Taprite beer faucets

SSBrew - 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
R

redrocker652002

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2022
Messages
1,635
Reaction score
1,357
Location
South San Francisco CA
As I go thru the boxes I have I have found what appears to be 4 taprite beer faucets. The appear to be the front sealing kind and look to be in good shape. My thought was to disassemble them, clean everything I can get to and rebuild using all new rubbers and Orings. I have emailed Taprite, as I don't see a rebuild kit on their website but have had no reply. I searched the web, and I have not found anything there that I am confident will work. I cannot find any model numbers on the faucets themselves, so I am not sure what they are. Any input on where to buy 4 sets of rebuild kits? Any input would be appreciated.
 
^^That.. Plus: The majority of Taprite faucets out in the world are chrome-plated brass. I like you, so I'm going to project my paranoia and concern for health a bit here: If they're aren't Stainless Steel, lose them. Maybe you can trade them in for something else useful. The first kegerator I bought was a commercial unit that had spent the first part of its life serving beer in a busy restaurant and the rear-sealing Taprite faucet had only brass remaining in and around the spout and the shank area, meaning that the customers drank most of that chrome. I only kept the tap around to use as a wrench when installing new SS shanks..very useful for that, but I'd never let it touch my beer!
:bigmug:
 
So here is the picture
 

Attachments

  • 1692635049507124356102616682426.jpg
    1692635049507124356102616682426.jpg
    3.6 MB · Views: 0
  • 1692635089070923791412671381554.jpg
    1692635089070923791412671381554.jpg
    3.1 MB · Views: 0
Broken Crow said:
^^That.. Plus: The majority of Taprite faucets out in the world are chrome-plated brass. I like you, so I'm going to project my paranoia and concern for health a bit here: If they're aren't Stainless Steel, lose them. Maybe you can trade them in for something else useful. The first kegerator I bought was a commercial unit that had spent the first part of its life serving beer in a busy restaurant and the rear-sealing Taprite faucet had only brass remaining in and around the spout and the shank area, meaning that the customers drank most of that chrome. I only kept the tap around to use as a wrench when installing new SS shanks..very useful for that, but I'd never let it touch my beer!
:bigmug:
Click to expand...
In looking at my photos, can you tell if there is cause for concern? I got them for nothing, so if it means discarding then I am ok with it. But, if they are usable when I move to a multi tap set up, I am going to keep them. Any input is welcomed.
 
day_trippr said:
Definitely a rear sealing faucet. And you should be able to pick up a rebuild kit for that.
[edit - reread the OP and noted there are no identifying marks]

Cheers!
Click to expand...
Would you be able to point me in the right direction? Or a trip to my local Morebeer or similar might be in order. Thanks again. I forgot also, is rear sealing or front sealing better? These look darn close to my Perlick that I have on the kegerator now. Or am I wrong? Have not taken them apart to compare. Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
"Forward sealing" faucets are preferred because they do not retain very much beer where it is exposed to staling/souring air, vs rear sealing faucets that leave nearly the whole faucet interior exposed to air.

Anyway, check this page out. Looks like the entire kit to rebuild a rear sealing Taprite faucet is available already put together...

http://www.homebrewing.com/equipmen...5-taprite-standard-faucets-replacement-parts/
Cheers!
 
day_trippr said:
Definitely a rear sealing faucet. And you should be able to pick up a rebuild kit for that.
[edit - reread the OP and noted there are no identifying marks]

https://www.taprite.com/repair-parts-beer-dispense-parts?ps=100
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Sorry, I did not see your link the first time. Thank you. Looks like I will have to replace the faucet shafts, so I am guessing stainless would be best. Other than that, I am wondering if they will be ok as is with a good cleaning. Guess the only way to find out is fill a keg with water, add the gas and let it pour and see what happens, right?
 
day_trippr said:
"Forward sealing" faucets are preferred because they do not retain very much beer where it is exposed to staling/souring air, vs rear sealing faucets that leave nearly the whole faucet interior exposed to air.

Anyway, check this page out. Looks like the entire kit to rebuild a rear sealing Taprite faucet is available already put together...

http://www.homebrewing.com/equipmen...5-taprite-standard-faucets-replacement-parts/
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Awesome, so it looks like for about 16 bucks I can have a working faucet? I understand that this might not be perfect, but for 16 bucks a faucet vs 30 or more, I am ok with trying it, right? LOL.
 
