Keg Gas Posts and Ball Locks disconnect struggle

[aero-spaced-out]

Hello all,

Bit of a random one but I've noticed that ALL of my keg gas posts seem to have an incredibly hard time getting ball lock disconnects on and off.
I noticed it there on my bucket blaster and thought it was just the disconnect so i swapped out the original threaded MFL ball lock for a spare I had bought and experienced the same thing.
Got curious and tested the gas posts I have on the other two kegs and experienced the exact same thing on the other kegs with the two disconnects.
Tried the liquid posts on all my kegs and was able to pop them on and off with ease.
Wondered if it was just the type of ball lock disconnect so tried the both the grey and black threaded MFL ones and the Kegland ones too and the same thing happened. I tested this with 6 different disconnects on all of my keg posts.
No matter what ball lock disconnect I use, I am encountering a HUGE struggle with trying to get my disconnects on and off my kegs gas posts. When I lift the collar of the disconnect I can carry the empty keg around and shake it quite vigorously with the collar lifted and it still wont come off.

I don't experience this on my 30L All-Rounder though which is confusing me even more

Any ideas as to what is going on here or anybody else experiencing this?

 

[brewhaha]

Mine are quite tough too so I bought some food grade lubricant spray & they're much easier. Malt miller sell it.

 

[An Ankoù]

I'm very new to kegs and only have two, which were given to me.
The first one worked fully as I expected.
The second was a struggle to get the gas guage and injector on to the post. I had to force it on and then push the bezel down to make it hold. Then it started to leak.
After much faffing around, I found that the ball lock internal mechanism was too stiff. I unscrewed the assembly mechanism half a turn and it now works like a dream with no leaks.
i don't know if this is relevant to your problem. My canisters are 10 litre ones and all the kit originated at Dark Farm.

 

[Rwilts]

Well your not alone! I have always had issues pulling the disconnects off on occassions. I imagine that the tolerances on some posts are not quiet right for the disconnects ( or the other way round).

 

[aero-spaced-out]

Just to add insult to injury, I tried the other ball lock disconnect that was on my bucket blaster on the gas post, it popped on without a care in the world so this has thrown me even more. Haven't a baldy what's going on here

Mine are quite tough too so I bought some food grade lubricant spray & they're much easier. Malt miller sell it.

Noted, I have seen the lubricant about and never really understood it's purpose. With the appropriate application it could help with this. This could be my solution. I'll order it and some spare ball lock gaskets and report back

 

[marshbrewer]

Do your kegs have the posts with two o rings? I've got several of those and they can be a pig to get off.

 

[conorm]

Are you sure they aren't actually liquid posts? They are slightly different designs and the ball-locks are specific to each type. I only figured this out recently. You can tell by the shape of the chamfer on the post or by the presence of grooves on the lock rings.

 

[aero-spaced-out]

Do your kegs have the posts with two o rings? I've got several of those and they can be a pig to get off.

Single o-ring posts on all keg posts, gas and liquid

Are you sure they aren't actually liquid posts? They are slightly different designs and the ball-locks are specific to each type. I only figured this out recently. You can tell by the shape of the chamfer on the post or by the presence of grooves on the lock rings.

They are definitely gas posts. All of mine have notches at the base where I would seat my spanner which differentiates them from the liquid posts.


I'm only have issue with the gas posts which is what is driving me nuts, the same disconnect will go onto the liquid posts without a care, but when I try to get it onto any of the gas posts, I've got a real struggle on my hands

 

[phildo79]

This is something that happens from time to time with me. In my experience it is a worn-out o-ring. Or rather one that is due to be replaced. Some lube around the post can help matters but when it persists, the ring needs swapped out. They are not designed to last forever.

 

[aero-spaced-out]

This is something that happens from time to time with me. In my experience it is a worn-out o-ring. Or rather one that is due to be replaced. Some lube around the post can help matters but when it persists, the ring needs swapped out. They are not designed to last forever.

I had a look and can see wear on one of my o-rings but the rest are brand newfrom the person who sold them to me and they look it too
one of the kegs I replaced myself with a new set of posts as they OG seller had put the wrong size on so I'd be surprised if they've all already worn down. They've not seen that much use imo

Will give the lube a go

 

[Buffers brewery]

the same disconnect will go onto the liquid posts without a care, but when I try to get it onto any of the gas posts, I've got a real struggle on my hands

What colour is your gas disconnect? Should be grey. You should not be able to fit a gas disconnect to a beer post “without a care”. It shouldn’t fit at all.

 

[aero-spaced-out]

What colour is your gas disconnect? Should be grey. You should not be able to fit a gas disconnect to a beer post “without a care”. It shouldn’t fit at all.

... You know what you're on to something there.
Just realised I have had the wrong disconnects on the wrong posts for my bucket blaster
And now wondering if I've only gone and wrecked the O-Rings on my posts...

 

[Buffers brewery]

Think your O rings should be ok. Don't know why but that doesn't sound right!

 

[aero-spaced-out]

Think your O rings should be ok. Don't know why but that doesn't sound right!

This post is what I get for mindlessly slurping down half a bottle of wine before my dinner and not properly stopping to troubleshoot my kit like I should have

 

[Buffers brewery]

This post is what I get for mindlessly slurping down half a bottle of wine before my dinner and not properly stopping to troubleshoot my kit like I should have

Join "The Club"

 

[JockyBrewer]

Grey for Gas
Black for Beverage

And definitely lube your rings, it makes everything slip on nice and easily.