Key Pin Vs Ball Lock

[smileymark]

I am sure this has been asked before. Why donnot search engines work for me ?
I Am not sure of the differance between ball lock and key pin . I have worked out ball lock seems more popular. That is all I can work out. Thank you.

 

[pokolbinguy]

Ball lock are the most common and therefore most popular.

Only difference is the type of connector...pin lock fittings only match pin lock fittings and ball lock fittings only match ball lock fittings. The keg itself is rarely any different.

Pin-lock kegs are few and far between but some brewers use them...I used to have both but then converted my pin lock kegs to ball lock fittings to make everything work together nicely.

No advantage/disadvantages between one or the other, except ball lock parts are more readily available and therefore cheaper...and if you ever take a keg to a fellow brewers house/brew day etc chances are they have ball locks.

My reccomendation is to buy ball lock because they are easy to get and parts are easy to source but there is nothing wrong with going the other way.

Hope this helps.

 

[smileymark]

Ball lock are the most common and therefore most popular.

Only difference is the type of connector...pin lock fittings only match pin lock fittings and ball lock fittings only match ball lock fittings. The keg itself is rarely any different.

Pin-lock kegs are few and far between but some brewers use them...I used to have both but then converted my pin lock kegs to ball lock fittings to make everything work together nicely.

No advantage/disadvantages between one or the other, except ball lock parts are more readily available and therefore cheaper...and if you ever take a keg to a fellow brewers house/brew day etc chances are they have ball locks.

My reccomendation is to buy ball lock because they are easy to get and parts are easy to source but there is nothing wrong with going the other way.

Hope this helps.

Sure does and thankyou. Another Question are they easy to convert?

 

[pokolbinguy]

Sure does and thankyou.

No problem

Another Question are they easy to convert?

depends on the keg. There is two types that are common

1. Keg has a female thread and the keg post (pinlock or ball lock fitting) has a male thread

2. Keg has a male thread and the keg post has a female fitting

Mine were the 1st type...and was easy enough to unscrew the old posts off and screw the new ones on...takes a whole 30 seconds.

Just a matter of buying/finding the ball lock fitting to replace the pinlocks. These can be expensive so shop around...e.g. from the U.S.

There are also rare occasions where the keg post is welded on...obviously this is a different story to the above.

Just bare in mind if you find some *cheap* pin lock kegs and you plan on using ball-locks then it might be pricey to change them over and not worth the hassle.

Pok

 

[smileymark]

Thanks again...One more question. How do you tell the differance betwween the pin lock and ball lock.. Cheers.

No problem



depends on the keg. There is two types that are common

1. Keg has a female thread and the keg post (pinlock or ball lock fitting) has a male thread

2. Keg has a male thread and the keg post has a female fitting

Mine were the 1st type...and was easy enough to unscrew the old posts off and screw the new ones on...takes a whole 30 seconds.

Just a matter of buying/finding the ball lock fitting to replace the pinlocks. These can be expensive so shop around...e.g. from the U.S.

There are also rare occasions where the keg post is welded on...obviously this is a different story to the above.

Just bare in mind if you find some *cheap* pin lock kegs and you plan on using ball-locks then it might be pricey to change them over and not worth the hassle.

Pok

 

[razz]

Ball lock fittings have a slip collar on them, pin lock fittings have a type of bayonet fitting to lock them in place. Check out the different fittings on this page.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/kegging/kegs-accessories.html

 

[Sammus]

never seen a QD that's threaded before (except the F thread that attaches it to the keg itself), and I don't know what this 'key pin' is that OP keeps talking about, but here are some pictures of some keg QDs that could clear up any confusion:



Pin Lock:

Ball lock:

 

[smileymark]

Thank you Sammus and Razz that definately clears it up for me.
Cheers.