A good cleaning is always the place to start :)

Then take a good look at what you then have and decide if they're worth rebuilding or if it would be better to move on to something like an Intertap SS faucet - which would be in the $35 dollar range per each...

Cheers!
 
day_trippr said:
A good cleaning is always the place to start :)

Then take a good look at what you then have and decide if they're worth rebuilding or if it would be better to move on to something like an Intertap SS faucet - which would be in the $35 dollar range per each...

Cheers!
Click to expand...
Fantastic, thank you. But, if I decide to try and work with them, the stainless steel for the shaft assembly is best if I am reading right?
 
discard to the junk pile. You can buy forward sealing faucets for cheap.

Even the cheap chinese chrome plated brass forward sealing faucets are a major improvement over what you have.
 
odie said:
discard to the junk pile. You can buy forward sealing faucets for cheap.

Even the cheap chinese chrome plated brass forward sealing faucets are a major improvement over what you have.
Click to expand...
I am going to plead the fifth on this and ask why? They must have worked well at some point, so what makes them so bad now? Not trying to be a wise guy, I am really curious. Thank you for the input, I am still learning and this is a definite learning moment for me.
 
PC vs SS aside, and to be fair, those rear-sealing taps are workhorses: In a busy bar or restaurant where they see constant use and daily cleaning they aren't a big deal, but in the home unless you're drinking 24/7 that area in the tap between to opening o-ring and the bottom of the spout is going to end up with beer that is not accessible with a brush, just sitting there mixing with air and growing stuff and getting sticky. With forward-sealing designs, a simple shot with a spray-bottle up the spout is usually sufficient to rinse it out and a brush will reach at least most of the area where beer will settle.
As to plated chrome: you're picture shows where it has already been dissolved off the back of the valve stem and drank away.
Only some of us have concerns about ingesting chrome, some don't care... if it doesn't concern you, there still is the less-sanitary design as a con.
:bigmug:
 
Broken Crow said:
PC vs SS aside, and to be fair, those rear-sealing taps are workhorses: In a busy bar or restaurant where they see constant use and daily cleaning they aren't a big deal, but in the home unless you're drinking 24/7 that area in the tap between to opening o-ring and the bottom of the spout is going to end up with beer that is not accessible with a brush, just sitting there mixing with air and growing stuff and getting sticky. With forward-sealing designs, a simple shot with a spray-bottle up the spout is usually sufficient to rinse it out and a brush will reach at least most of the area where beer will settle.
As to plated chrome: you're picture shows where it has already been dissolved off the back of the valve stem and drank away.
Only some of us have concerns about ingesting chrome, some don't care... if it doesn't concern you, there still is the less-sanitary design as a con.
:bigmug:
Click to expand...
Thank you for the info, and I appreciate the input. I might still rebuild one just to see what it does and how much it affects the beer. Why not, right? LOL.
 
mac_1103 said:
I am a notoriously cheap SOB myself, but the thing about spending $16 instead of $30+ is that you often wind up spending the $30+ eventually anyway.
Click to expand...
I think my calculation of 16 dollars was a bit high. I can probably get away with 10 bucks or less in just Orings and the shaft. But, yes, you are right, most of my projects surpass the budget and would have been cheaper to buy already done stuff. But what is the fun in that, right? LOL.

Anyway, thank you for the comment, and I agree, most things like this end up costing me more, but I am just that dumb enough to give it a go. Might play around with one and see what happens.
 
It wasn't a criticism, just a personal observation. I'm very fortunate to have reached a point in my life where I can choose to be cheap rather than having no choice but to be cheap, and no longer have to beat myself up when an attempt to save $20 winds up costing me an extra $20.
 
mac_1103 said:
It wasn't a criticism, just a personal observation. I'm very fortunate to have reached a point in my life where I can choose to be cheap rather than having no choice but to be cheap, and no longer have to beat myself up when an attempt to save $20 winds up costing me an extra $20.
Click to expand...
I took it exactly as you intended. No criticism in what I read. I agree, and like you, most of my projects end up costing me more LOL. Drives my wife nuts too, so that is a bonus of sorts. LOL.
 
