Ball lock posts won't work with quick disconnect!

[kXb]

I'm putting a used ball lock corny keg to work for the first time and my quick disconnect won't fit. I have already learned the lesson the hard way about the difference between in and out posts so I'm 100% confident I'm using the in post. The problem is the QD won't click in real good...it's like it's too big. I tried switching posts with another empty keg and the post won't screw on. This particular keg has a goofy lid too (no pull pressure relief....says "coca cola" on it). I'm new to kegging so it's possible some a-hole screwed me over and sold me a pin lock in ball lock clothing. The positioning of the posts looked like appropriate for ball lock to me.

Pictures below show a "good" post (black o-ring) and the uncooperative one (red o-ring). Do I need new posts or new QD's??

Many thanks

 

[PlexVector]

I had a similar problem with a ball lock and found it had the wrong o-ring size on it. Try moving the o-ring from the good one to the "bad" one as a test.

 

[ericbw]

That is most likely a pin lock keg converted to ball lock. Which is fine and probably not the problem. Ball lock kegs have relief valves.

But all ball lock posts should take a ball lock QD. Try switching the ring, and try using keg lube on the post so it slides together better. I've noticed a big difference when I do that.

 

[kXb]

RESOLVED!! I replaced the o-ring which didn't make a difference but I did add the lube on the post and then pushed the collar down. Click. Now I'm powered up. Thanks very much

 

[jekeane]

Sometimes it just takes a little lube and a firm push.

 

[brew_ny]

Sometimes it just takes a little lube and a firm push.

I keep telling SWMBO the same thing

 

[kombat]

I have already learned the lesson the hard way about the difference between in and out posts so I'm 100% confident I'm using the in post.

Pictures below show a "good" post (black o-ring) and the uncooperative one (red o-ring).

I worry you might still be confused. Above, you said you're using the "in" (gas) post, and that the one with the "red o-ring" is the one giving you trouble.

In the photos you posted, the one with the red O-ring is an "out" (beverage) post. The one with the black O-ring and the subtle notches in the hex nut at the base is the "in" (gas) post.

Is there a typo in your post? Are you really sure you're using the right post? Now that you've gotten the QD attached, are you able to easily remove it again? If not, you may still be confused about which post is which.

The post with the notches in the base is always the "gas/in" post. It will connect to a grey or white QD (Grey = Gas). The Black QD connects to the "out" post, the one without the notches (Black = Beverage).

 

[m00ps]

wait, by replacing the o-ring do you mean the tiny one under the post? Or that red/black ring going around the top. And are you just putting the keg lube at like the top and sides of the post?

its just I seem to randomly run into this issue with my kegs. One day they'll all be working great then like the next I'm really struggling to get one of the disconnects back on. Even if its the same exact keg and disconnects that we working fine earlier

 

[Yooper]

I worry you might still be confused. Above, you said you're using the "in" (gas) post, and that the one with the "red o-ring" is the one giving you trouble.

In the photos you posted, the one with the red O-ring is an "out" (beverage) post. The one with the black O-ring and the subtle notches in the hex nut at the base is the "in" (gas) post.

Is there a typo in your post? Are you really sure you're using the right post? Now that you've gotten the QD attached, are you able to easily remove it again? If not, you may still be confused about which post is which.

The post with the notches in the base is always the "gas/in" post. It will connect to a grey or white QD (Grey = Gas). The Black QD connects to the "out" post, the one without the notches (Black = Beverage).

That's what I was going to say. The one with the black o-ring is a "gas" (in) post and the one with the orange o-ring is a "beer" (out) post. They aren't interchangeable.

 

[Minky]

That's what I was going to say. The one with the black o-ring is a "gas" (in) post and the one with the orange o-ring is a "beer" (out) post. They aren't interchangeable.

When I first looked at the picture, I also thought the post with the orange o-ring was a beer-out post, but now I'm not so sure. On second look, it appears that the wrench-flat portion of the post is deeply grooved all around. Maybe an odd-ball brand?

