Child-proofing a kegerator

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lowriderdog37

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I have a kid coming and want to get ahead of the curve while I am thinking about it. I have a 5-tap kegerator that will need childproofing.

I have the idea of using powered solenoids on the supply line for each tap powered by RFID that can be stored somewhere else (maybe on my keychain) or something.

That leads me to the two questions of the thread:

-What have you done to child-proof your kegerator?

-Do you have any ideas on what solenoids can be used for this, meaning a particular kind of seals or something? Also, any preferred place to get them at a good price?
 
I think you have quite a few years before you really have to worry about this. I don't have kids, but I've seen that a lot of people here with kids don't have any sort of lock. The very worst that could happen is that they would pull a handle and beer would spill. Kids are pretty averse to bitterness, which all beer is at some level. Now, when they are 16, you might have another problem...
 
Wow.

That would be sweet. I would have just unplugged the beer-out connectors.

Kiddo's 7 now, so I have a few more years before I have to figure out how to teen-proof my kegerator.
 
Edcculus said:
I think you have quite a few years before you really have to worry about this. I don't have kids, but I've seen that a lot of people here with kids don't have any sort of lock. The very worst that could happen is that they would pull a handle and beer would spill. Kids are pretty averse to bitterness, which all beer is at some level. Now, when they are 16, you might have another problem...
Click to expand...

I was thinking more in the terms of a 3 year old that is going to pull the handles to see what happens. I also have 5 taps which means up to 25 gallons of amazing deliciousness all over my floor. I am also way too lazy to plug/unplug my out fittings every time I get a beer. The cool factor is pretty high on the RFID idea too.
 
The RFID cool factor is completely awesome actually. Hell, if you figure this out now, no need to invent something else in 16 years!

I'm not exactly sure how the mechanics would really work. Maybe a built in valve somewhere in the beverage line?
 
I have a three kids 7, 4, and 2 and none of them have touched it yet. My youngest gets into everything and even she doesn't touch it.
 
I think the only real solution is to build yourself a man-cave in a separate locked room to keep the kids away from it. ;)

My daughter is almost two and I think I'm pretty safe for a while since my keezer top (almost completed) is 42" off the ground, then my tower is in the middle of that with the tap handles 12" above that. So until she's at least a couple feet taller, or figures out how to use a step-stool I'm safe.

At that point I hope to raise her like my parents raised me. My folks always had beer, wine and liquor around and unlocked, but we were simply raised not to touch it.
 
The mechanics are actually really simple. RFID opens a solenoid that is located on the beer line right before the tap.

Thanks for that link. That might just work.

My taps are about 3 ft off the floor. I used a deep freezer with the wood collar technique, so they are out front. There is no way in H*** that the wife will make me get rid of that thing...she knows she is out the door first. And just for the record, she is sitting here watching me type this.
 
I'm gonna keep my eye on this thread because last week one of my kids hit the tap and put about 2.5 - 3 gallons of Ed Wort's on the floor.
I now disconnect the out line. Not after every beer, just when I'm done for the night.
 
mordantly said:
here is what i am going to use as a remote prank device to enable/disable a tap or to spray the person in the face when they think a beer will pour.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300378941174
Click to expand...

No way to top the cool factor for the RFID, but barring that, a simple key switch to kill power to these solenoids would be equally effective. Mount it on the front or side of the collar. As long as the kids are small just hang the key on a high hook--once they are teens the "beer key" stays in a pocket :)
 
All you have to do is disconnect your kegs from the taps when you're not using the kegerator. I don't see the problem.
 
I childproofed my liquor cabinet with a simple leather belt. I'm sure once I get a keg system setup, it'll work in much the same way. You should try it.

:D
 
Lots of good ideas on how to child proof your kegerator. I personally like the leather belt system but as I am building mine, I am trying to stay one step ahead of the lil beasts I have constantly roaming my domain. Which is why I am going with a tower for now. But eventually I will need a fix for the teenage years so I hope you post examples and pics of what you have done to resolve this solution.

