Ball Lock Keg Guide

[SpanishCastleAle]

phillc,
Very nice and useful .pdf!

Question about the old Firestone kegs; did your old Firestone kegs have a nylon spacer (like this) underneath the poppet? I have an old Firestone that has a racetrack lid, plastic gas diptube (SS liquid diptube), and nylon spacers underneath the poppets. The IN and OUT ports of the keg are quite different than any other keg I've seen as well.

I don't even know what kind of seals this thing takes (pretty sure it's not o-rings). The liquid dip tube seal almost looks more like a 'packing' (like you'd find around the stem of a handvalve). I could try to take pics. I only have one of these kegs and I've relegated it to PBW/StarSan duty.

 

[phillc]

phillc,
Very nice and useful .pdf!

Question about the old Firestone kegs; did your old Firestone kegs have a nylon spacer (like this) underneath the poppet? I have an old Firestone that has a racetrack lid, plastic gas diptube (SS liquid diptube), and nylon spacers underneath the poppets. The IN and OUT ports of the keg are quite different than any other keg I've seen as well.

I don't even know what kind of seals this thing takes (pretty sure it's not o-rings). The liquid dip tube seal almost looks more like a 'packing' (like you'd find around the stem of a handvalve). I could try to take pics. I only have one of these kegs and I've relegated it to PBW/StarSan duty.

I don't personally have much experience with those... Hopefully somebody with some experience can chime in for you.

Glad you like the doc.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I'll try to take some pics but perusing the Williams site it appears the older Firestone or John Wood 85 kegs went through a change from what I'm talking about to what is in your document.


The description of the Firestone post sold by Williams says: For older Firestone Challenger (no V or VI imprint) and John Wood 85 ball-lock kegs (beer side pictured). Includes needed 7/16” tall by 5/8” wide white nylon insert. Does not fit older Firestone kegs with ‘racetrack’ (not oval) or round lids, unless they are marked ‘Challenger’. These feature 3/4 - 18 threads.
But my old Firestone has a racetrack lid and nylon inserts so it must be one of those transitional Challengers.

It would be nice if one of the volume sellers could help clear it up...they go through so many kegs I'm sure they've seen them all and they prob have to do all sorts of things to get them to seal so they can sell them.

 

[uabericm]

The .pdf really helped me out. Thanks.

 

[phillc]

The .pdf really helped me out. Thanks.

Great! Glad you could make use of it!

 

[loh777]

Thanks for the info. One question though, after looking at my new kegs I noticed that my air release valve is for an older firestone keg. The picture on page 2 of the pdf my valve looks just like D. My question is would it be possible to to buy type A in the picture on there instead?

 

[phillc]

Thanks for the info. One question though, after looking at my new kegs I noticed that my air release valve is for an older firestone keg. The picture on page 2 of the pdf my valve looks just like D. My question is would it be possible to to buy type A in the picture on there instead?

I am not sure about replacing them, but:
If they work and if they seal, then don't mess with them! No need to replace a functioning thing with another functioning thing.