This:
redrocker652002 said:
But what is the fun in that, right? LOL
Click to expand...
contradicts this:
redrocker652002 said:
but I am just that dumb enough to give it a go. Might play around with one and see what happens.
Click to expand...
Don't demean yourself! You clearly like to learn things for yourself the same way I do, and you share it on here even if it does cost a few bucks.
Try it out sure, but like I might have said: Having a reduntant tap around makes for a nice wrench when installing new shanks or changing out beer lines.
:mug:
 
redrocker652002 said:
I am going to plead the fifth on this and ask why? They must have worked well at some point, so what makes them so bad now? Not trying to be a wise guy, I am really curious. Thank you for the input, I am still learning and this is a definite learning moment for me.
Click to expand...
because that's all there was back in the day. someone designed a faucet and it worked so everyone used them...kinda like how VHS beat out betamax.

The issue is they do not drain as well as the newer forward sealing design, you can't spray them out as well after a session. Most all bars DO NOT clean them on a regular basis either.

plus, most forward sealing the tips remove for better cleaning as well.

There is just an overwhelming ratio of the old styles still in circulation and bars are too cheap to upgrade. So you see that type mostly. You will usually only find the newer forward sealing taps in new brew pubs and such. Ones that did not inherit old equipment.
 
imho a modern stainless steel forward sealing faucet design has many pluses and very few negatives. i like them even better with spring return to the off position!

whereas there are a lot of potential negatives to a rear sealing faucet design, most notably the guts of the valve being exposed to air, bacteria and so forth and the potential for them to stick in the open position and the propensity for them to drip when not in use. full tear downs and deep cleaning tends to be more necessary with the budget faucet design.

it drives me crazy to see beautiful craft brewery taprooms spending all sorts of money and install the cheapest generic rear seal faucets for their tap setup.

if you’re rebuilding them for the novelty of rebuilding something and figuring it out, that’s cool and i appreciate that. but it’s rare to hear someone say they hate forward sealing faucets, and it’s pretty common to hear hate for rear seal faucets for the reasons noted above.
 
Broken Crow said:
This:

contradicts this:

Don't demean yourself! You clearly like to learn things for yourself the same way I do, and you share it on here even if it does cost a few bucks.
Try it out sure, but like I might have said: Having a reduntant tap around makes for a nice wrench when installing new shanks or changing out beer lines.
:mug:
Click to expand...
Thanks man, yea, I kinda dig learning new stuff. That is why this is so fun. Something new and it seems there are many ways to get where I need to be and lots of ways to create new stuff to enjoy. I appreciate the post, and I do try and post up my experiences, good or bad. I figure, you folks are so free with the info, that it will only make me better at what I do and in the end, good beer is what we are all looking for, right? LOL. I invite you, and any of the folks here, if you are ever in the San Francisco Bay area, look me up. I always enjoy a cold beer and a great conversation.

Thanks again, and Rock On!!!!!!!!!
 
i would let em rip and see how you like them. I have rear sealing that were set up in a hot garage. i just spray starsan up the hole and put plugs on them to keep flies and fruit flies (they will travel miles to find beer).

never tore them apart. just filled keg with 5 gallons of very very hot water and oxiclean pushed thru with 35-40 psi from air compressor then starsan loaded until keg was tapped. emptied starsan while pouring newly kegged beer. first pout was dumped for the homies.
 
OleBrewing said:
i would let em rip and see how you like them. I have rear sealing that were set up in a hot garage. i just spray starsan up the hole and put plugs on them to keep flies and fruit flies (they will travel miles to find beer).

never tore them apart. just filled keg with 5 gallons of very very hot water and oxiclean pushed thru with 35-40 psi from air compressor then starsan loaded until keg was tapped. emptied starsan while pouring newly kegged beer. first pout was dumped for the homies.
Click to expand...
Awesome. I think I will try one and see how it goes. What the heck, right? LOL.
 

Similar threads

day_trippr
Stout Faucet Repair
Replies
4
Views
333
day_trippr
day_trippr
R
Buying Orings and such
Replies
4
Views
358
Snowkiwi
S
B
For Sale Corny Kegs, Perlick Faucets, Driptray - Wichita KS
Replies
3
Views
591
Sauls
S
rtstrider
Draft Shank/Faucet Brush help
Replies
0
Views
414
rtstrider
rtstrider
R
Keg Poppets
Replies
6
Views
1K
Brewdog80
B
BrewSwag 300

Latest posts

Back
Top