corny disconnects

[jaroporter]

hey, just a quick question for those that use these (i don't use cornys but might like to use the quick release disconnects in part of my setup). from what i can read and understand, there is no one way valve in any part of these, and the gas in and liquid out posts/disconnects are exactly the same in construction?

i understand that you can't easily fit a gas disconnect onto a liquid post, but essentially the question is: is there anything to stop me using all liquid posts/disconnects regardless of whether i am chanelling liquid or gas, and regardless of the direction of flow (disconnect to post or vice versa)?

i understand the use for different types in commercial setups but would save me having to stock both if i don't need to.

cheers guys

[joe1002]

The disconnects are a slightly different size. I can't remember which way around it is as I sold my cornies a few years ago but if you get one on the wrong post they arent easy to get off, I have first hand experience

[john luc]

On the ball lock corney's you have the gas in which is different to the beer out post. On the base of the post you will notice the gas in has small cut notches and your gas quick disconnect is grey in color with some being white. Your beer out disconnect is black. If you try to fit the disconnect to the wrong posts you will damage them.

[jaroporter]

cheers guys, i concede the question may not have been totally clear. i don't intend to try to fit gas disconnects onto liquid posts or vice versa. rather use gas disconnects/posts for everything - gas in, gas out, liquid in, liquid out. i haven't found anything to suggest there is a fundamental difference in the construction of the posts/disconnects that would prevent this.. ?

[McMullan]

You can get 1-way valves for the gas side, which is a good idea to protect the regulator. I'm pretty sure in the US you can now get gas discos with an integral 1-way valve. Hopefully they'll make their way over here at some point.

[Kev888]

The gas and product/syrup disconnects and posts seem identical except for some slight difference in diameters that prevents the wrong disconnect on the wrong post. AFAIK Its only convention that the black ones are used for product and the grey for gas, there is nothing to stop you choosing either if the dip tubes (gas and product) are in the appropriate side.

There are no one-way valves to dictate direction of flow once coupled. However the posts have poppets and the disconnects have something similar, that are designed to close off the flow when disconnected. Some styles of post have loose poppets and need to be screwed onto the corny to stop them falling out (the posts have non-standard threads, which I seem to recall are slightly different for gas and product posts).

[jaroporter]

great cheers Kev that's the confirmation i was after! they should then be quite useful as quick connectors with automatic flow cutoff

[Kev888]

Yes, potentially anyway. These days I believe there are posts available as stand-alone fittings for making your own bulkheads etc. I think the malt miller has some. Previously the non-standard threads on corny posts were awkward to fit to anything but cornys, and so were poppets that needed the corny threaded nipple to hold them in.

There are other stainless Quick Disconnects of course, and camlocks, Tri-clamps and so on (e.g. by brewbuilder) but a lot depends on your application.