ball lock won't disengage

[Dycokac]

Curious if anyone has a suggestion on how to pull off a stuck ball lock.

The release moves, and i can kind of twist it side to side, but it's tight. I did have some trouble getting it on, and the top of the post was dented. Maybe i should just get a replacement post, just wanted to save the coupler :/

 

[Chello]

i have some that give me trouble every now and then... all i do is pull hard!

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Flip the keg upside down and put ice on the bottom of the post. It could cause it to shrink enough to get it off.

 

[EdWort]

Are you sure you have it on the right post. Gray goes on the IN, Black goes on the OUT.

 

[planenut]

Are you sure you have it on the right post. Gray goes on the IN, Black goes on the OUT.

That's what I was gonna say. I've done that before...

 

[DutchK9]

Are you sure you have it on the right post. Gray goes on the IN, Black goes on the OUT.

I have keg that does the same thing. I ended up making it my cleaner / sterilizer keg and just leave the ball lock attached. I hooked a piece of air compressor hose to the ball lock, and use my small air compressor to push oxyclean and idophor through my lines. Seems to work pretty good, and I don't waste CO2 doing it.

 

[Loweface]

I assume the keg is empty...

What would happen if you were to pop the top off it like you were cleaning it?

 

[juvinious]

I was reassembling a keg last night and I put the posts on the opposite sides, so here I am putting the air ball lock connection on the wrong post. Took me a while to get the thing off, plus I had keg lube all over the posts and my hands so it wasn't an easy task.
It'll come off eventually, just keep pulling on it.

 

[farmbrewernw]

I've put the connectors on the wrong posts before it's a b!tch to get them back off.

 

[EdWort]

I've put the connectors on the wrong posts before it's a b!tch to get them back off.

Been there, done that. Big PIA. That's why I mark all my beer out posts with yellow electrical tape.

I got the idea at NHC in Cinci this year. One club had kegs marked this way.

 

[juvinious]

Outstanding idea I think I might do that tonight.

 

[TheCHICompany]

G/G = GRAY/GAS...easy to remember......

If a post is NOT damaged, then the problem is with the 3 balls in the BALL LOCK quick disconnect fitting.

Make sure the internals of the QD are clean, not gunky/skunky. The balls inside the QD must be absolutely free to move when the collar is pulled back.
-Too much keg lub will act as a restrictor of movement for those balls.
-To clean a non-disassemblable QD, boil them.

I hope this helps,
The CHI Company

 

[McDegga]

I had this problem with a particularly heavy stout. Some of the beer made its way onto the post, and after the ball locks had connected, the sugars (I assume) in the beer made a sticky goo inside the connector. If the keg is empty, turn it over and run some hot water over the connecttion trying to get it inside. If this is your problem, you will free it up in a matter of minutes. Good luck!

 

[EdWort]

G/G = GRAY/GAS...easy to remember......

B/B = BLACK/BEER....easy to remember too.