Old pin locks and universal poppets

[BradTheGeek]

I have some very old pin lock kegs I bought at a yard sale years ago. They have been good, but a couple were leaking at the poppet valves. I had never replaced these valves before, so I did one tonight.

The old poppet seated much better - they had a flat seal not an oring so I could not replace the oring. The also had a little 'tripod' on the bottom clamping it into the valve body. The universals do not fit as well. The actual metal pin is smaller, so the valve leans, and it seems like the oring is pushing through a little bit. Right now I am pressure testing the one I did overnight at 15psi. next month I will need to travel with it for a 4 hour drive (under low pressure) for an event, and I do not want sudden blow outs and loss of goods!

Please see the pics and let me know if this is normal or if I should do something differently. I need to act fast though as I have 10 gallons of fermented lemonade on secondary that I need to move asap.

Old poppet:

Replacements:

How the old ones seat:

How the new ones seat (that is starsan foam around the valve):

 

[stoneBriar]

I have only pin lock kegs and threw away all my original tripod poppets. I swapped to using the universals exclusively. Never had a leak from that location. I think the distributor of the ones I use is Foxx.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Are the bubbles coming from under the post and not the poppet? Have you checked the diptube o-ring?

I have some of those universal poppets, and they do sit a little proud. Mine are pretty tight though and do not leak at all...

 

[BradTheGeek]

I have only pin lock kegs and threw away all my original tripod poppets. I swapped to using the universals exclusively. Never had a leak from that location. I think the distributor of the ones I use is Foxx.

Do they lean like mine do or fit better? How long do they last you?

 

[GoeHaarden]

I've had them for a couple of years, not sure exactly. I just checked one of them, and it does lean ever so slightly. Never really paid any attention to it before, but it hold pressure and doesn't leak.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Are they actually leaking? Or are you just concerned about the way it sits?

 

[jekeane]

I have found that the universals can sit a little weird and sometimes need to be adjusted. If it holds pressure over night you are fine, You can also just spray the post with star san once under pressure to see if it leaks.

 

[BradTheGeek]

Are they actually leaking? Or are you just concerned about the way it sits?

No, not leaking. Pressure testing tonight, but no I just do not like the way it sits. In my mind a well engineered valve should seat square and put even pressure on the seals/gaskets/orings. It is messing with me head, and I am imagining the uneven pressure wearing the oring faster and opening my kegerator one day to gallons of wasted beer and work.

 

[BradTheGeek]

Sorry to confuse too, I sprayed with starsan solution, and filled the keg with starsan in prep for filling it tomorrow. Those are leftover suds, not bubbles from a leak.

 

[GoeHaarden]

In my mind a well engineered valve should seat square and put even pressure on the seals/gaskets/orings.

Well, keep in mind that it technically wasn't designed for your exact post, but rather all posts. Adjustments have to be made for this to be possible. Honestly, I've had more issues with the original poppets than the universal ones. Just check the o-rings periodically and you should be good.

 

[applescrap]

Yeah same here a little proud. Surprised it hasnt gotten stuck under when pushed in really. I would give a little jiggle if you see bubbles. I think if you search far and hard enough you can find the match. And or try to repair original. Keg lube maybe for starters. Agree about the design but seemingly ensures a decent seal. I can live with mine for now.

 

[corax]

Who is the manufacturer of your kegs? It's hard to tell for sure, but the poppet you show looks like it might be a Firestone/Spartenburg type, which is a different size from the Cornelius type. The universals are supposed to fit both, but they seem to fit a little better in the Cornelius posts.

 

[BradTheGeek]

Who is the manufacturer of your kegs? It's hard to tell for sure, but the poppet you show looks like it might be a Firestone/Spartenburg type, which is a different size from the Cornelius type. The universals are supposed to fit both, but they seem to fit a little better in the Cornelius posts.

I don't know who the manufacturer is, or even if the posts may have been replaced at some point. For now the universal is holding 15 lbs of pressure for most of a week. So, it seems okay. I just do not want to open the fridge to a multi-gallon waste of booze! If II have problems, maybe I will replace the entire posts with something different and with known replacement parts.

 

[DC-Brewer]

I have tons of those pin locks and the universals literally universally work. It's been the only "easy" fix in the kegging system to date. I have a number of posts that are bent or lean and they still do very fine. That being said, I have other sources of leaks with pin locks. . .