My kids just gave me a kegging system for Christmas, with the option of
exchanging out whatever I need at our local homebrewshop ... since the kids
weren't really sure what they were getting. Anyway, they gave me the
regulator (two gauges on it so I assume that it is a dual-pressure system),
hoses, CO2 bottle, etc., plus a themostat and instructions for converting a
freezer, and one reconditioned 5-gallon 'Pepsi' cornie keg. Before I do
anything with this stuff, I'm looking for suggestions/advice regarding which
variety of keg is better -- pin-lock or ball-lock? I'm speaking now about
maintenance problems as well as availability of additional kegs and
replacement parts. Naturally, if I convert a freezer I'm going to want
several kegs ... all of the same type. Also, in regard to a freezer
conversion, I'm also considering the merits of something like a dorm-type
refrigerator with a jockey-box inside and just storing the kegs warm; any
comments about that will be appreciated, too.

Thanks for any advice. Boy, it's going to be nice to cut back on bottling. I
have three batches in secondary right now: an IPA, a California Common, and
a Cherry Wheat.

Cheers.

Bill Velek

Bill Velek wrote:[color=blue]
> My kids just gave me a kegging system for Christmas, with the option of
> exchanging out whatever I need at our local homebrewshop ... since the kids
> weren't really sure what they were getting. Anyway, they gave me the
> regulator (two gauges on it so I assume that it is a dual-pressure system),
> hoses, CO2 bottle, etc., plus a themostat and instructions for converting a
> freezer, and one reconditioned 5-gallon 'Pepsi' cornie keg. Before I do
> anything with this stuff, I'm looking for suggestions/advice regarding which
> variety of keg is better -- pin-lock or ball-lock? I'm speaking now about
> maintenance problems as well as availability of additional kegs and
> replacement parts. Naturally, if I convert a freezer I'm going to want
> several kegs ... all of the same type. Also, in regard to a freezer
> conversion, I'm also considering the merits of something like a dorm-type
> refrigerator with a jockey-box inside and just storing the kegs warm; any
> comments about that will be appreciated, too.
>
> Thanks for any advice. Boy, it's going to be nice to cut back on bottling. I
> have three batches in secondary right now: an IPA, a California Common, and
> a Cherry Wheat.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bill Velek
>
>
>[/color]
Congrats on the gift.
As for the regulator, one gauge shows the tank pressure and the other is
the gauge you use to set the pressure going to the keg.
Cheers,

--
Michael Herrenbruck
Dragon Tail Ale
Drunken Bee Mead

"Bill Velek" <billvelek@alltel.net> wrote in message
news:4e266$459043c1$a22836db$15222@ALLTEL.NET...[color=blue]
> My kids just gave me a kegging system for Christmas, with the option of
> exchanging out whatever I need at our local homebrewshop ... since the[/color]
kids[color=blue]
> weren't really sure what they were getting. Anyway, they gave me the
> regulator (two gauges on it so I assume that it is a dual-pressure[/color]
system),[color=blue]
> hoses, CO2 bottle, etc., plus a themostat and instructions for converting[/color]
a[color=blue]
> freezer, and one reconditioned 5-gallon 'Pepsi' cornie keg. Before I do
> anything with this stuff, I'm looking for suggestions/advice regarding[/color]
which[color=blue]
> variety of keg is better -- pin-lock or ball-lock? I'm speaking now about
> maintenance problems as well as availability of additional kegs and
> replacement parts.[/color]

I have found pin lock easier to use. They seem to go on-off easier.
Sometimes the ball-lock fittings seem to bind a bit. Lubrication
might help this. It is also easier to tell the "in" from the "out" with the
pin-lock. Also, the pin-lock kegs I have use a commonly available
o-ring for the poppet seal rather than a specially shaped seal, so poppet
replacement might be less frequent.

All that said, I have several of each, and dual hoses on the CO2
to fit either, and a few of each for taps. Either keg does the job.
Whatever is most common in your area is probably best, but
don't turn down a freebie just because it is different. Hose fittings
are cheaper than kegs.

Bob

Bill Velek <billvelek@alltel.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
> My kids just gave me a kegging system for Christmas, with the option of
> exchanging out whatever I need at our local homebrewshop ... since the kids
> weren't really sure what they were getting. Anyway, they gave me the
> regulator (two gauges on it so I assume that it is a dual-pressure system),
> hoses, CO2 bottle, etc., plus a themostat and instructions for converting a
> freezer, and one reconditioned 5-gallon 'Pepsi' cornie keg. Before I do
> anything with this stuff, I'm looking for suggestions/advice regarding which
> variety of keg is better -- pin-lock or ball-lock? I'm speaking now about
> maintenance problems as well as availability of additional kegs and
> replacement parts. Naturally, if I convert a freezer I'm going to want
> several kegs ... all of the same type. Also, in regard to a freezer
> conversion, I'm also considering the merits of something like a dorm-type
> refrigerator with a jockey-box inside and just storing the kegs warm; any
> comments about that will be appreciated, too.
>
> Thanks for any advice. Boy, it's going to be nice to cut back on bottling. I
> have three batches in secondary right now: an IPA, a California Common, and
> a Cherry Wheat.[/color]

Pepsi = Ball-lock = taller/thinner
Coke = Pin-lock = shorter/wider

I can fit three ball-lock cornies in my chest freezer with little
room to spare. Ball-locks are problematic. I have difficulty
getting them on and off.

Dick

Food grade lube costs about $2.50 for a big tube that's about a lifetime
supply for a homebrewer. It makes ball-locks very easy to use.

