Pin lock vs ball lock

[guldalian]

I'm sure this has been covered, but is there really any big diff between ball lock and pin lock kegs? Seems pin lock are way cheaper, sooooo why wouldn't I get those?


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[j1n]

idk... why wouldnt you?

 

[Swiller]

I'm sure this has been covered, but is there really any big diff between ball lock and pin lock kegs? Seems pin lock are way cheaper, sooooo why wouldn't I get those?


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Generally pin lock kegs don't have a pressure relief valve or only an automatic PRV on the lid. They're shorter and wider and they use a different coupler.

 

[b-boy]

If I was starting over I'd probably go pin-lock. If I had to replace all my stuff now I'd probably save about $300-$350 by doing that. I can't comment on the downside of the pinlocks though. I only have 1 pinlock and ~10 ball locks.

 

[natnov]

Most 7 cu foot freezers can hold 4 ball locks without collar, only three pin locks....

 

[hairless_mac]

I have five pin locks. The connectors are cheaper then ball locks and i bought five for the price of three ball locks and you can't get the liquid and gas connectors confused. The pressure relief lid is the main difference but you can even buy a lid with a valve in it.


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[zoomzilla]

I just started kegging and all the directions and YouTube videos on how to clean,fill and use kegs were for ball lock. When I went online shopping for used kegs I realized that they were twice the cost and very few places even had any in stock. I am buying about ten pin locks as fast as I can because with homebrew popularity soaring the pin locks will soon be the same price.

 

[grainbill]

I have 7 of the 5gal, 2 of the 2.5 gal all ball lock. the 7 5 gal (all 7 were brand new, 5 never having been used) came by way of a steal on someone getting rid of their system. I immediately went out and stocked up on replacement parts. I have yet to have any issues. In club I used to belong to, most, like me, got what they did by getting a great deal. Those that "had a choice" it was about 50/50 by preference.

 

[pdietert]

I have both, I like to keep my options open (or I am cheap) . Oh and pin-locks do have a pressure relief valve on the lid, it is just not a manual one. But then there is the gas post right next to the lid that serves the same purpose as a manual relief valve.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Oh and pin-locks do have a pressure relief valve on the lid.

Not all do. I have 8 pin-locks. When I purchased 4 of them, 2 of the lids had nothing at all. Just a plain old lid. The pin-locks were purchased right from coke after they retired them. So its not like they were an "after market lid".
I did replace 3 of my pin-locks with a newer "pull pressure valve" lid.

 

[paperairplane]

I have about a dozen pin locks - I also have a 6.8ft keezer which easily fits 4 pin locks (2*8 collar).

They have a pressure release valve - you press down on the gas post. I use an old piece of deer antler.

You can also convert pin locks to ball locks if you want. It ain't cheap though.

 

[natnov]

Today's with a collar. My 7 cu ft freezers fit 4 ball lock without any collar, 5 with a collar...pin locks 3 without a collar, 4 with.

 

[dobes]

I use pin lock no complaints. Some of my kegs have a manual relief valve on the lid some do not. You can use any kind of tool to depress the gas valve post and it works the same as a manual pull relief valve.
But I cant compare it to a ball lock cause I never used them.

 

[Peruvian802]

I bought 3 pin locks on CL and they all had manual prvs on the lid. The 2 I bought from AIH had auto prvs. My old fridge kegerator wouldn't fit the taller ball locks so I'm glad I have pin locks.

 

[63belair]

The main difference, other than the pressure relief valve is size. Pin locks are shorter and fatter, ball locks are taller and skinnier. Often times you can fit more ball locks in the same fridge, especially with mini fridges. I started with ball locks because I could fit 2 in my fridge versus only one pin lock.

Another minor consideration is that there are companies making brand new ball locks. I don't think there are new pin locks being made by anyone.

 

[Brickman]

I am starting to consider neither and just switch to Sanke connections. I have had poppets stick a few times and empty half a keg out in my keezer. Not much fun to clean up. Lost another batch cause the lid lost its seal and oxidized the beer. If I could figure out an easy way to clean Sankes without pulling the spear I would change in a heartbeat.

 

[Hamaki]

I decided to use pin locks because it is not possible to attach the disconnect to the wrong post. This can be done with ball locks. For me this was more important than the smaller footprint and greater availability of the ball locks. That said, I figure it is not unlikely I'll end up with some ball locks at some point so all disconnects are mfl, meaning I won't need to double up on beer & gas lines.