Ball Lock Keg Connections May Have Gotten Mixed Up

[awoitte]

I've read a few different threads on here detailing the fact that gas/liquid ball lock connections are not interchangeable and that you shouldn't use one for the other. That said, before kegging my Munich Helles late last week I disassembled, cleaned and sanitized both connections. I didn't pay attention to what parts were re-assembled to which post because all the internals look identical.

When I went to carbonate via keg I noticed the gas post felt a little tight when making the connection (something I read might happen if you reverse the posts). It's been 4 days and so far my gauge seems to be holding pressure so I don't think there are any leaks at this point.

This may all be in my head (or perhaps it was just a tough connection the first time I pushed down on the connection). I haven't added the liquid line yet but jw if something in the internals was switched should I worry about the liquid line, or just hook it up and hope for the best?

I also don't quite understand what part (is it the large piece itself?) that isn't interchangeable because from what I remember everything looked the same when disassembling...

 

[balrog]

Gas post left, has star nut or notches, has smaller section bevel
Liquid post right, no star nut nor notches, larger bevel

Liquid side should att to LONG DIP TUBE internally
If you put gas on long internal dip tube, it will always bubble CO2 through sediment and never clear the veer.

 

[awoitte]

View attachment 663057
Gas post left, has star nut or notches, has smaller section bevel
Liquid post right, no star nut nor notches, larger bevel

Liquid side should att to LONG DIP TUBE internally
If you put gas on long internal dip tube, it will always bubble CO2 through sediment and never clear the veer.

Thanks, but I'm not talking about the posts, I'm referring to the plastic connections that connect to said posts.

Cheers

 

[awoitte]

 

[balrog]

Ah. Ok. Well the black is liquid out. White/gray is gas in. The internals are funtioncally identical and only the bottom connecting part is the difference which goes on those posts.

And while you *can* get it on the wrong post, it is sometimes quite the bear to remove it.

But yes, internally, the poppet, spring and washer inside the quick disonnect are interchangeable. Nice diagram here for instance.

 

[Spartan1979]

Black = Beverage; Gray = Gas

 

[awoitte]

Ah. Ok. Well the black is liquid out. White/gray is gas in. The internals are funtioncally identical and only the bottom connecting part is the difference which goes on those posts.

And while you *can* get it on the wrong post, it is sometimes quite the bear to remove it.

But yes, internally, the poppet, spring and washer inside the quick disonnect are interchangeable. Nice diagram here for instance.

Right, I suppose I wasn't as specific as I could've been: I know the post with the notches and the grey connector is for gas. I'm asking if the internals being mixed up (with the liquid connections) would make a difference in how well the two connected together. I think I got the answer I'm looking for, perhaps it was just a tight fit with pressure coming from the regulator and the gear I was using. Guess I'll find out for sure once I connect the liquid line tonight as well as when I maintenance it once the keg pops.

 

[Redpappy]

When you hooked up the gas, did you hear burping going on in the keg, like the sound that you make when you blow on a straw in a glass?

 

[Robert65]

Right, I suppose I wasn't as specific as I could've been: I know the post with the notches and the grey connector is for gas. I'm asking if the internals being mixed up (with the liquid connections) would make a difference in how well the two connected together. I think I got the answer I'm looking for, perhaps it was just a tight fit with pressure coming from the regulator and the gear I was using. Guess I'll find out for sure once I connect the liquid line tonight as well as when I maintenance it once the keg pops.

I disassemble all my QDs for cleaning and all the pieces and parts just get dumped together in a tub of PBW, including gas ones that get used to hook up blowoff tubes during fermentation and kegging. Then randomly reassembled. Everything is interchangeable, even the screw-in plugs only differ in color.

 

[awoitte]

I disassemble all my QDs for cleaning and all the pieces and parts just get dumped together in a tub of PBW, including gas ones that get used to hook up blowoff tubes during fermentation and kegging. Then randomly reassembled. Everything is interchangeable, even the screw-in plugs only differ in color.

That's what I was looking for! Thank you good sir.

 

[Deadalus]

I disassemble all my QDs for cleaning and all the pieces and parts just get dumped together in a tub of PBW, including gas ones that get used to hook up blowoff tubes during fermentation and kegging. Then randomly reassembled. Everything is interchangeable, even the screw-in plugs only differ in color.

I've done this and suffered no apparent issues but will say there are some slight differences among manufacturers-springs and poppets sometimes different lengths. Careful in the sink too those gaskets are easy to loose.

And don't try this with your keg posts, those can be different!

 

[balrog]

I have accidentally inverted the "piston" in the QD.
That quickly leads to acquiring new QDs or QD replacement parts when they snap off trying to connect to the keg.

 

[day_trippr]

Well, heck, that's not surprising, when you see images like these on the interwebz:

Kegworks and Great Fermentations use this one (so does Morebeer.com, iirc)

This one used by Keg Outlet gets credit for consistency - if you're gonna get something important wrong, get it consistently wrong

Yup. Real helpful there...

Cheers!

 

[imasickboy]

For those unaware, those images are ALL wrong. Part #3 in the lower image, are upside down. Good find, @day_trippr

 

[wsmith1625]

Black = Beverage; Gray = Gas

I use Black = Beer, so the other is obviously gas. I like yours better!

 

[Deadalus]

When I first started brewing, my first kegs were pin locks. After a long brewing hiatus, I started brewing again and had acquired some additional ball lock kegs. I immediately started crossing connections. I first learned that Black is Beer and Gray is Gas (as previously mentioned). To this I added Gash is Gas for the keg posts.

 

[Langerz]

I've just started kegging and like everyone else learned about the different ball locks. I now have "Black = Beer, Gray = Gas" written on a marker board in my kegging room. A thought/question keep popping into my head though that I can't find discussed on the forums so thought I'd add it here.

Why not just replace the posts will all of one and avoid the confusion? I bought some used kegs and have a couple posts that are leaking I'm probably just going to replace and had the thought I should just buy all of one kind to make it simple. Especially when doing transfers, purges etc I sometimes intentionally connect the gas to the liquid or vice versa. The kegs are labeled in and out so seems way easier to go that route. Am I missing a reason not to?

 

[wsmith1625]

Why not just replace the posts will all of one and avoid the confusion?

The point of having 2 different size posts is to prevent cross connecting the beer and gas lines. There's no functional reason why you could not use the same size post on both sides.

 

[Langerz]

The point of having 2 different size posts is to prevent cross connecting the beer and gas lines. There's no functional reason why you could not use the same size post on both sides.

That was my assumption and I can see that advantage in a restaurant where 1) there is a complicated set up in often a cramped area and 2) the gas connect is always a gas connection and liquid connection is always a liquid connection.

For me with a few kegs in a Keezer and where sometimes I switch the connections purpose I think I’d rather have them all the same. Now the question is if it’s worth it to me to spend money switching it.

 

[wsmith1625]

I use the treaded disconnects so they can be changed from gas to liquid very easily. It may be cheaper to change disconnects and leave the kegs alone.