What's up with these kegs?

I'm looking at getting some new cornies and found these:

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/home_brew/kegs/hansen_usedkeg4.html

When you look at the picture of the corny keg's lid, the pressure release valve looks weird to me. The ones I have look like this:




What is the difference?

 

Your correct, that doesn't look right. Never seen one like that.

 

The Hanson valves don't have a pull ring to release pressure. I believe there is a piece of plastic that blows when the keg is overpressured. I have a lot of these that I've used for years. You just have to release gas from the poppet valve. Luck - Dwain

 

I think I've read somewhere that the lid has a pressure relief that will release once it gets to a certain pressure on its own. But io cpould be wrong.

 

Both of my pin lock kegs have that type of release valve.

 

Damn, that's a good price. Perhaps they snake you on the shipping, though.

You can always replace the lids, but new lids cost almost as much as a used corny.

 

Maybe they are converted type from pin to ball lock posts.....can anyone confirm based on the dimensions?

 

That is what I have on my pin locks. It is more of a saftey release valve than a manual pressure release. If you can get them cheap and need cornies, don't worry about it. You can still manually release the pressure through the posts.

 

They are also called "fuse" type pressure relief valves ((mainly found on pin-lock style kegs) meaning that once they blow they can't be replaced. You have to get a whole new lid. That's the downside but I am fairly certain that the pressure needed to blow the "fuse" is way higher than you'd ever use in homebrewing (or for any other carbonated beverage for that matter). 130 PSI is what I have read. I really doubt you'll ever come close to that so it's more than likely the lid will last as long as the keg. And as others have mentioned you will need to release pressure via the gas post which isn't as convenient as the pull-ring style but really not much more difficult. If the price is right for you go for it.

 

IIRC, the Hansen valve is purely a spring loaded gasket seal rated at 80psi for release. It has the same identical function as the valve you are familiar with without any manual operation. The valve screws in from the underside of the lid and is, often, easily removed but someytimes difficult/expensive (in comparison) to locate new replacements.

I have several with tha valve and prefer to opt for having the valve port welded over. I have enough safety/pressure release valves on the plumbing system and on the regulator and really don;t care for yet another maintenance point on an antiquated keg system.

 

.....

 

IIRC, the keg itself is max rated for 130psi but the "fuse"/valve is rated at 80psi. Yes, on some, once popped the valve is trash but I have yet to find one that it cannot be removed and replaced.

Think about that for a minute, why would a beverage company accept replacing an entire lid assembly over a blown peice of plastic and spring worth $0.25 in manufacturing?

But, like I said, finding a replacement is not always easy or equitable and covering the hole is a viable solution provided you have the proper safety relief built inline.

 

No, it wouldn't make sense to replace the entire lid, I agree. Maybe to Coke the cost of a lid was chump change? I don't know. If the valve can be replaced I haven't come across a replacment and the ones I have I can't, for the life of me, figure out how to remove it. I hope they can be since that would be an awful waste of a lid!

In any case, I think we all agree these kegs will work just as well as any others (the valve not being a deal-breaker) so if the OP digs the price then happy kegging!

EDIT: Well, I guess I should have looked a little harder (at least this seems to work for the "screw-off" type...): http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...r-parts/lid-relief-valve-type-c-pin-lock.html

 

Like I said, most can be screwed out, but I do have some that are just pressed in this have to be literally destroyed to remove. And yes, the difficulty or removal, and replacement makes having the valave opening welded shut more cost effective considering an Inline relief valve can be installed in seconds with one cut and will be avilable in the dozens for the cost of one lid.

In fact, inline pressure reliefs used to be the soda industry standard.

 

Yup. But at $8.99 each plus shipping.....

Fvck the valve, weld the hole shut.

 

I really don't see how someone would get to 80 (or 130) PSI in normal operation.

If they are what you want, go ahead and buy 'em, I say.

M_C

 

In normal operation they wouldn't but if a regulator fails open, and you somehow don't blow lines first......

 

For the most part...

Ball locks are 25" tall - pin locks are 23" tall.
Ball lock posts are opposite each other (180 degrees)
Pin lock posts are 90 degrees from each other

 

How do I release pressure just using the posts? Do I have to disconnect the gas line and press down on the center of the gas in post?

 

Yes. They make a plastic tool that fits over the gas-in valve, or you could use any object and push the center of the pin