Corny Kegs - Ball or Pin Lock

[hightechlofi]

I am very new to homebrewing and am about to purchase some corny kegs. Any suggestions on which style to go with? Are they equivalent in availability, ease of sanitization, etc?

 

[Bobby_M]

Ball locks are probably 4x more common in numbers. If you can find 12 pinlocks at less than $15 a piece, I'd go that way. Otherwise go ball lock.

 

[remilard]

Pin locks are shorter and wider, so for a given area you will be able to fit the same or fewer of them as ball locks, but never more.

Availability is heavily regional, ball locks are more available in most of the country but it might be pin locks in Texas.

 

[jspence1]

I agree with bobby m if you can get a good deal on pin lock's get them but get at least 12 or you'll be looking for more and you probably won't find them if you want to.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I use both (pin-locks for carbonating/secondary for lagers, ball-locks for everything else). I always serve from ball-locks due to the space issue remilard mentioned (6 ball-locks fit perfectly in my 7 cu ft Magic Chef keezer). I don't find either one that much easier to sanitize than the other but the poppets on my pin-locks don't come out easily, usually they do for ball-locks (but not all models).

One thing I would do differently if I could go back and do it all again is to try and get all the same kind of kegs. I don't like the older kegs that use plastic IN dip tubes (or 'racetrack' lids either) and for whatever reason I prefer the Cornelius-brand kegs but that's just based on my limited experience with some of the different types.

Regardless, when you get the kegs fully disassemble them, clean them extremely well, and replace all the o-rings. When cleaned right, you should be able to seal the keg for a while and then open it up and get NO funky odors.

 

[mmb]

Ball locks (Pepsi) are more available right now because Pepsi finished phasing out syrup delivery in corny kegs later than Coke (pin lock).

You'll also find that ball lock rebuild parts are more available for mostly the same reason. Either way, get a few because they will only be getting more and more rare.

 

[wildwest450]

I would highly recommend pin locks. Why? More ball locks for me.

BTW, has anyone ever seen the "ball" on a ball lock keg?

 

[Whut]

I would highly recommend pin locks. Why? More ball locks for me.

BTW, has anyone ever seen the "ball" on a ball lock keg?

Agree. The fewer people I have to compete with the better. And yes, the ball lock is under the thinga majig and right next to the what'cha macallit!

All kidding aside, as posted already ball lock are more readily available.

 

[hightechlofi]

Thanks for the input guys, I think I am sold on ball-lock due to the availability issues mentioned above. There is a guy in houston who is selling reconditioned (sanitized, new orings, etc) for $25ea. I know they can be found cheaper, but the sanitizing, oring replace ment is done on these. Is this a good deal, yea or nea?

 

[mmb]

BTW, has anyone ever seen the "ball" on a ball lock keg?

Yah, it's in the quick disconnect. Actually, there are three balls in the disconnect.

Thanks for the input guys, I think I am sold on ball-lock due to the availability issues mentioned above. There is a guy in houston who is selling reconditioned (sanitized, new orings, etc) for $25ea. I know they can be found cheaper, but the sanitizing, oring replace ment is done on these. Is this a good deal, yea or nea?

It's a good price for a rebuilt keg that is guaranteed to hold pressure. Sanitizing, eh, you'll do that again anyway when you fill it. I'd go $25 for guaranteed pressure and new orings.

 

[BucksPA]

Ball locks (Pepsi) are more available right now because Pepsi finished phasing out syrup delivery in corny kegs later than Coke (pin lock).

You'll also find that ball lock rebuild parts are more available for mostly the same reason. Either way, get a few because they will only be getting more and more rare.

that gets me thinking. i cover a lot of ground in my job and I know of at least 3 Coca~Cola factories/distributors. I wonder if they would be willing to scrap any? if they even have any left. Someone must have already tried though, for sure.

 

[mmb]

that gets me thinking. i cover a lot of ground in my job and I know of at least 3 Coca~Cola factories/distributors. I wonder if they would be willing to scrap any? if they even have any left. Someone must have already tried though, for sure.

Coke, for the most part, got rid of the pin locks years ago. My wife's Uncle retired as a route driver for Coke 4 or 5 years ago and he says he hadn't seen them in years. If they do have any they've been stuck in some corner for a long time.

 

[mordantly]

i like ball lock better due to the connection method... even though i could ave gotten either type when i started. i have about $10 dollars invested in each of mine including poppets and o-rings.

 

[Duckfoot]

I got a great deal on my pin locks and besides, it is pretty damned hard to mistakenly put the wrong connector on the lugs of a pin lock...

 

[HSM]

The first keg I bought was a pin lock and I've followed suit since. I only have 3, with the 3rd arriving just today. New rings and pressure tested at $30 including shipping. Whenever I had the desire, Ebay had pin locks. No problem for me.

12 kegs? To each their own. I'll probably max at 4. 2 conditioning and 2 serving. Like I said I just got my 3rd and really didn't need it, just wanted it .

 

[mordantly]

you can never have too many cornies like fermenters... until you have 20!

 

[Bobby_M]

No matter how many you think you want right now, you'll always want more later. The point is if you can only get/only want say 4 kegs right now, you should go ball lock. That way when you really want more, and you will, you'll be able to get them.