:mug:
 
Hmmm... I always get worried when something is claimed to be ___-proof. Water proof, child proof or especially "idiot proof." Now mind you, I am a long way off (if ever) from having kids but I know at most I could only make my kegerator "Child-resistant." Although I am amazed at how many people have posted they have little-uns and haven't had a problem. I would be less worried about them drinking the stuff as opposed to just making a mess. Even if you have a spring loaded handle (that is one that only stays on with pressure)... we've all seen the little kid with toilet paper. Hell, I think I was that kid too.

I am trying to remember when I got the "taste" for beer. I can remember as a little tyke my uncle would always slip me a sip of beer. It was the most disgusting thing ever (mind you it was miller or something). I even remember unfortunately, when I was 16 in Ireland with the folks being able to have the freshest Guinness straight from the source. Now I am jealous of my old self from being able to have it! Hell, even through high school, I was not fond of the taste of beer. It was until my brother introduced me to micro brewing did I start to enjoy it. Major digression, but as stated, I think the major problem would be the little one just making a mess, rather than developing an early drinking problem.

But most importantly... congrats on the kid! How much longer of your life do your life do you have left?:)
 
snipper_cr said:
Although I am amazed at how many people have posted they have little-uns and haven't had a problem. I would be less worried about them drinking the stuff as opposed to just making a mess. Even if you have a spring loaded handle (that is one that only stays on with pressure)... we've all seen the little kid with toilet paper. Hell, I think I was that kid too.
Click to expand...

If I tell my kid (9 year old boy) to keep his mitts off something and not to mess with it, I damn well mean it and if I find my instructions were flaunted, the punishment will be severe enough that he won't wish to disregard my instructions again.

I remember a boss I had years ago, he had this boy who was at the time 7. He was telling me how a few months before his VCR had stopped working and he found the culprit was a sandwich his kid had stuffed into the slot. I was just amazed a 6 or 7 year old kid ruining a VCR stuffing a sandwich in it? I also asked what the punishment was and it was some lame new age thing like taking away one or two of the bajillion toys he had or something.

My son has had a dvd player in his bedroom since he was 2 and he's never hurt it, or the vcr he had in there up till a year or so ago when it broke from old age. He never put anything in there he shouldn't and other than dirty dvds from being handled with 3 year old sticky fingers and one he dropped on the hardwood floor JUST RIGHT that it freaking shattered, he's never had an issue.

Don't get the idea I am whipping on the kid all the time, his last spanking was at least a year ago and that was administered by SWMBO but he knows that it CAN happen and he usually tries to avoid it by doing what the hell he's told.
 
I've been thinking about this myself. I plan on putting a small ball valve (ss or plastic) inline on the liquid side of each tap. I'll affix a padlock to the side of the lid, and use a combo lock. All you need to do is close the ball valve and open the tap to drain what is sitting in the line, and you can avoid any spillage or unauthorized "tasting".

FWIW, I have cats who would love to mess with a long tap handle and lick all the beer off the floor while I sleep.

I also have a 2 year old boy who can EASILY move a stool over to the kegerator, climb the stool, and pull on the tap. I'm more worried about him cracking his skull than losing a few gallons of beer. Luckily, we don't (can't) let him out of our sight....but even then it's a challenge to keep him out of things. That kid is like the energizer bunny :)
 
Somehow these threads always turn into arguments/soap boxes about parenting. Let's not let this one slide down that slippery slope. Sure, your child should know better than to misbehave by going near the kegerator. However, kids get curious and/or accidents happen. The OP wants advice on a bit of electromechanical insurance. Let's help him out.

Back on topic - RFID and some solenoids sound like a great (and fun) idea. It's a bit over-complex, but that sort of thing appeals to me. I've been considering using a solenoid dispensing system in my keezer build but haven't decided whether I want to spend the money on it. nostalgia is selling this valve because he had a bad experience with it (see below). However, a properly balanced system through a full port solenoid valve of the proper size should dispense nicely.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
If you're going to go with the RFID key system, you need to go all the way and have the chip implanted in your hand. Then the taps would only work for you and nobody would know why. :D
 
YES, and install it in the door so when you say a prayer and place your hand on the door (like an evangelist) the beer flows forth.
 