It also appears, from the rough on-screen measurements I took, that the post with the orange o-ring has a larger diameter thread.

When I first started kegging, I bought 3 Cornelius kegs with a hodge-podge of posts on them (mostly Firestone), and I think that may be the case here.

 

[Jbrown57]

The post in the picture with the red oring may be a liquid post with an adapter of some sort screwed into it.
It just appears at first glance to be grooved as a gas ring, or I could be wrong. really hard to tell in the photo
jbrown57

 

[kombat]

The post in the picture with the red oring may be a liquid post with an adapter of some sort screwed into it.
It just appears at first glance to be grooved as a gas ring, or I could be wrong. really hard to tell in the photo

I disagree, it's actually an excellent photo. It's been resized by the forum, you can click on the little banner across the top to see the full-size version of the photo, the detail is quite clear. There is definitely no "notching" on the post with the red/orange ring. It's definitely a beverage post. The other post (with the black ring) has obvious notches/grooves carved into the hex fitting at the base. It's definitely a gas post.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Glad you figured out the post issue.

As for the lid, at some point someone probably swapped the lid with a pin lock lid. It'll still work with no problems, but no prv.

From where the posts are, it's definitely a ball lock keg body.

 

[kXb]

yep crappy photo for sure. believe me, the post with the red o-ring is definitely the gas in (compared very carefully to other post on same keg after my previous fiasco of a few months ago when i had them switched up on a different keg). the post with the black o-ring is gas in from a different keg. in the picture below (courtesy of JKoravos 10-16-09 on another homebrewtalk.com forum thread), mine with the red o-ring is the same post as the one on the far right.

i lubed the new o-ring and along with a modest amount on the shaft of the post. i don't think that made a difference frankly. the way i finally got it was to just press down real hard on the collar of the QD until it finally clicked into place. strange because my "normal" posts never required such shenanigans. the lid with no pressure release makes for a real pain in the a, though. to bleed, i had to remove QD, depress poppet, repressure, repeat. so yes, it does come back off!

oh well. in a week i will have forgotten all about this and be slurping on my hard apple cider!

 

[PlexVector]

OP:
Double check the QDs for cracks now that's it's solved in case one was over stressed troubleshooting the posts.

 

[Minky]

I disagree, it's actually an excellent photo. It's been resized by the forum, you can click on the little banner across the top to see the full-size version of the photo, the detail is quite clear. There is definitely no "notching" on the post with the red/orange ring. It's definitely a beverage post. The other post (with the black ring) has obvious notches/grooves carved into the hex fitting at the base. It's definitely a gas post.

I'm not sure what you're seeing in the enlarged photo, but what I see is a groove running entirely around the wrench-flat portion of the post instead of just at the corners.

 

[PlexVector]

I'm not sure what you're seeing in the enlarged photo, but what I see is a groove running entirely around the wrench-flat portion of the post instead of just at the corners.

That does look very suspicious. I'd want to take my calipers to that just to make sure.

 

[zeekage]

Maybe you've got a keg with 2 gas posts and that's why you're having trouble?

 

[day_trippr]

^lol^

A bit late to the party...

Cheers!

 

[kombat]

I'm not sure what you're seeing in the enlarged photo, but what I see is a groove running entirely around the wrench-flat portion of the post instead of just at the corners.

I saw what looked like a continuous seam separating two flat hex nuts, rather than a single nut with a deep groove. Apparently I was mistaken, but I've never see one like that before.

 

[Minky]

That does look very suspicious. I'd want to take my calipers to that just to make sure.

That would be the way to know for sure. I always thought it was odd that the tops of the gas and beer posts were made so close in diameter that they could be so easily confused. I just measured some relatively new posts, and the beer-out post is ~0.614" in dia. and the gas-in post is ~0.625"; a difference of only .011". Not close enough to see, but close enough that a beer disconnect could be forced onto a gas post and get stuck!

