Ball lock or pin lock?

[nicadrick]

Should one be avoided or not?

 

[user 21663]

Choose one or the other, altough there's a lot of scary talk about ball lock kegs being in short supply.

 

[camiller]

Depends.

I know some guys that have all pin lock, I know others that are all ball lock. Generally ball lock are easier to get. Ball locks are a little taller and narrower so if you think your kegerator will be height challenged you might want pin locks, otherwise you can get more ball locks in the same space if height is not an option.

I use 1/4" flare connector QD's so I can swap out one or the other easily should I end up with pin locks at some point. I also added 1/4" flare tailpieces to a commercial tap so I can easily swap in a commercial keg at which ever faucet is handy(empty).

Basically, what ever works for you.

 

[akthor]

I would say score whatever kegs you can get for the best price and then stick with that style. That way you just have to buy one style of disconnects.

If you find a deal on ball locks get them, if you find a deal on pin locks get them.

 

[Marsdude]

I am just getting into kegging and traded a guy for four corney pin lock kegs.

The only (slight) advantage I see with ball lock kegs is the pressure relief valve they have. Just makes doing that a little easier.

 

[mikfire]

I have both. I bought what was cheaper at the time I was buying. I don't think there is any significant advantage to either ball or pin lock kegs.

I like the ball lock kegs because they are thinner and I could, theoretically, fit more in my keezer. I like the pin locks because there is simply no way of confusing the gas and liquid posts when hooking things up. I use MFLs and simply have enough disconnects on hand for each kind of keg.

My biggest problem was that the pin locks did not have the pull-pin pressure relief valve, as Marsdude mentioned. I have had more than one beer shower when I was trying to release the pressure from a pin lock and wasn't paying enough attention to which post I was pressing on.

I solved that problem by ordering replacement lids from Keg Connections that fit the pin lock kegs and had the pressure relief valves.

If I were doing it again, I would likely still go for the MFLs but I would stick to just one kind of keg. The consistency is what matters, not the kind of keg.

 

[david_42]

Another negative with pin-locks, if you don't fully engage the lock, they can spray beer all over. Ball-locks don't open the poppet valve until the balls are engaged. Probably more of a problem with sticky soda cans than with beer.

 

[bucfanmike]

i use both, the biggest thing I can say is no matter what use MFL fittings on all your hoses. How would you feel if you find a CL score on pin-locks and your system is all barbed type ball locks? I started with ball locks and was lucky enough that the midwest guy talked me into mfl fittings for easier disassembly and cleaning as I ending up scoring 4 pin locks for $60.

 

[SweetSounds]

The 2 major concerns are generally size and availability.

Pin locks are shorter and wider while ball locks are taller and narrower. This will directly impact how many you can fit in whatever you use to keep your beer cold.

If all you can get in your area is pin lock or ball lock, that may just make the decision for you.

They both hold beer just fine though

 

[RichBenn]

One problem I have found with pin-locks is they don't (on mine anyway) have a pull tab on the pressure release valve. This means you have to remove the gas side connector and depress the center of the gas in connector to release pressure. Because there is a short length tube on the gas side, it means beer all over when the keg is full. So burbing the keg to get CO2 to replace O2, and release of pressure after a fast force carbing (say 30 psi) is not very workable unless the keg is not full or near full....

OTOH, using some lower profile pin-lock connectors, I was able to make a 1 keg kegerator on a mini-Sanyo fridge that has a freezer. But if you are going to start fresh, I'd highly recommend a chest freezer with a digital controller.

Rich

 

[user 21663]

Are the lids on pin lock kegs that same as ball lock ones? Do you know if anyone sells pinlock kegs with relief valves?

 

[mikfire]

The lids are mostly interchangeable, excluding race track lids. I know that Keg Connections sells refurbed lids. I have them on my pin lock kegs and they work very well.

 

[Duckfoot]

The one main complaint I have heard with ball locks is the wrong connector on the wrong post and having to get a pry bar to get it off... Being a pin-lock user, I have never experienced this... And if I manage to get a gas connector on a liquid post with a pin lock, I had to work at it....