I went pinlock with 6 of them at first. No way that was enough. I had to wait patiently for more to come around. I think I have 16 now.

 

[remilard]

you can never have too many cornies like fermenters... until you have 20!

Nah, I have around 20, I figure I could probably use 50.

 

[Photopilot]

I got my pin locks for free about 13 years ago. I worked for a restaurant at the time, we were using cardboard boxes with plastic bags for our coke syrup then. I went to the distributor or "coke dealer" and he gave me 4 of them and some manifold and attachments. I have 4 and was offered 2 more to "get them out of his basement".

I just bought a pin lock recently and like it better but having two types is a pain in the @ss. If you do end up with different styles pneumatic quick couplers come in really handy, the kind used for compressors, hoses and tools. I would buy more if they were only $25 for one ready to go. Here they are $40 plus you have to deal with the LHBS #2, which is run by a troll. He claims to be the first in the US selling Cornys. He will tell you this at least once whenever you go in to his store, and show you the add from 1980 something.

 

[hightechlofi]

Thanks again for the thoughts. I picked up my setup yesterday and think I will love it. I purchased 4 ball-lock cornies, a filled 5# CO2 tank, a new regulator, hoses, two sets of disconnects, and a SS faucet for $280. From what I have researched (and per your suggestions), I think I got a helluva deal. Anyone in Houston should check out kegcowboy.com. That is the guy I got it from. He was a really nice guy.

 

[jtrainer]

One other thing to keep in mind... If using a Sanyo 1206 kegerator or the likes, you can get 4 kegs inside. You will find that ball lock kegs won't fit into the back of the rig.... Pin locks fit fine. The front 2 slots will fit the ball locks.

I can fit:
4 Pin Locks
2 Pin locks (back) and 2 Ball locks (front)

Note: My ball locks are all 5 Gal, the 2.5-3 gal ball locks fit in each slot.

The Sanyo 1206 has a compressor mounted at the top back and minimally invades the keg space. The rig was originally intended to house 1 half barrel.

 

[Arkador]

I prefer ball lock, because I can barley fit 4 in my keezer. If I used pin lock, I would only be able to fit 3.

 

[Kegcowboy]

Thanks for the input guys, I think I am sold on ball-lock due to the availability issues mentioned above. There is a guy in houston who is selling reconditioned (sanitized, new orings, etc) for $25ea. I know they can be found cheaper, but the sanitizing, oring replace ment is done on these. Is this a good deal, yea or nea?

Is that guy in Houston KegCowboy.Com?

 

[brewingkitty]

i prefer balls... 6 can fit my fridge if i ever finish it.

 

[tekknoschtev]

When I first started pricing out my fridge conversion a few months ago, I was sure I was going with pin-lock just because I could get them for $15 each at a local place, and the cheapest ball locks were $30. Duh! Except, when I got down to it, it was cheaper to buy a whole kit (kegs, distributor, co2 tank, regulator, hoses, connectors, etc.) and that came with ball locks. So... ball locks it was! I now have 9, and looking at the schedule of brewing my brother and I have laid out, that won't last us... Looks like I'll be hunting around for more deals, or bottling a few batches here and there until we kick another keg.

 

[keithster]

All of my kegs are ball except for two. They were a killer price and I figured I would only use them for a mixed gas setup. Removes the chance of hooking up the wrong gas to the kegs.

12 might be enough kegs. Ball kegs are (1) 10 gal and (7) 5 gal. Just (2) 5 gal on the pin lock side. Would really like to have another pair of pin and 4 more ball locks.

That sounded weird.........

 

[1fastsedan]

I got some good advice from my local homebrew store when I started kegging. Set everything up with flare fittings on the lines and quick connectors. It takes a bit more investment up front, but you'll be able to pick up whatever kegs you can find for a good deal. I think I have 4 ball lock and 3 pin lock now, all found for great deals.

 

[Bruin]

Ball lock: Sounds like a SWMBO invention!

 

[myty1705]

curses, just came across this thread.....I had no idea they were any difference in kegs.....I picked up 12 out of about 30 of them laying on the ground with 1 co2 tank. I am betting that out of 12 I probably got a mixture of pin and ball lock not knowing there was a difference. I had just heard about using these for kegging and figure hey...they are free, I'll just pick them up.....grrrrrrr

Now I will have to figure out which is which.......can someone refer me to something on how to take them apart and figuring out which is which?

 

[Jawbox0]

curses, just came across this thread.....I had no idea they were any difference in kegs.....I picked up 12 out of about 30 of them laying on the ground with 1 co2 tank. I am betting that out of 12 I probably got a mixture of pin and ball lock not knowing there was a difference. I had just heard about using these for kegging and figure hey...they are free, I'll just pick them up.....grrrrrrr

Now I will have to figure out which is which.......can someone refer me to something on how to take them apart and figuring out which is which?

Ball locks and pin locks will look totally different on the gas and beer posts. A ball lock looks like:
http://www.americanbrewmaster.com/popup_image.php?pID=614&image=0

a pin lock looks like:
http://www.chicompany.net/images/Product Images/15C07106.jpg