Corny ball-lock post silicone o-ring bulk purchase recommendation?

[Cider Wraith]

Could anyone please make recommendation on where to purchase bulk quantity corny ball-lock post silicone o-rings? Thanks -

 

[day_trippr]

https://www.valuebrew.com/shop/keg-post/15?via=hbf
I can't vouch for this outfit as I haven't bought anything from them, but for ~ $16 shipped for 50 post o-rings it could be worth a try

[edit] There is a positive review here.

Cheers!

 

[Cider Wraith]

Thanks ... yeah that's a lot better than two for five dollars which I have seen.

Used to keep sticky notes on kegs saying, "O-rings replaced on ...." but that ended with frequently running through post o-rings. I make small one / two gallon batches so kegs see a lot of processing - serving, washing, serving, washing ... and posts see a lot of wear. Most common problem is they expand and don't allow QDs to seat. I use sanitary lube most every time connecting to a post, could that promote o-ring expansion?

 

[AlexKay]

Can I ask why silicone? I don't know how much oxygen can make it through that seal, but if any can get through, silicone will be worse than pretty much anything else.

 

[Cider Wraith]

Good question - hadn't really thought about it but thought silicone was considered a preferred food-grade material. My one / two gallon batches don't stay around more than a few weeks so probably not so concerned about O2.

What would be preferable? Any idea what would cause ordinary rings to expand?

 

[AlexKay]

Food-grade Buna-N. No idea about the expansion though.

I think this is the right size, but that's Googling, not experience:
McMaster-Carr

 

[AlexKay]

A little more Googling says that Star San degrades silicone, so that might be your problem...

 

[Cider Wraith]

Thanks for those replies. Yeah, those rings look fine and the price is right. I guess I'm not so concerned about what's causing the expansion and if it is Star San there's nothing that can be done other than just frequently change them

Existing rings are from a mix of different replacement kits. Was making an effort to keep parts from different kits together but after having enough go bad I stopped trying to keep track of what came from what kit. I've frequently have them do this, this ring has expanded enough to effortlessly push it down out of the ring indention

 

[day_trippr]

I would opt for EPDM which is far superior to silicone wrt both O2 ingress and basic longevity, and in modest ways more resilient and wear-resistant than Buna-N.

But if one really wants to use silicone, do not use "keg lube" on them as the silicone grease will slowly dissolve the silicone O-rings and cause them to leave deposits in QDs that will harden over time. I once obtained some blue post O-rings, didn't know they were silicone, and eventually had one glue itself to the beer QD on a keg of imperial stout - which tends to last for a few months here...

Cheers!

 

[Cider Wraith]

I would opt for EPDM which is far superior to silicone wrt both O2 ingress and basic longevity, and in modest ways more resilient and wear-resistant than Buna-N.

Thanks for the reply - I'm learning a lot here. Could you kindly post a link to your preferred place to purchase those in bulk? Thanks -

 

[AlexKay]

Food grade EPDM (CHECK THE SIZE FIRST): McMaster-Carr

 

[day_trippr]

Could you kindly post a link to your preferred place to purchase those in bulk?

I bought 100 post O-rings many years ago from a local brew shop that was having a fire sale before closing (RIP, Strange Brew) and I still have at least three quarters of them left. But I would give the link I posted earlier a go if I was in the market because their prices are crazy good...

Cheers!

 

[odie]

But if one really wants to use silicone, do not use "keg lube" on them as the silicone grease will slowly dissolve the silicone O-rings

Are you sure? I've been changing out my kegs to those red silicone rings for the QDs and tube posts. I find a lot of the old black o-rings get hard and crack.

And I use food grade "keg" lube.

The lid o-rings I've swapped to silicone as well since they seal better.

I've seen all the posts about silicone letting O2 thru but I am skeptical. If so, why don't the kegs go flat?

 

[Broken Crow]

Are you sure? I've been changing out my kegs to those red silicone rings for the QDs and tube posts. I find a lot of the old black o-rings get hard and crack.

And I use food grade "keg" lube.

The lid o-rings I've swapped to silicone as well since they seal better.

I've seen all the posts about silicone letting O2 thru but I am skeptical. If so, why don't the kegs go flat?

 

[day_trippr]

Are you sure?

Silly question...

 

[odie]

View attachment 815105

yeah yeah,

Yes, silicone is more permeable than neoprene or EDPM. But kegs are pressurized. If O2 is gonna get in, something has to get out? And CO2 is 2 parts O anyway.

 

[AlexKay]

Don't forget the chromium oxide covering all the stainless steel. That's got oxygen in it, too. And then there's water, which is only 1/3 oxygen by atom count, but more than 88% oxygen by weight.

 

[odie]

Silly question...

Why is any question "silly"?

I don't mind being told I'm wrong. But tell me WHY I am wrong.

Isn't that food grade lubricant silicone based?

 

[Red over White]

Here's Buna-N o-rings for ball lock that I use, probably the best for the least oxygen ingress. Dip tube and lid are the better x profiles and NOT round.

McMaster carr #'s
Post 9452K23
Dip tube 90025K368
Lid 90025K551

 

[AlexKay]

Here's Buna-N o-rings for ball lock that I use, probably the best for the least oxygen ingress. Dip tube and lid are the better x profiles and NOT round.

McMaster carr #'s
Post 9452K23
Dip tube 90025K368
Lid 90025K551

Note that these are different sizes than the one I guessed wildly at.

