Ball lock vs. pin lock

[gatorbeer69]

I'm gonna make the move from bottling to kegging and was just wandering if one style is better than the other. Ball lock or pin lock. Thanks

 

[MikeyLXT]

I just went through this. It largely seems to be personal preference as well as your size limitations.

Pin locks are slightly cheaper as there is less demand.

The biggest difference in my opinion is size. I went with ball lock Kegs because with my kegerator setup I could fit 2 ball locks but would have only been able to fit 1 pin lock keg.

Ball Locks are about 8.5"D x 25"H
Pin Locks are about 9"D x 23"H

 

[Chad_C]

Nothing is "Better" than the other. It really comes down to whats available to you, now and in the future. I would advise to stay with one style, rather than mix them, other people do it fine.

Ball locks are slightly taller and thinner than pins.

 

[psubrewer]

I would stick with ball locks unless there is a huge price difference.

Connectors and replacement parts seem to be easier to come by.

I went the pin lock route to save a little money upfront but now I regret it.

 

[TheZymurgist]

I would stick with ball locks unless there is a huge price difference.

Connectors and replacement parts seem to be easier to come by.

I went the pin lock route to save a little money upfront but now I regret it.

Why do you regret it? I went the pin lock route because I was able to find them for $25 each, where as you won't pay less than $50 for a ball lock. I certainly don't regret it. Price-wise, pin lock is certainly superior, and with universal poppets, there's no issue with finding replacement parts.

Size is a different issue. You might want to consider the number of kegs you could fit in your keggerator.

 

[two_hearted]

I went pinlock and have been plenty happy. I can find any parts needed online and there's a local corny keg dealer where I can pick them up for <$30 each. It was originally because their size fit in my mini fridge better, but I see no advantage either way now.

 

[psubrewer]

If prices are equal or close, i personally would go with ball locks.

But if you get pin locks for 25, I wouldn't hesitate to go pin locks.

Both styles work fine.

 

[FreddyMar3]

Why do you regret it? I went the pin lock route because I was able to find them for $25 each, where as you won't pay less than $50 for a ball lock.

I have never paid more than $40 for a ball lock. As long as you don't HAVE to have it today, you can keep a filter out on craigslist and find them for cheap. Assuming you live in a decent craigslist market.

 

[TheZymurgist]

I have never paid more than $40 for a ball lock. As long as you don't HAVE to have it today, you can keep a filter out on craigslist and find them for cheap. Assuming you live in a decent craigslist market.

That's pretty good. I think here in Atlanta, the demand far outpaces supply, so pin locks usually go for $40. I was able to find mine through my homebrew club, so I got lucky. Midwest has had some deals recently where they sell them for $25 each plus shipping, so that's another thing to look out for.

 

[ajdelange]

Ball Locks are about 8.5"D x 25"H
Pin Locks are about 9"D x 23"H

Those are keg sizes. You can put either style of connector on either style of keg. That's IIRC and it's been a long time since I abandoned both in favor of Sankey. When I did use ball and pin locks there was one advantage to ball locks in that you could remove them with an ordinary socket. For pin locks you had to either buy a special socket with notches for the pins or cut notches in a socket of your own. And you need 6 notches because the liquid connectors have 3 pins 120° apart while the gas connectors have 2 180° apart. This is a plus in the sense that you can easily tell by visual inspection which is the gas post and which is the beer post. With the ball locks it's a little harder. The main problems with the ball locks is, as I recall, that there is more than one type of gas port and one type of beer port. Thus you need 4 types of ball lock connectors. I found that when one cracked or had to be replaced I never had the right one nor was there any guarantee that the new one I bought at the LHBS would fit the kegs I had. With a mix of both pin and ball locks (and you have to have a mix because even if you only have one type of keg, your friends will have the other) you need 6 types of fittings around if you expect to be able to do quick repairs. I still have to deal with these occasionally as friends come over to take away a corny of beer. I always tell them to bring flare fitting gas and liquid connectors for the keg they plan to fill.

The Sankey's have none of these problems (as long as all your kegs are US sankey). There is only one connector (does gas and liquid) and it is sold at any bar supply store. The slim style 1/4 kegs and sixtels are about the size of the traditional corny keg and cost about the same new. The downside is that you have to put together a cleaning device of some sort.

 

[FreddyMar3]

That's pretty good. I think here in Atlanta, the demand far outpaces supply, so pin locks usually go for $40. I was able to find mine through my homebrew club, so I got lucky. Midwest has had some deals recently where they sell them for $25 each plus shipping, so that's another thing to look out for.

Not that I can really compare living in another city but I feel like Philly has a ton of homebrewers that have been doing it for a long time. I have found some absolutely amazing deals on craigslist. I could probably start a second hand homebrew store if I wanted to. Note to self: Idea for side a business, homebrew thrift shop.