poppet valves

[ThomInSC]

Does anyone know if these universal poppets from Midwest also fit pin lock kegs? I take it most in this thead are using ball lock.

 

[Catt22]

Does anyone know if these universal poppets from Midwest also fit pin lock kegs? I take it most in this thead are using ball lock.

Yes they will fit pin locks too:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/universal-poppet-fits-most-kegs.html

They state that in the description.

 

[ThomInSC]

Oops, guess I should have checked out the webpage first. Now if I can just keep from adding a dozen other items to the shopping cart.

 

[nate456789]

I got mine and they fit great on my ball kegs.
I havnt done a pressure test yet but seem better than the originals. Best part is all my parts are the same now. No worrying what one goes to what fitting. And I can replace the O ring. Last poppet I will need to buy.

 

[RobbyBeers]

Thanks for the info on this. I ordered a bunch of the poppets, plus a pack of o-rings.

Obviously it will be great to have all my poppets be consistent, but it seems like sanitation is an even better benefit. According to the pics, it looks like these poppets are all stainless and can be fully disassembled. I've never felt 100% confident in some of my plastic-y, nook-and-cranny-filled old style poppets.

 

[Ace_Club]

Yep, just ordered some last night. Also, I was looking around at getting more cornies, but due to the ball-lock shortage, there aren't many reasonably priced options.

However, I did notice that cornykeg.com offers converted pin locks for ~26 each. These are old pin locks that have new ball-lock SS conversion posts on them. The posts all come with the universal poppets. I think I may be picking some of these up in the near future...

 

[Randar]

I have 4 pin-locks that have leaky/sticky poppets or are generally just a PITA... this looks perfect.

 

[Catt22]

Yep, just ordered some last night. Also, I was looking around at getting more cornies, but due to the ball-lock shortage, there aren't many reasonably priced options.

However, I did notice that cornykeg.com offers converted pin locks for ~26 each. These are old pin locks that have new ball-lock SS conversion posts on them. The posts all come with the universal poppets. I think I may be picking some of these up in the near future...

I was not aware that there was a Corny keg shortage. The prices seem to have gone up some, but that's true for just about everything:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/5-gallon-reconditioned-ball-lock-soda-keg.html

The think I don't like about the converted pin lock kegs is the pressure relief valve in the lid. They have no pull ring like the ball locks do. Major PIA IMO. I think if they came up with a retrofit of some kind they could sell a lot more of those kegs.

 

[BrewBeemer]

I was not aware that there was a Corny keg shortage.

I mentioned this on the forum 3 years ago after watching millions of corny's as well 15.5 & 7.75 kegs being shipped out of the Port of Oakland to China, Hong Kong and other Malaysian countries. They laughed, "what shortage?"
The above corny's cost $37.50 each after shipping to the left coast, I paid after shipping $11.42 each ball lock corny times 28 in my collection. Who's laughing now, besides the LHBS that stocked up cheap and now selling high?
Finding 15.5 kegs hard to get lately or priced higher than $15 to $20 they went for just a few years ago each?

 

[Catt22]

I mentioned this on the forum 3 years ago after watching millions of corny's as well 15.5 & 7.75 kegs being shipped out of the Port of Oakland to China, Hong Kong and other Malaysian countries. They laughed, "what shortage?"
The above corny's cost $37.50 each after shipping to the left coast, I paid after shipping $11.42 each ball lock corny times 28 in my collection. Who's laughing now, besides the LHBS that stocked up cheap and now selling high?
Finding 15.5 kegs hard to get lately or priced higher than $15 to $20 they went for just a few years ago each?

Yes, those damn Chinese have us out pigged at the moment (as in capitalist pigs). How dare they compete with us The bastards are buying up all of our materials and resources. I think we've been owned and do not yet fully realize it. Kegs still aren't too bad at near $40. Thankfully, they are mostly a one time purchase and they last forever. I've got 18 currently and those should be enough to handle my capacity for some time to come. I came buy most of my cornies for little to no cost. Bunches of them seem to turn up now and then. I suppose many are recovered from the basements of defunct restaurants and bars. You can still buy brand new ones, so someone must still be manufacturing corny kegs somewhere.

