Carlscan26
Well-Known Member
I realize I am resurrecting an old thread but thought I'd post an update with what I've seen as I've tried different types of universal poppets and I found that the information in this thread is still relevant.
I have two different sets of kegs: Firestone Challenger VI (single metal handle) and Cornelius Spartan (single black plastic handle). I would like to have only one type of poppet that I can use with either style of keg. The keg posts are different threads and different body lengths, so maybe this won't be as easy as I hope. I also like that the universal poppets are easy to remove and clean; I just can't see them breaking like traditional poppets do and they look so much easier to clean and have a replaceable o-ring too.
So far I've tried two types: the ones sold by MoreBeer and the ones sold by Adventures in Home Brewing.
The universal poppets from MB are very firm; I had to cut the bottom coil off to get them to fit on my Challenger VI kegs. And although I cut them as closely as I could to the same length, one now feels "normal" and the other seems looser than I'd like. I would have to cut an additional 1/2 to full ring for them to fit in my Spartan kegs - without cutting them I absolutely could not fit the QDs on. I attribute this to the difference in the body heights of the two styles of posts - the Spartan ones don't have as long of a threaded body section as the Challenger ones do. I don't like having to cut them and the variability this introduces.
So I ordered another set from AIH based on the posts above that they were potentially carrying a different style. I found that these have a softer spring - and they are a perfect fit so far on the Firestone Challenger VIs without cutting. I can't try them on my Cornelius Spartan kegs as they're all now in service but based on how well they fit on the Challengers, I'm hoping they will work fine with no need to trim them on the Spartans too.
The MB type protrude a bit higher than the AIH type and definitely higher than a standard poppet head would (those would sit just barely above flush). Even the AIH style protrudes higher but not as much as the MB type. This would correlate with the picture above where you can see the one on the right does not have as much material above the shoulder where the o-ring sits. The AIH type also have a small recess in the top which I imagine helps to center the poppet head with the QD pin. The poppets for my Spartan kegs are like this, but the ones for my Challenger kegs are flat topped - at least the ones I've been using have been.
Anyway, I hope this is useful for anyone else looking at universal poppets. I will post again as I swap them around and see how flow is affected, and if they truly are universal between the two types of kegs that I have.
I have two different sets of kegs: Firestone Challenger VI (single metal handle) and Cornelius Spartan (single black plastic handle). I would like to have only one type of poppet that I can use with either style of keg. The keg posts are different threads and different body lengths, so maybe this won't be as easy as I hope. I also like that the universal poppets are easy to remove and clean; I just can't see them breaking like traditional poppets do and they look so much easier to clean and have a replaceable o-ring too.
So far I've tried two types: the ones sold by MoreBeer and the ones sold by Adventures in Home Brewing.
The universal poppets from MB are very firm; I had to cut the bottom coil off to get them to fit on my Challenger VI kegs. And although I cut them as closely as I could to the same length, one now feels "normal" and the other seems looser than I'd like. I would have to cut an additional 1/2 to full ring for them to fit in my Spartan kegs - without cutting them I absolutely could not fit the QDs on. I attribute this to the difference in the body heights of the two styles of posts - the Spartan ones don't have as long of a threaded body section as the Challenger ones do. I don't like having to cut them and the variability this introduces.
So I ordered another set from AIH based on the posts above that they were potentially carrying a different style. I found that these have a softer spring - and they are a perfect fit so far on the Firestone Challenger VIs without cutting. I can't try them on my Cornelius Spartan kegs as they're all now in service but based on how well they fit on the Challengers, I'm hoping they will work fine with no need to trim them on the Spartans too.
The MB type protrude a bit higher than the AIH type and definitely higher than a standard poppet head would (those would sit just barely above flush). Even the AIH style protrudes higher but not as much as the MB type. This would correlate with the picture above where you can see the one on the right does not have as much material above the shoulder where the o-ring sits. The AIH type also have a small recess in the top which I imagine helps to center the poppet head with the QD pin. The poppets for my Spartan kegs are like this, but the ones for my Challenger kegs are flat topped - at least the ones I've been using have been.
Anyway, I hope this is useful for anyone else looking at universal poppets. I will post again as I swap them around and see how flow is affected, and if they truly are universal between the two types of kegs that I have.