 

[PlexVector]

That would be the way to know for sure. I always thought it was odd that the tops of the gas and beer posts were made so close in diameter that they could be so easily confused. I just measured some relatively new posts, and the beer-out post is ~0.614" in dia. and the gas-in post is ~0.625"; a difference of only .011". Not close enough to see, but close enough that a beer disconnect could be forced onto a gas post and get stuck!

I cracked a QD a while back because I didn't have my glasses and didn't see what I thought I saw.

 

[Bradyfumbled]

I am currently having the same problem as the OP... I just converted 4 pin lock kegs using the conversion kit from Adventures in Homebrewing. None of the "in" posts will take the gas QD.

I've been kegging for years so I thought I had a solution for everything, but this one is baffling me. I switched the O-rings, I tried copious amounts of keg lube, I tried a different gas QD, nothing. Gas works just fine on all my existing ball locks.

The product has a 5 star rating on Adventures in Homebrewing.... But I'm starting to think I bought a set of lemons.

 

[ericbw]

I am currently having the same problem as the OP... I just converted 4 pin lock kegs using the conversion kit from Adventures in Homebrewing. None of the "in" posts will take the gas QD.



I've been kegging for years so I thought I had a solution for everything, but this one is baffling me. I switched the O-rings, I tried copious amounts of keg lube, I tried a different gas QD, nothing. Gas works just fine on all my existing ball locks.



The product has a 5 star rating on Adventures in Homebrewing.... But I'm starting to think I bought a set of lemons.

Could it have been packaged wrong? Two liquid posts?

 

[Bradyfumbled]

No, it's not a liquid post. It has the grooves and the more subtle "bump" for the QD like all my other ball locks. I'll disassemble tonight and see if the springs could be faulty, or if I see anything else suspicious. Lame.

 

[Minky]

No, it's not a liquid post. It has the grooves and the more subtle "bump" for the QD like all my other ball locks. I'll disassemble tonight and see if the springs could be faulty, or if I see anything else suspicious. Lame.

I wonder if it's the poppet. If the poppet is too tall it won't allow the QD to go all the way on the post. I ran into that with the first kegs I bought. They were Cornelius kegs that somebody put Firestone posts on. I couldn't find poppets that would fit them. You may want to try the universal poppets.

 

[ericbw]

It is tough to rebuild some of them because of the diff sizes. So my $30 pin lock deal needed $22 for posts, plus time and energy... Used ball locks are about $60.

I did get a free lid with a broken prv, so once I replace the valve I'll have a working ball lock for about $60. Oh well.

 

[m00ps]

That would be the way to know for sure. I always thought it was odd that the tops of the gas and beer posts were made so close in diameter that they could be so easily confused. I just measured some relatively new posts, and the beer-out post is ~0.614" in dia. and the gas-in post is ~0.625"; a difference of only .011". Not close enough to see, but close enough that a beer disconnect could be forced onto a gas post and get stuck!

Do you know if you can connect a GAS/IN disconnect onto the BEER/OUT post since the gas one would be slightly larger? And it wouldnt get stuck like if you did it vice-versa? Just wondering because my last keg I tapped got clogged and I was tempted to shoot some CO2 down the BEER/OUT diptube to unclog it. Luckily, it seemed to solve itself overnight from settling.

 

[Lbm]

If you're not using disconnects with integrated check valves, just use a beer qd on your gas line to blow out the dip tube. Easy if you have the type you can just unscrew.

 

[Bradyfumbled]

I wonder if it's the poppet. If the poppet is too tall it won't allow the QD to go all the way on the post. I ran into that with the first kegs I bought. They were Cornelius kegs that somebody put Firestone posts on. I couldn't find poppets that would fit them. You may want to try the universal poppets.

Thanks for the tip on the poppets.... I believe this was the problem. I didn't end up having to replace them, but I kind of just "played" with the poppets for a bit and all four rebuilds started to work... I had wrench in hand prepared for another frustrating hour of wrestling with them, but it was a much simpler "fix".