I got some at [url]www.brewersdiscount.com[/url] ([url]www.rcbequipment.com)[/url].

dan

Dick Adams wrote:
[color=blue]
> I can fit three ball-lock cornies in my chest freezer with little
> room to spare. Ball-locks are problematic. I have difficulty
> getting them on and off.
>
> Dick[/color]

DragonTail wrote:[color=blue]
> Congrats on the gift.
> As for the regulator, one gauge shows the tank pressure and the other is
> the gauge you use to set the pressure going to the keg.
> Cheers,[/color]

And I might add that the tank pressure gauge is practically useless.
The needle is going to sit still until the tank is almost completely
empty, at which point it will plummet to zero. CO2 is actually a liquid
inside the tank. I'm not sure why people bother with a tank pressure
gauge, but it's the norm. Anyway, don't pay attention to it. Weigh your
tank fresh, so you know when it's almost empty (there's 5 pounds of CO2
in there).

Scott

Nice gift. Great kids :)

Ball lock seems to be more abundant and they work fine for me. A chest
freezer with a temp control works great or any old fridge will do.

You can look for them on:
[url]www.craigslist.org[/url]

If you want to get fancy here's an excellent site with DIY:
[url]http://www.thegatesofdawn.ca/wordpress/homebrewing/kegerator/[/url]


I got lucky and found my 2 tap kegerator on craigslist and it was already
made. Just somebody getting out of the brewing hobby.

For me kegging beats bottling hands down.

Good luck and this group is a great resource for those "what do I do now?"
and also the you will not believe what just happened to me/what I did?"


"Bill Velek" <billvelek@alltel.net> wrote in message
news:4e266$459043c1$a22836db$15222@ALLTEL.NET...[color=blue]
> My kids just gave me a kegging system for Christmas, with the option of
> exchanging out whatever I need at our local homebrewshop ... since the
> kids weren't really sure what they were getting. Anyway, they gave me the
> regulator (two gauges on it so I assume that it is a dual-pressure
> system), hoses, CO2 bottle, etc., plus a themostat and instructions for
> converting a freezer, and one reconditioned 5-gallon 'Pepsi' cornie keg.
> Before I do anything with this stuff, I'm looking for suggestions/advice
> regarding which variety of keg is better -- pin-lock or ball-lock? I'm
> speaking now about maintenance problems as well as availability of
> additional kegs and replacement parts. Naturally, if I convert a freezer
> I'm going to want several kegs ... all of the same type. Also, in regard
> to a freezer conversion, I'm also considering the merits of something like
> a dorm-type refrigerator with a jockey-box inside and just storing the
> kegs warm; any comments about that will be appreciated, too.
>
> Thanks for any advice. Boy, it's going to be nice to cut back on bottling.
> I have three batches in secondary right now: an IPA, a California Common,
> and a Cherry Wheat.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bill Velek
>
>[/color]

On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 15:33:49 -0600, <billvelek@alltel.net> wrote:[color=blue]
> regulator (two gauges on it so I assume that it is a dual-pressure system),[/color]

Maybe, but they're probably just high and low pressure gauges. IE, the high
pressure gauge tells you the internal pressure of the tank. That's the most
common type of dual gauge setup on these tanks.

If you really do have two low pressure gauges with seperate outputs, that's
really nice for serving different styles at different carbonation levels.
[color=blue]
> anything with this stuff, I'm looking for suggestions/advice regarding which
> variety of keg is better -- pin-lock or ball-lock? I'm speaking now about
> maintenance problems as well as availability of additional kegs and
> replacement parts. Naturally, if I convert a freezer I'm going to want
> several kegs ... all of the same type.[/color]

I prefer pin-lock kegs, however they are getting much more difficult
to find. By far, the "standard" within the hobby as far as availability
and parts is the ball-lock style.
[color=blue]
> Also, in regard to a freezer
> conversion, I'm also considering the merits of something like a dorm-type
> refrigerator with a jockey-box inside and just storing the kegs warm; any
> comments about that will be appreciated, too.[/color]

I use this method, but not many people do. I've posted quite a bit
about it in the past, you could probably search through groups.google.com
on rec.crafts.brewing for "coldplate" and find lots of info.

Basically, it works well for relatively low consumption rates. If you
try to pour too many beers through it too quickly, the coldplate won't
be able to keep up and the beers will start coming out warm. It works
fine for my personal consumption, and I've had parties with 5 or so people
drinking a couple beers each. However, it would fail miserably for
something like a frat party. Also, the colder you want to serve the
beer the more sensitive it will be to needing "cool down" time between
each pour.


John.

"Bill Velek" <billvelek@alltel.net> wrote in message
news:4e266$459043c1$a22836db$15222@ALLTEL.NET...[color=blue]
> My kids just gave me a kegging system for Christmas,[/color]

No one else has said anything, am I the only one that received an attachment
with this message?

Mark R

Mark R wrote:[color=blue]
> "Bill Velek" <billvelek@alltel.net> wrote in message
> news:4e266$459043c1$a22836db$15222@ALLTEL.NET...
>[color=green]
>>My kids just gave me a kegging system for Christmas,[/color]
>
>
> No one else has said anything, am I the only one that received an attachment
> with this message?
>
> Mark R[/color]

The attachment was an 'big smile' emoticon, and it was attached to my
original email post by mistake -- not that the smile was a mistake, but
I did not intend for it to appear as a separate attachment instead of
directly in the text. I never open attachments in newsgroups, and only
rarely in personal emails, so I can appreciate your concern. Sorry
about that.

Also, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their
helpful replies. I have been struggling with a few non-brew related
problems in the past couple of days -- such as replacing a computer
which was zapped by a power surge -- and haven't had the time to devote
to this thread. Again, thanks to everyone for their advice.

Cheers.

Bill Velek