New into kegging, just received recond. kegs, IMO pretty big dents. Acceptable?

[matts]

I just received these 2 kegs in an order from a large online HBS that everyone knows. Both of them have what appear to me to be fairly large dents and one has the gas post at an angle. Since I'm new to kegging, I don't know how much I should be concerned about these flaws.

Please see attached pictures.

Do you consider these acceptable for reconditioned kegs?

I am picking up my CO2 tank tomorrow and then I will be able to pressure test. One of them was slightly pressurized. The other was slightly of wet at the top and had no pressure.

Thanks for your help.

-Matt

 

[heyjaffy]

Don't look all that bad to me, i've seen better and worse. Some retailers list used/recon kegs as a/b/c grade to indicate the level of wear. Those don't look like 'a' kegs but they look like they'll hold beer. As long as they hold pressure, you're good.

 

[Yooper]

Don't look all that bad to me, i've seen better and worse. Some retailers list used/recon kegs as a/b/c grade to indicate the level of wear. Those don't look like 'a' kegs but they look like they'll hold beer. As long as they hold pressure, you're good.

Yes, I agree. HOWEVER if the one doesn't hold pressure, then that's an issue. They are supposed to be holding pressure when sold.

 

[lumpher]

i agree. as most kegs are 30+ years old, and have been beat to death, they'll all have dents. those look like "b" grade from the pics, so are fine. however, if they don't hold pressure, tighten up the in and out posts. if that doesn't fix it, that's not acceptable

 

[matts]

Ok, thanks for the input fellas

 

[Yooper]

Ok, thanks for the input fellas

Me, too, I hope?

 

[matts]

Oops, a special thank you to you too Yooper

 

[Domminigan]

Jä Yooper, I was thrown by the pic for a moment!

 

[DeafSmith]

I'd be more concerned about small dents around the lid opening than the large ones in the pics. Sometimes they'll make a keg where it holds pressure at 30 psi, but not at 10.

 

[sychosomat]

Wow, I bought my kegs off of craigslist and cornykeg.com and looking at these, my kegs look absolutely pristine. You guys have made me now consider my kegs to be better than I originally thought. I was worried about much smaller dents.

 

[OntarioBeerKegs]

Big dents like that can be pushed out, just remember to wrap your weapon of choice up with something soft so you do not scratch the SS.

 

[JRems]

Most of my kegs have larger dents than that. These things used to get thrown around in the back of trucks full of soda syrup. What can you expect. As long as it holds pressure you should be fine.

 

[matts]

I got my system setup and found leaks in both kegs AND the double regulator that I purchased from this company.

Video of kegs leaking:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2621041/Videos/Kegs - iPhone.m4v

Video of regulator leaking:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2621041/Videos/Leaking_Regulator - iPhone.m4v

Here is the response I received from the company:

All of the issues you are experiencing can be remedied very easily. It might be necessary to send out some replacement poppets, but let’s try and get it fixed first. The regulator gauges just need to be tightened and possibly taken apart and reapplying Teflon tape. Try tightening first to see if this stops the leaking. The gas posts can usually be fixed by removing them and reseating the poppet. From your video, it looked like you stopped the leak by adjusting the poppet after you removed the disconnect, which is a good sign that it can be reseated. It is possible that the lid might need a new o-ring, but this can usually be fixed with some o-ring lubricant, or just making sure that the lid is seated properly. After you try this out, let me know what the results are so we can determine if we need some new poppets or gaskets.

The rep states in a previous email they "test all kegs before leaving the store". Both kegs and the regulator leaking. I know it's not a big deal with the regulator leak, easy to fix. However, I don't know how involved fixing the kegs will be.

I've spent $2000 with this company over the past 3 months. I'm seriously questioning whether I'm going to buy anything from this company ever again. IMO, they should send out replacements. My time is valuable and I shouldn't have to fiddle with getting something to a state it was supposed to be in when I received it.

 

[samc]

I got my system setup and found leaks in both kegs AND the double regulator that I purchased from this company.

