Firestone/Spartanburg Pin-to-Ball Posts

[Ryat66]

I purchased two kegs stamped 'Firestone/(Spartanburg) Model F' a few years ago from a brew shop that is now out of business. The kegs were converted from pin lock to ball lock before I purchased them and I feel it wasn't done properly. I say that because the new posts bottom out on top of the keg before the o-ring under the dip tube has been engaged. Currently I use Teflon to seal the threads and well, this is just stupid because it's not supposed to work that way.

So here is my question: I've supplied a pic of the post lug on the keg and the current ball lock post that I feel is incorrect because the threads are too deep. Has anyone else ran into this issue when converting these kegs?

 

[ericbw]

Does it all hold together?

 

[Ryat66]

Does it all hold together?

The threads engage but again the post bottoms out on top of the keg before the flare of the dip tube meets the shoulder inside the post.

 

[day_trippr]

Seems like the adapter designer was working with a much shorter post.

fwiw, for $17 per keg you could go with these direct-conversion posts - no adapters needed...

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_1_163&products_id=2066

Cheers!

 

[LLBeanJ]

Does it leak if you don't seal the threads with Teflon tape? It looks to me that the O-ring on the lug is designed to seal against the straight section above the threads inside the post. Looks like it should seal just fine based on the pictures, but does it?

 

[Ryat66]

Seems like the adapter designer was working with a much shorter post.

fwiw, for $17 per keg you could go with these direct-conversion posts - no adapters needed...

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_1_163&products_id=2066

Cheers!

Thanks for the link. Assuming the picture is of the actual posts, the base looks shorter than what I have and might work.

What do you mean by "adapter designer"? Are you thinking the lug post on the keg might have been changed?

 

[Ryat66]

Does it leak if you don't seal the threads with Teflon tape? It looks to me that the O-ring on the lug is designed to seal against the straight section above the threads inside the post. Looks like it should seal just fine based on the pictures, but does it?

It definitely leaks without Teflon. The o-ring is actually slid onto the dip tube. Is that incorrect? Should the o-ring be inserted into the post before its screwed on?

 

[nobadays]

I am using ones from Adventures in Homebrewing and haven't had any problems so far...only $9.99: http://tinyurl.com/gq47kqo They look like they come pretty close to bottoming out but they seal fine.

Don
Primary #1 - Flaconer's Fight APA
Primay #2 - empty
Kegged - APA, Joe IPA Clone. Black Butte Porter Clone
Bottled - Rye IPA, APA, Oatmeal Stout, Black Butte Porter Clone (brewed a little extra!)

 

[day_trippr]

Thanks for the link. Assuming the picture is of the actual posts, the base looks shorter than what I have and might work.

What do you mean by "adapter designer"? Are you thinking the lug post on the keg might have been changed?

No no - I mean the person that designed that stainless steel post adapter (the things that are screwed onto the keg risers) may have measured a different keg post when he drew up the solution.

I've been using similar adapters - 1/4" FFL to mostly Firestone gas and liquid posts - for various applications, like CO2-push rigs, posts for QDs mounted to my keezer, etc. Occasionally I've gotten a post that just doesn't mate well with the adapter and had to be exchanged...

Cheers!

 

[LLBeanJ]

It definitely leaks without Teflon. The o-ring is actually slid onto the dip tube. Is that incorrect? Should the o-ring be inserted into the post before its screwed on?

Oh, okay I see it now. The way you have it looks right. Obviously, I'm of no help to you here. Carry on...

 

[day_trippr]

It definitely leaks without Teflon. The o-ring is actually slid onto the dip tube. Is that incorrect? Should the o-ring be inserted into the post before its screwed on?

The small o-ring for the dip tube would be the other end - under the adapter.
And, yes, definitely that has to be under the dip tube flange, never over.
It seals the dip tube to the threaded keg riser and to the post - in your case, the post adapter.

So you're good on all fronts - except for the apparent incompatibility between adapter and post...

Cheers!

 

[Ryat66]

Seems like the adapter designer was working with a much shorter post.

fwiw, for $17 per keg you could go with these direct-conversion posts - no adapters needed...

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_1_163&products_id=2066

Cheers!

I went ahead and ordered one of these kits based on your recommendation, I hate to spend more money but I'm still ahead on these kegs considering how much I spent to get the pair and the stainless vessels themselves are in pretty good shape. 👍🏼

I'll report back when I get the kit and try it out.

 

[Ryat66]

Well, it's all good news here! I received the conversion kits from The Chi Company and they are the proper thread size and seal off the dip tube o-rings as i would expect. I pressurized to 20 psi, sprayed the posts with StarSan and I'm bubble free!

Thank you day_trippr for suggesting these kits.

 

[day_trippr]

Glad they worked out well