"universal" poppets?

[MrYoda]

Hey all,

(This is my first post, so please be gentle.)

After getting my hands on my first Corny Keg/Kegerator, I noticed that the Gas-in line was leaking at the poppet (sadly, just after filling it with beer!) I used a generous amount of lube and used new gaskets so I'm thinking the problem is with the poppet. I've seen the "universal" poppets and am interested in them but after scouring the forums there is a rumor that some brands are better than others. Is there any truth to these rumors and if so what brand of the "universal" poppets are better?

I recognize that some might have springs which are too long for my keg and require to be shortened-I just want to get quality if the difference is only a $ or two.

Thanks all for your help!

 

[Nuggethead]

Never had any luck with the universal poppets, the ones with the long springs and only a small valve it the end. They don't compress far enough and when released, always seat sideways and leak. If you have a corny (cornelius) keg, buy the poppets for that style. The older versions are black and the newer ones are yellow but both work fine.

This type:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CORNELIUS-POPPET-VALVE-P126C297.aspx

Not this type:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/UNIVERSAL-POPPET-VALVE-P2924C297.aspx

 

[day_trippr]

Agreed, I'm not a fan of universal poppets, they have issues I'd just as soon avoid...

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

Make sure the tripod base of the poppet is the correct size for the post too.

I found one of my (used) kegs has a yellow liquid out poppet and a narrow tripod. Obviously the wrong poppet. Luckily I noticed it when checking/flushing it with PBW, it wouldn't stop spraying as it seated sideways. I bent the three legs out quite a bit and now it sort of fits. It is not tight in the post as the others, but can't drop sideways anymore. At least it works and seals fine now.

Sad to read about the universal poppets being of limited or no-use. Maybe too simple of a solution, huh?

 

[renthispace]

I replaced all my 6 kegs with universal poppets. All but when one worked fine. On one keg I had to shorten the spring to allow the quick connect to compress and connect. I haven't had an issue with my kegs since. Link to the ones you were thinking of getting?

 

[MrYoda]

@Nuggethead, did you have some fail on you? And if so, just how bad of a fail are we talking about? I'm basically trying to decide if the 'fail' is bad enough to deter me from a 15$ order to test on.

 

[MrYoda]

Thanks all for the feedback!

I was surprised at the hesitance b/c this page seemed so warm to them. Has anyone tried them and found them wanting?

@renthispace- Here are the four I am considering (least being #4 and top choice being #1) although I may yet be convinced not to go with the universal.

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

Number 4

Number 5

Thanks again all for your help!

 

[acidrain]

Replaced all mine with universals, and they all work fine.

 

[Nuggethead]

@Nuggethead, did you have some fail on you? And if so, just how bad of a fail are we talking about? I'm basically trying to decide if the 'fail' is bad enough to deter me from a 15$ order to test on.

Like I said, they didn't work for me. Leaked on the gas side and beer side. It does'nt have to be a "bad enough fail", a fail is a fail. Try one, it may work fine for a while as it did with me until you open your kegerator and have a couple gallons of beer at your feet.

 

[acidrain]

Like I said, they didn't work for me. Leaked on the gas side and beer side. It does'nt have to be a "bad enough fail", a fail is a fail. Try one, it may work fine for a while as it did with me until you open your kegerator and have a couple gallons of beer at your feet.

To be clear, are you saying that the posts leaked while connected to the couplers, and when you opened the kegerator, you had gallons of beer on the floor?

 

[Nuggethead]

Nope. One was pressurized and disconnected for conditioning, the other was carbing but not connected on the beer side. They were hit and miss. They may work ok for a period of time and then just stop working unexpectedly. This only happened with this type of universal. I had bought four of them to try and had problems with all. I think it is due to the long spring and no solid base. Occasionally, after disconnecting a quick connect, the spring slips to one side just enough to allow the valve on top of the spring to seat crooked and leak. Only ever had this problem with this type of valve. Went back to the standard poppets and never had anymore problems.

 

[parrotob]

Thanks for the info in this thread.. wish I had read it before today! I went to my local "place" and asked for two poppets, thinking they were already pretty much universal. I got them home and found that they did not work, no matter what I did. The "post" (that the spring fits around) is a tiny bit shorter and the tripod at the bottom is definitely shorter... So tomorrow I will go to my local home brew emporium (not the "place" referred to above) and bring my one good poppet with me for comparison.

I have still yet to pressurize a keg, that's how new I am to all of this, but this board is an amazing wealth of information and I've learned a lot of thigns that have avoided many mistakes already!