So I finally got the courage to pull together the money for a keg kit. Any sites you guys recommend for a kegging system (co2 tank, regulator, and ball lock) ? And before I get myself into this... Any advice for a newbie? Such as would you piece together the kit or just spend the extra dollar and buy it as a package?
Ball lock corny kegs are slightly skinnier but taller.
Pin lock corny kegs are slightly fatter but shorter.
But pin lock connections are significantly taller than ball lock connections, so overall, pin locks are slightly fatter and about the same height.
This may be crucial depending on how tight your kegs are going to be in your keezer / kegerator.
I think it's somewhat easier to find ball lock kegs and parts, but I could be wrong about this one.
A twenty pound CO2 tank is twice the price of a five pound CO2 tank, but it holds four times the gas and they cost nearly the same to fill up, so if you have space for a 20 pound tank (about the same space as a corny keg) then I'd recommend going for the 20 pounder.
I have a dual regulator, but I rarely have a need for two separate volumes of gas, so it's kind of a waste. If I could do it over again I'd probably just go with the single regulator and get an air distributor of the appropriate size.
Don't get an air distributor that doesn't have check valves.
I prefer MFL connections over barb connections. It's nice to be able to unscrew them with a wrench in a jiffy if needed.