Pin lock or ball lock
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DualCoreBrewing
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I'm sure you've already seen this, but here's a picture of the different stems.
In our area, it's way easier to come by the Ball Lock kegs. One is not necessarily better or worse than the other, just a different style. We've used both with great success.
In our area, it's way easier to come by the Ball Lock kegs. One is not necessarily better or worse than the other, just a different style. We've used both with great success.
If you have the option, I would always choose Ball Lock. It's a much tigher seal and connection. I've dealt with Ball Lock at a local brewery I work at as well as Pin Lock in my home setup and Sanke keg's both at home and the brewery.
The Pin Lock has leaked on me and colleagues numerous times, no matter the keg, the o-ring condition or the disconnect condition. It's just not a good seal. If you don't have the knowledge or tools to do Sanke Kegs, I would strongly recommend Ball Lock. If I could do it all over again, I would do Ball, although now we're moving strictly over to Sanke, the day to day is a bit more labor intensive but the integrity and life of our kegs and connections has significantly improved.
The Pin Lock has leaked on me and colleagues numerous times, no matter the keg, the o-ring condition or the disconnect condition. It's just not a good seal. If you don't have the knowledge or tools to do Sanke Kegs, I would strongly recommend Ball Lock. If I could do it all over again, I would do Ball, although now we're moving strictly over to Sanke, the day to day is a bit more labor intensive but the integrity and life of our kegs and connections has significantly improved.
Hoppity
Just brew it!
Just picked up two sets of pin to ball lock conversion kits to help me standardize my inventory. Ball lock is better. Broken post on outlet of pin lock prompted the decision.
I've never used pin locks so I can't comment on reliability. I'm locked into ball locks now because I'd have to replace all my gas-in/liquid-out connectors and I have a lot of money invested in them, but if I was just starting out I'd probably take a hard look at pin locks.
When I started I could get a ball lock keg for about $25. I just bought one at my LHBS yesterday. It was $69. I've seen them online recently for about $60 plus shipping, so I think $70 is a pretty common price.
I've seen pin locks advertised for as low as $35.
I have 10 kegs. If I was replacing them all I'd spend an extra $350 on kegs. That's serious money.
When I started I could get a ball lock keg for about $25. I just bought one at my LHBS yesterday. It was $69. I've seen them online recently for about $60 plus shipping, so I think $70 is a pretty common price.
I've seen pin locks advertised for as low as $35.
I have 10 kegs. If I was replacing them all I'd spend an extra $350 on kegs. That's serious money.
I got into kegging within the last two years, and pin locks were much, much cheaper than ball locks. The height/width trade-off really just depends on your kegerator shape. If height is still an issue with your pin locks, you can get "short" pin lock disconnects that will buy you an extra half inch or so of clearance.
One benefit to pin locks is that it's impossible to mix up the gas and liquid posts since they have a different number of pins.
Evidently pin lock kegs don't generally come with a manual pressure-release valve (not a huge deal but nice if you need to vent the keg for any reason, though they also present another potential leak-point on the keg). Having said that, I bought all 6 of my pin lock kegs from Midwest Supplies at various times and they all came with the pressure-release valves.
Can't speak to reliability differences since I've never used ball locks.
One benefit to pin locks is that it's impossible to mix up the gas and liquid posts since they have a different number of pins.
Evidently pin lock kegs don't generally come with a manual pressure-release valve (not a huge deal but nice if you need to vent the keg for any reason, though they also present another potential leak-point on the keg). Having said that, I bought all 6 of my pin lock kegs from Midwest Supplies at various times and they all came with the pressure-release valves.
Can't speak to reliability differences since I've never used ball locks.
I went with pin locks cause they were 10 for like 230$. Supposedly they are a slightly worse seal, but they were 1/2 the price, and they work well enough. They didnt have a pressure release valve, but I bodged together one from a picnic tap, 3 inches of line, and a gas in connector. So no big deal.
The annoying thing is I got a mix of firestone and cornelious pin locks, and they are slightly different sizes.
The annoying thing is I got a mix of firestone and cornelious pin locks, and they are slightly different sizes.
Availability was the issue for me. Its nearly impossible to get ball lock kegs now. I have one and because it was my first keg experience I accidentally switched the disconnects and lost an entire co2 tank. I got 2 pin locks in the mail today for less than the price of a ball lock-if its in stock. We shall see.
dobes
Well-Known Member
never used ball but have the pin lock. Never had an issue with them. I have replaced a few O-rings here and there but no major issues.
GenIke
Well-Known Member
I have only used pin locks and they have been bulletproof. My only minor complaint would be the lack of a manual PRV in the lid. It's not a deal breaker for me as I got the pin locks for $30 each. I could replace the lid if I really wanted to.
I went with pin locks because of price. It was $39 for pin locks compared to $$65 for ball locks. If you do go with ball locks get color coded o-rings. Saw a post here a week or two ago where a guy hooked up to the wrong one and pumped his keg dry in his keezer.
whattheschmidt
Well-Known Member
All of my ball lock kegs have 'IN' and 'OUT' near the posts so it's really obvious....it's in the rubber.
I bought a new 5gal ball lock keg for $90, new product from Adventures in Homebrewing (local store). Used some store credit towards it. Nice to get a perfectly new keg for that kind of price. I will use it this weekend for the first time. My used ones are in pretty good condition and I paid $50 each but I am able to have a very slight leak if I don't position the disconnects well and on the bottom of a PRV lid there was some weird 'stain'. Everything is fine with it but I like the knowledge that this keg is pristine and I know I will keep it that way.
I bought a new 5gal ball lock keg for $90, new product from Adventures in Homebrewing (local store). Used some store credit towards it. Nice to get a perfectly new keg for that kind of price. I will use it this weekend for the first time. My used ones are in pretty good condition and I paid $50 each but I am able to have a very slight leak if I don't position the disconnects well and on the bottom of a PRV lid there was some weird 'stain'. Everything is fine with it but I like the knowledge that this keg is pristine and I know I will keep it that way.