 

[Broken Crow]

yeah yeah,

Yes, silicone is more permeable than neoprene or EDPM. But kegs are pressurized. If O2 is gonna get in, something has to get out? And CO2 is 2 parts O anyway.

Yeah...I'm pretty sure I'm right there with you...it's just that if you mention O2 at all, you risk getting pages of arguments from the O2CD crowd..Not meant in a derogatory way at all!..I've learned a lot from some of those heated arguments, but...I just don't care about it that much, I take reasonable care in my brewing to control O2 exposure and it's good enough for me, yet despite wanting to not see another thread derailed by O2 arguments, here I am derailing.

Don't forget the chromium oxide covering all the stainless steel. That's got oxygen in it, too. And then there's water, which is only 1/3 oxygen by atom count, but more than 88% oxygen by weight.

Yup... and sooner or later someone will be O2CD enough on here to realize that the spout on thier tap and their beer-glass is full of O2 and we'll see a DIY on a CO2 purging mod for nukataps and the recieving glass (probably relying on the mythical 'CO2 Blanket')
HBT should seriously consider putting in a trigger-warning system that flags & tags "O2".

 

[Cider Wraith]

I'm staying far away from O2 exclusion ... learned my lesson nine months ago when the Congregation of The Church of the Holy Floating Dip Tube wanted me banished to a cave as a Non-Floater heretic

 

[odie]

I've got some "other" o-rings and they are the harder "black" ones. It think neoprene. But I figured they would tear easier since silicone is more flexible. And figured the silicone would seal easier since it can conform better to any irregularities.

Some of those "black" o-rings are kinda tight when slipping QDs on and off. even with keg lube.

I've gotten brand new mini kegs with black o-rings that were already cracking. But I have no idea what the o-ring material is. Probably cheap rubber and not neoprene or EPDM.

 

[Broken Crow]

But if one really wants to use silicone, do not use "keg lube" on them as the silicone grease will slowly dissolve the silicone O-rings and cause them to leave deposits in QDs that will harden over time. I once obtained some blue post O-rings, didn't know they were silicone, and eventually had one glue itself to the beer QD on a keg

Thanks! I had the same thing happened and didn't bother thinking too much about why.. I just decided to stick with either Buna or EDPM.
@Cider Wraith ..If you have a lot of paitience for slow shipping, there's a reputable dealer on Aliexpress that has the EDPM's in bulk packages and I've had no problems with the ones I've got..except it took about 3 months to ship. Sorry I haven't got the link, but I seem to be unable to log in there at the moment...Pretty sure the dealer was 'SHFC precision machinery' ..One of the really decent sellers.

 

[kaffeenjunkie]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/mcmaster-keg-o-ring-list.233086/

 

[mac_1103]

Threads like this one make me chuckle just a little at the whole "kegging is so much easier" trope. AFAIK, nobody worries about whether they're using the wrong O-rings on their bottle capper.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Here's Buna-N o-rings for ball lock that I use, probably the best for the least oxygen ingress. Dip tube and lid are the better x profiles and NOT round.

McMaster carr #'s
Post 9452K23
Dip tube 90025K368
Lid 90025K551

Hey, thanks for this! Found a keg post ring leaking my favorite stout last week, when I came back for a refill.

Placed my order, and they said it would deliver tomorrow! (Not far from Atlanta to northern South Cackalacky.) I’m anxious to try try the X lid rings; periodically have trouble with the round ones.

Really appreciate this

 

[Red over White]

Hey, thanks for this! Found a keg post ring leaking my favorite stout last week, when I came back for a refill.

Placed my order, and they said it would deliver tomorrow! (Not far from Atlanta to northern South Cackalacky.) I’m anxious to try try the X lid rings; periodically have trouble with the round ones.

Really appreciate this

Glad it helped. I keep them on my kegging cart and swap out at least post o-rings more frequently now. On the individual keg tags I'm even tracking full rebuild dates, I was getting slack about it for a while until I lost half a bottle of co2 in the cooler.

 

[pvpeacock]

Consider using 2 different colors. I use red o-rings for gas in and black or blue for beer out. Makes it really easy to see which post is which.

 

[Broken Crow]

Threads like this one make me chuckle just a little at the whole "kegging is so much easier" trope. AFAIK, nobody worries about whether they're using the wrong O-rings on their bottle capper.

One the one hand I can agree, but up to a point; When I bottled, kegging sounded like an expensive hassle, and it is, but...with bottling there's much heavier labour and care involved that don't play well with my physical limitations so for me and my circumstance, the journey into kegging has been therapeutic and satisfying. If you still have your health (both neurological and physical), then yes..stick with bottling! But, apart from constant issues posted here with incomplete cap-crimps and correct caps, the value of 'O2 absorbing caps', the type and quantity of sugars, the times and environment for correct bottle-conditioning, the faulty bells on cappers and downright breakage of cheap bench cappers, and even this;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/sanitize-bottle-capper.725926/..plus the O2 Wars in both arenas.. The thing I love about this forum is that the more avenues I explore, the more I can be entertained, educated, or sometimes helpful, by reading over the problems in each and every variant or 'Standard Practices for Homebrewing'.
Sorry.. I got carried away. All I meant to post was; Kegging is just as easy as bottling if you have the appropriate gear to match your preferred brewing practices. ...It is a shame it's so costly to get into though.