 

[TheBrewinator]

Good to hear about these, I have one keg that has a poppet I need to bend the legs just right every time I use it cause it always gets off when I tighten the post on it. I guess I will add a couple of these to my shopping list when I go buy grains for this weekends brewathon tomorrow over lunch.

 

[KurtB]

Yep, just ordered some last night. Also, I was looking around at getting more cornies, but due to the ball-lock shortage, there aren't many reasonably priced options.

However, I did notice that cornykeg.com offers converted pin locks for ~26 each. These are old pin locks that have new ball-lock SS conversion posts on them. The posts all come with the universal poppets. I think I may be picking some of these up in the near future...

The converted kegs are nice for the price, but like Catt22 said eariler, the lack of a relief valve was a problem for me. Also, because they are sized the same as the pin lock, the are about an inch wider than a ball lock keg. The size may not be a problem for you. I know for me, it would have still worked, but the extra inch or two would have made things tight in my freezer.

Once I figured in shipping for 4 kegs, I ended up going with a 4 pack of 'real' ball lock kegs from Sabco (brew-magic.com) for about $15 more than the 4 pack from cornykeg.com. The kegs I got were also very well reconditioned and in great shape (no stickers, no dents, well cleaned inside and out, new O rings, etc).

 

[BrewBeemer]

You can still buy brand new ones, so someone must still be manufacturing corny kegs somewhere.

I recall those new 2 1/2 or 3 gallon as well 5 gallon Corny's available as repops from Chinka. They are proud of them by their asking prices also.

I rather have them made in Japan so I can locate them in my dark basement, just look for the low green glow call it a energy saving thing.
You'll never see a incandescent lamp that can produce light for 5,000 trouble free years.

 

[nate456789]

The think I don't like about the converted pin lock kegs is the pressure relief valve in the lid. They have no pull ring like the ball locks do. Major PIA IMO. I think if they came up with a retrofit of some kind they could sell a lot more of those kegs.

They make a conversion one. It's a two piece. I just converted 2 of mine.
I took a dremel with a cut off wheel and cut off the housing that sticks up. Took a sanding wheel and made that smooth with a small bit off a ridge left. Touched up the hole with a 3/4 drill bit. And screwed the new pull ring relief valve together in the lid.
Very cool design. Very easy conversion. I think it was like a $10 piece of hardware.

 

[sleepystevenson]

Those universal poppets are nice and a great idea, but at $4 a piece ($8 for each keg) it would cost me almost as much as I paid for the damn kegs! I sure am glad I bought 30 kegs when I could get them for $10-$15 a pop! I think I will just keep doing what I have been doing.... picking through the drawer of veteran poppets my LHBS sells for about a quarter each....

 

[nate456789]

Those universal poppets are nice and a great idea, but at $4 a piece ($8 for each keg) it would cost me almost as much as I paid for the damn kegs! I sure am glad I bought 30 kegs when I could get them for $10-$15 a pop! I think I will just keep doing what I have been doing.... picking through the drawer of veteran poppets my LHBS sells for about a quarter each....

It is the last one you will ever buy. O-rings are dirt cheap at .04 each.
And they come completely apart for thorough cleaning and sanitizing.
But at 30 kegs I can feel your pain. $240 is steep to convert everything.

 

[sleepystevenson]

I do really like the fact that they are easier to clean, better springs, and replaceable o-rings. But $240 is exactly what I just paid for (7) 55 pound bags of grain delivered for our group grain buy!

 

[ThomInSC]

Got mine the other day but they don't seem to fit my pin lock posts. The poppet fits ok but the large end of the spring is too big to go all the way up to make contact with it.