Video of kegs leaking:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2621041/Videos/Kegs - iPhone.m4v

Video of regulator leaking:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2621041/Videos/Leaking_Regulator - iPhone.m4v

Here is the response I received from the company:


The rep states in a previous email they "test all kegs before leaving the store". Both kegs and the regulator leaking. I know it's not a big deal with the regulator leak, easy to fix. However, I don't know how involved fixing the kegs will be.

I've spent $2000 with this company over the past 3 months. I'm seriously questioning whether I'm going to buy anything from this company ever again. IMO, they should send out replacements. My time is valuable and I shouldn't have to fiddle with getting something to a state it was supposed to be in when I received it.

I agree 100% with you, you should not have to fix anything or take anything apart. Tell them to send a UPS call tag and pick up the stuff and refund your money. Anything less than that is BS imo.

If you don't want to post it, could you pm me the vendor name, I am curious to see.

 

[drocu]

The rep states in a previous email they "test all kegs before leaving the store". Both kegs and the regulator leaking. I know it's not a big deal with the regulator leak, easy to fix. However, I don't know how involved fixing the kegs will be.

I've spent $2000 with this company over the past 3 months. I'm seriously questioning whether I'm going to buy anything from this company ever again. IMO, they should send out replacements. My time is valuable and I shouldn't have to fiddle with getting something to a state it was supposed to be in when I received it.

I think the checks that the company is asking for are reasonable. It's pretty easy to ensure the poppet is seated correctly and that the lid is on right. That being said, I don't think you should have to deal with it and they should have checked these things out for you before shipping them. I don't use keg lubricant on mine and they seal just fine. The same goes for the regulator; why didn't they test it out before shipping it?

Since you've been a loyal customer, the least they can do is send you a new set of kegs and a new regulator as well as a UPS label to send this stuff back. And is bad mouthing this company against HBT rules?

 

[matts]

I think the checks that the company is asking for are reasonable. It's pretty easy to ensure the poppet is seated correctly and that the lid is on right. That being said, I don't think you should have to deal with it and they should have checked these things out for you before shipping them. I don't use keg lubricant on mine and they seal just fine. The same goes for the regulator; why didn't they test it out before shipping it?

Since you've been a loyal customer, the least they can do is send you a new set of kegs and a new regulator as well as a UPS label to send this stuff back. And is bad mouthing this company against HBT rules?

Thanks for your reply drocu. I only started this thread because I am relatively new to homebrewing and a complete newbie to kegging. The intent of this thread was not to bad mouth the company, but to simply get advice on what it is reasonable for me to expect. Also, please note that I NEVER mentioned the name of this company.

 

[iaefebs]

Those are great videos.. A+ for post #13. The response from the vendor is spot on also.

 

[OntarioBeerKegs]

I got my system setup and found leaks in both kegs AND the double regulator that I purchased from this company.

Video of kegs leaking:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2621041/Videos/Kegs - iPhone.m4v

Video of regulator leaking:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2621041/Videos/Leaking_Regulator - iPhone.m4v

Here is the response I received from the company:


The rep states in a previous email they "test all kegs before leaving the store". Both kegs and the regulator leaking. I know it's not a big deal with the regulator leak, easy to fix. However, I don't know how involved fixing the kegs will be.

I've spent $2000 with this company over the past 3 months. I'm seriously questioning whether I'm going to buy anything from this company ever again. IMO, they should send out replacements. My time is valuable and I shouldn't have to fiddle with getting something to a state it was supposed to be in when I received it.

Going to play devils advocate here, all the testing they did for leaks is useless as soon as you open a lid or a pressure relief valve. It is very possible those kegs did have pressure and no leaks at the time of testing. Some of the kegs used for home-brewing are 30 plus years old. They need to be tested each and every time you open it, or put a connect on or off. It is just good practice. Moving parts need to be maintained. Keep a spray bottle around, pop it on a hook inside your kegerator if want.

The regulator is a different story, new stock should be problem free and it is uncalled for to ask a customer to play with a high pressure device. They should have sent you a replacement and had the defective one returned.

