging, here I come!
 

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