Keg type

What is the difference between Cornelius, Ball-lock and Pepsi kegs?

I am looking at some on ebay and I have no idea which is better suited for homebrew. I have ordered a keg system without the keg, so I need to know which one to buy.

Thanks,
psymn

There's two types of kegs made by the Cornelius company- 1) the very common Pepsi or ball lock type and 2) the less common Coke or pin lock type.

They're not interchangeable, you pretty well have to choose one system or the other - there's no real advantage to one over the other.

Ball-lock and pin-lock are the two type of connectors (plugs) that are used to attach to the kegs. Cornelius is a keg manufacturer (there are others, but people tend to call all of them cornies). Most cornies are built with ball-type connectors. Pepsi kegs use ball-locks. Ball connectors for gas and liquid are slightly different in size. Some people think this is a bad thing. Coke uses pin-lock connectors. IMO pin-locks are a pain. They are also less common.

You can pick either type, but stick with it. Never buy any kegging equipment that doesn't explicitly state pin or ball.

To make things even more fun, there are five gallon 'cornies' out there that use the commercial sankey connector.

Ball lock seem to be more readily available. Pin lock are a bit taller; ball are a bit wider (don't know the dimension specifics; not that dramatic). I've never dabbled with pin but I "hear" that ball are a bit easier when attaching your lines. I got ball locks...

psymn said:

What is the difference between Cornelius, Ball-lock and Pepsi kegs?....

Click to expand...

First of all...

Cornelius kegs are the soda type kegs that soft drink manufacturers used to use all the time to put their product on tap. Now they are switching to plastic bag containers.

Second...

Ball Lock ARE Pepsi kegs. They use a nice coupling type connector, and have more parts available on the market for homebrewers.

Coca Cola uses Pin Lock kegs, again, still cornelius type kegs, but with a twist on connector that holds them on with pins.

Anyone else notice we are getting the same threads over and over again? Maybe we should make a READ FIRST sticky thread that references some of these topics.

cowain said:

Anyone else notice we are getting the same threads over and over again? Maybe we should make a READ FIRST sticky thread that references some of these topics.

Click to expand...

Either that or we need someone to write up a faq for kegging - covering equipment, force carbing v's natural, balancing the system etc.

I'd do it, but I haven't a clue



80/-

1 Problem that I have encountered in my Ball Locks - is sometimes - in a (drunken) stupor I will attach my gas line to the liquid out side. For some reason the brew does not like that.

With Pin lock you cannot do that - and there are also adapters that I have seen online that will convert a pin lock to ball lock, but then you have this bloody great coupling on the top of your keg.

Kilroy

really because on my ball lock keg the fittings are different size

i got a question can you take a ball or pin keg and screw in the fittings from the other type? do they interchange

baja_bug said:

really because on my ball lock keg the fittings are different size

i got a question can you take a ball or pin keg and screw in the fittings from the other type? do they interchange

Click to expand...

Nope.


(Stupid more than 10 characters thing)

This site sells kegs that have been converted from ball lock to pin.

Wild

I prefer the pin locks. It helps to have a buddy who is a big shot for Coca-Cola. I get everything i need. Hell, I even got the cold plate, taps, cooler and CO2 bottle in my gallery picture free.