 

[Catt22]

Got mine the other day but they don't seem to fit my pin lock posts. The poppet fits ok but the large end of the spring is too big to go all the way up to make contact with it.

Sounds like you have the spring upside down. The small end of the cone shaped spring goes into the post first. The flanged metal piece sits on top of the narrow end of the coil spring.

 

[ThomInSC]

I had the small end of the spring inside the post but the larger end still won't go deeper enough to get the poppet to seal. Apparently these are the old firestone kegs where the post thread is only 9/16". I have some standard poppets coming from BMW but will hang on to these in case I get more kegs.

 

[nate456789]

I had the small end of the spring inside the post but the larger end still won't go deeper enough to get the poppet to seal. Apparently these are the old firestone kegs where the post thread is only 9/16". I have some standard poppets coming from BMW but will hang on to these in case I get more kegs.

I had a couple of those. I actually stretched the spring a little and they seal fine now. The spring is not as stiff since they are stretched a little, but they still seal fine. I confirmed with a couple suppliers that this was OK to do before I did it and they said that is what they do too.

 

[RobbyBeers]

Got these poppets a while ago, and I recently kegged with them for the first time.

I'll just confirm what has pretty much been covered here already: The springs are tighter and provide an even better seal than the original parts. I like that the silicone rings make direct contact to create the seal...I think I forgot to put lube on mine and they're still doing fine.

 

[Catt22]

Best thing since canned food!

 

[Ace_Club]

Yep. I bought 3 sets to use in case of emergencies with my existing ball locks. I'll use the current poppets until they fail.

I also got some converted pin locks from cornykeg.com. They all come with the new universal poppets!

 

[glockentalk]

I had a couple of those. I actually stretched the spring a little and they seal fine now. The spring is not as stiff since they are stretched a little, but they still seal fine. I confirmed with a couple suppliers that this was OK to do before I did it and they said that is what they do too.

Awesome tip. Thanks. I got my new universals last night, installed one, couldn't get a seal, stretched the spring, and voilà! Here's to hoping this is a good long-term solution.

 

[nate456789]

Awesome tip. Thanks. I got my new universals last night, installed one, couldn't get a seal, stretched the spring, and voilà! Here's to hoping this is a good long-term solution.

Couple months later of keg use - Connecting and unconnecting, and storing kegs without being connected to taps - and none of my kegs have any problems with the universal poppets. They work great.

 

[gnef]

I just bought 8 to keep on hand. I have over 100 kegs, and in the past, I've tried to keep every single type of poppet on hand. I hope to only have to keep this universal poppet on hand from now on. From the sound of it, they seem to work quite well, just have to make sure they seal on certain kegs.

I definitely like that they have replaceable o-rings, so that I don't have to worry about buying more and more to replace ones I've already replaced.

 

[Catt22]

I bought 8 as well and plan to eventually changer over all 18 of my kegs to the universal poppets. IMO, they work even better than the OEM poppets.

FYI, I recently bought 4 of the extra thick keg lid O-rings from William's Brewing. I had two kegs that would not always maintain a good seal at lower serving pressures. I tried all the usual tricks like bending the clamp legs etc without success. The fatter O-rings fixed the problem. The other two I bought are extras in case I have any future lid sealing problems. I also purchased 2 of the aftermarket pressure relief valves designed to replace the "dome" type valves that are no longer available anywhere. I have not installed these yet, but they look to be very well made and I don't anticipate having any problems with them.

 

[rakes]

I had bought 8 a few months ago, and just got 6 more. With the first hint of hiss, or leaking, I replace one. They're great, seal really well, and are easy to deal with.

 

[724b]

I ordered several sets of the universal poppets.

Can anyone confirm that the #008 silicone orings are working well?

Thanks a bunch!

The O-rings appear to be #008 size. McMaster-Carr has them in a silicone version at $4.68/100 +shipping. That should be about a lifetime supply:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#silicone-o-rings/=bczdid