Top of Poppet leaking on Pin Keg

[Jerry Updike]

One of the poppets on one of my pin-lock kegs has a very slow leak, we’re talking not even drops more like super slow pooling onto the top of the liquid line poppet (I have since attached a pig spigot line to control it). I have come to find out that the keg I have has a self contained poppet when I removed the post to try to fix the poppet and there is no spring.

Thoughts on how to fix?

 

[Blazinlow86]

Without seeing it I can't say for certain but I believe the kegs came with a poppet with 3 "legs" that kinda presses into place and the spring type are aftermarket replacements. I replaced all my 3 leg type poppets with the spring type as mine leaked as you described also and I lost half a keg. Keep in mind those are probably the originals and are very likely 40+ years old. You can press them out with some force. Cheers

 

[Jerry Updike]

Do you have a link to the proper replacement?

I don’t care with who, but I did order through KegConnection and they ****ed up my order pretty bad so I am expecting some “customer service” and that is something I will likely ask to be covered for free.

 

[Blazinlow86]

I'm not sure specifically were I got mine. It was awhile ago and I've since sold all my pin locks and bough 16 Italian aeb ball locks in one go to replace them. You will probably have to cut 2 loops from the bottom of the spring as they might be too long for some/all/none of your poppets as there's 2 heights. Side cutters easily do it. Cheers


https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0152I53HY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Blazinlow86]

Looks like that after cutting the bottom.

 

[Jerry Updike]

I am confused, can’t I just install new posts versus cutting anything?

 

[Blazinlow86]

I was talking about replacing the poppets in your existing posts. You can buy new posts with poppets already inside but new posts will possible cost as much as the used kegs did and I haven't personally seen pin lock post sold new. I'm sure there out there. Keep in mind there's 2 different thread types on the posts also. I would buy the poppets and cut them *if* required. Cheap and easy. cheers

 

[Jerry Updike]

You can see in this picture the liquid starting to seep out from around the edges of the poppet. It starts like this and then begins to pool on top of the poppet.

 

[Blazinlow86]

Yup. If you were to take a screwdriver and Press down on the poppet after the post is removed it presses out. Maybe you can clean the sealing surface but I just replaced them with the spring type I linked.

 

[bracconiere]

I'm not sure specifically were I got mine. It was awhile ago and I've since sold all my pin locks and bough 16 Italian aeb ball locks in one go to replace them. You will probably have to cut 2 loops from the bottom of the spring as they might be too long for some/all/none of your poppets as there's 2 heights. Side cutters easily do it. Cheers


https://www.amazon.ca/Learn-Brew-Cornelius-Universal-Poppet/dp/B0152I53HY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537120412&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=poppet+keg&dpPl=1&dpID=519Zj27l1+L&ref=plSrch

THANKS FOR THE TIP! i was wondering why one of my replaced 3 legs poppets that started leaking now is so hard to get my tap onto....other one i replaced works fine

And yes the originals for me were pressed in pretty tight and took some force to get out, and i just ordered a 5pack of 'universal poppets' off amazon...

 

[Blazinlow86]

THANKS FOR THE TIP! i was wondering why one of my replaced 3 legs poppets that started leaking now is so hard to get my tap onto....other one i replaced works fine

And yes the originals for me were pressed in pretty tight and took some force to get out, and i just ordered a 5pack of 'universal poppets' off amazon...

Yup that's how I figured it out. I didn't originally notice when installing them the height difference until I tried attaching the connector and it was way to hard to connect. Start by cutting one coil maybe as it's been awhile since I did it and might be wrong about the 2 coils. cheers

 

[corax]

The universal poppets work pretty well, though IME they fit some posts better than others.

I recently had a leak that was due to corrosion inside the post itself, rather than a bad poppet. It's getting harder and harder to replace pin-lock posts.