 

[matts]

Going to play devils advocate here, all the testing they did for leaks is useless as soon as you open a lid or a pressure relief valve. It is very possible those kegs did have pressure and no leaks at the time of testing. Some of the kegs used for home-brewing are 30 plus years old. They need to be tested each and every time you open it, or put a connect on or off. It is just good practice. Moving parts need to be maintained. Keep a spray bottle around, pop it on a hook inside your kegerator if want.

The regulator is a different story, new stock should be problem free and it is uncalled for to ask a customer to play with a high pressure device. They should have sent you a replacement and had the defective one returned.

I hear you on that and understand your point.

To update, I responded with an email that explained how I felt about the issue. The rep replied that upon further investigation, he found that this batch of kegs was supposedly tested by their supplier and they had not tested them in store. The rep further went on to state that they receive the regulators assembled and don't test those in the store either.

 

[heyjaffy]

I understand that you shouldn't be expected to have to 'fix' something you just purchased. But, the suggestions the vendor made are legit, and could result in you having a leak free system in a matter of minutes vs. packing stuff up, sending it back, and waiting to receive a replacement. Your time is valuable, and the reality is, you'll probably spend just as much time sending stuff back as you would fiddling with what you have.

I was in a similar situation with some components from kegconnection.com (perhaps this is the same vendor as you.) The kegs i received weren't clean when they should have been, one post had a sticky poppet and the needle on the high pressure gauge was stuck. I was going to clean the kegs myself even if they had sent them clean. Dealing with a sticky poppet was a good experience in that i learned more about how that part of the system worked, and fiddling with the high pressure gauge was a piece of cake and I'm now comfotable dealing with that type of problem.

I had contacted KC and they were prompt to respond with helpful suggestions and an offer to send replacements if I wanted them. I was glad I opted to try to resolve the problems on my own - it worked, it saved time and it saved KC some money - they continue to have very competitive pricing thanks to their ability to make good sugggestions if something is not right.

Oh, and regarding keg lube, with my dinged up kegs, I use it and it works well, give it a shot.

 

[SpaceJunk]

I recently received a keg from who I suspect yours came from. The lip around the opening was pretty scarred up and the opening is distorted in that area and keeping the lid from sealing. I have not contacted the company yet and so I have no support story as yet to tell.

 

[ChrisNH]

I have gotten two kegs, one from KegConnection as part of their kit and one from a friend who got a bunch in a craigslist deal. Both were about in the same shape.. no dents or anything. The KC one had a few Pepsi stickers that peeled right off. The other was encrusted with beer and band stickers that took a little more work but all came off. Both shined up after being soaked in PBW overnight.

The KegConnection keg arrived still pressurized. When I lifted the valve I heard a satisfying rush of air. The rings were all lubed and everything fit well. Thats what I expect from a reconditioned keg.

My friend's keg has a sticky poppet and there was a ripple in the lid opening. Both took some time for me to diagnose and fix, but it wasn't a big deal. I had to lube all the gaskets. It does hold pressure now. Thats what I expect from a used keg I get that is not billed as "reconditioned". I got this keg for $20 cheaper (and no shipping..).

Chris

 

[alawren9]

The regulator is a different story, new stock should be problem free and it is uncalled for to ask a customer to play with a high pressure device. They should have sent you a replacement and had the defective one returned.

I find that response puzzling as that is precisely the advice you gave me when I had a similar issue.

 

[Clonefan94]

Going to play devils advocate here, all the testing they did for leaks is useless as soon as you open a lid or a pressure relief valve. It is very possible those kegs did have pressure and no leaks at the time of testing. Some of the kegs used for home-brewing are 30 plus years old. They need to be tested each and every time you open it, or put a connect on or off. It is just good practice. Moving parts need to be maintained. Keep a spray bottle around, pop it on a hook inside your kegerator if want.

The regulator is a different story, new stock should be problem free and it is uncalled for to ask a customer to play with a high pressure device. They should have sent you a replacement and had the defective one returned.

This is pretty much how I feel. I've purchased kegs that were obviously holding pressure when I received them, that gave me trouble after I opened them. Nothing though that new O-rings didn't fix, which, imo, is the first thing you should do to a keg when it gets in your posession.

The regulator though, that's BS. Weather or not it's high pressure, it's a new item and should work as advertised with no leaks.