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It is very important that you check and investigate the quality of kegs before purchasing.
Brand New doesn't mean they are Quality Kegs
More and more brand new kegs are being offered to the home brewer however, the quality of these kegs is often poor. These brand new kegs come in many shapes and forms; some even look identical to genuine Cornelius kegs.
The rapid increase in low quality brand new kegs being offered in the market will act as a time-bomb for home brewers. About 8 years ago, PistolPatch purchased probably the first batch of brand new kegs. It took about a year for problems to develop and about another three years for him to work out that it was the kegs causing off-flavours and, even, infections. (Brand new kegs, perfectly maintained are the last place you would think to look for a problem.) After that, he managed to get his kegs replaced with brand new ones that were of even worse design. He's often warned of this in posts on BIABrewer.info but, as the trend towards new kegs has not abated, a general warning seems appropriate.
It also seems that some others are now starting to recognise this problem.
Because of the above, Used Kegs for Sale could also Become a Problem in the Market
As time goes on, some brewers who develop a problem with their kegs will try and sell them on the open market, unethically handing their problem onto you. Whilst we see no evidence of this as yet, we haven't looked for it but it is sure to occur so be aware of that.
What are the Problems?
There are several "slow-release" problems. The first culprit is poor welding. Pitting on the inside of the keg welds acts as the perfect harbour for microbes to reside and they are impossible to remove. In desperation, at one point, PistolPatch boiled his kegs in a kettle but this only brought a few months of relief. Some kegs also have a flange on the welds. Stainless steel quality is another problem.
Instant problems include quality/match of the posts and the pressure rating. Some kegs being sold will not accept 'normal' disconnects. Others being sold won't handle the pressure we would expect them to.
What to Check
The diagram below illustrates what to check. If you have any questions or know of a source of quality kegs you are most welcome to post them in this thread.
Cheers,
BIABrewer
A General Warning on Purchasing Kegs - New or Used
Post #1 made 8 years ago
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Last edited by BIABrewer on 30 Apr 2016, 02:00, edited 1 time in total.
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