But there's ways to make it more proximal. Otherwise the tags on stuff at the store would set off the sensors long before you passed through the doors with it.
 
Yuri_Rage said:
Somehow these threads always turn into arguments/soap boxes about parenting. Let's not let this one slide down that slippery slope. Sure, your child should know better than to misbehave by going near the kegerator. However, kids get curious and/or accidents happen. The OP wants advice on a bit of electromechanical insurance. Let's help him out.

Back on topic - RFID and some solenoids sound like a great (and fun) idea. It's a bit over-complex, but that sort of thing appeals to me. I've been considering using a solenoid dispensing system in my keezer build but haven't decided whether I want to spend the money on it. nostalgia is selling this valve because he had a bad experience with it (see below). However, a properly balanced system through a full port solenoid valve of the proper size should dispense nicely.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Many of these solenoids are very expensive...especially for the nsf rated ones. I am going to start with the plastic ones on ebay and see how that works. I also found an rfid controller that works within 3 ft. I think this project is going to be the ebay special. We'll see how it goes.

And yes, childproof is not quite the perfect term, but it's much quicker than typing childresistant over and over.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...13&category=94830&ssPageName=mem_guide:5&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-4-Electric-So...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item439cbe9c11
 
Ok, curiosity got the best of me. I found a Parallax RFID board at Radio Shack. It's really easy to interface with Arduino. With a few relays and solenoids, we could have this working in no time.

rfid.jpg


Code adapted from the Arduino Playground:

Code: 
// Modified by Worapoht K.
// Further modified by Yuri
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>

int  val = 0; 
char code[10];
int bytesread = 0; 

#define rxPin 8
#define txPin 9
// RFID reader SOUT pin connected to Serial RX pin at 2400bps to pin8

void setup()
{ 
  Serial.begin(9600);  // Hardware serial for Monitor 9600bps

  pinMode(2,OUTPUT);       // Set digital pin 2 as OUTPUT to connect it to the RFID /ENABLE pin 
  digitalWrite(2, LOW);    // Activate the RFID reader 
}


void loop()
{ 
  SoftwareSerial RFID = SoftwareSerial(rxPin,txPin); 
  RFID.begin(2400);

  if((val = RFID.read()) == 10)
  {   // check for header 
    bytesread = 0; 
    while(bytesread<10)
    {  // read 10 digit code 
      val = RFID.read(); 
      if((val == 10)||(val == 13))
      {  // if header or stop bytes before the 10 digit reading 
        break;                       // stop reading 
      } 
      code[bytesread] = val;         // add the digit           
      bytesread++;                   // ready to read next digit  
    } 

    if(bytesread == 10)
    {  // if 10 digit read is complete
      code[10] = '\0';
      if (strcmp(code, "INSERTANID") == 0) {
        Serial.print("Round tag - ");
      } else if (strcmp(code, "UNIQUETAG1") == 0) {
        Serial.print("Rectangle tag - ");
      } else {
        Serial.print("Unknown tag - ");
      }
      Serial.print("code is: ");   // possibly a good TAG 
      Serial.println(code);            // print the TAG code 
    }
    bytesread = 0; 
    delay(500);                       // wait for half a second
  } 
}

Side note - my dog has an RFID tag implant. Apparently it's not a 125 MHz model, though, because the Parallax board won't read it.
 
There are locks that fit around the faucet somehow. I think I saw them on morebeer.com or on mdhb.com They're a bit pricey, though, and they only handle one faucet each.... you'd be looking at $250 or so for your 5-faucet setup. Also, each one uses a key so how annoying would that be? How about just locking the room where the kegerator sits?
 
can you put a wire or plexi 'muzzle' around your taps?

if the 'kids' are highschool to 50 yrs old, lock up the kegs too
 
My kegerator is built as a nice piece of furniture that we have on display. The tap locks and plexi cage would work effectively, but I don't want the outside to change at all. Thus the RFID.

Not only because I am lazy, but I live in FL and every time I open the lid it lets more humidity in. That means I have to buy more desiccant.

Kegerator.jpg


Yuri_Rage, you planning on hooking that up? Keep us up to date.
 

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