Solenoid instead of tap handle lock

[daveMN]

Anybody try using a solenoid in the beer line instead of tap handle locks? Something like this one?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XIKVFJY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Not sure if it would cause turbulence/foaming in the bev line or be a sanitation problem, but seems like it has merit.

 

[zolakk]

I tried a cheaper one way back and the selonoid would get pretty hot with operation of more than a second or two. Not sure how much of the heat got transferred into the line though since I abandoned the idea after a test run out of caution.

 

[day_trippr]

iirc back when Kegbot was en vogue there were some mods that included tap "locks" via solenoids. If you didn't have a Kegbot account on the dispensing system the solenoids would not let beer pass.

Don't know if there was ever a specific solenoid used, but lord knows there's a crap ton to choose from that would work. The up side is even while lots of inexpensive potable grade 0.2-0.8 bar solenoid valves run hot as f*** when active (some much worse than others) pour times are short...

Cheers!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

If I were looking for a solenoid to dispense beer, I'd probably limit my search to products already in use in the beer industry. I assume there are all kinds of switches relays and gew gawa in the commercial brewing industry.

 

[daveMN]

If I were looking for a solenoid to dispense beer, I'd probably limit my search to products already in use in the beer industry. I assume there are all kinds of switches relays and gew gawa in the commercial brewing industry.

I'll keep digging around for brewing solenoids. And I'm going to start using "gew-gaws" all the time. I had to look it up. It's now my new favorite term. [emoji1]

 

[501irishred]

Did you ever get this going? If so, I’d love to hear about any trial and errors, along with the successes. I’ve Got a 16 year old boy who has friends in and out constantly. I’m surely a year or two late, but I should really get on the stick about making access more difficult.....

 

[Pkrd]

iirc back when Kegbot was en vogue there were some mods that included tap "locks" via solenoids. If you didn't have a Kegbot account on the dispensing system the solenoids would not let beer pass.

Imagine the ransomeware possibilities!

 

[daveMN]

Did you ever get this going? If so, I’d love to hear about any trial and errors, along with the successes. I’ve Got a 16 year old boy who has friends in and out constantly. I’m surely a year or two late, but I should really get on the stick about making access more difficult.....

Never got around to it- yet. I'd still like to try solenoids, just don't have the time to play around with it.

 

[IslandLizard]

Imagine the ransomeware possibilities!

There's always the picnic tap hack. Or cut the hose workaround.

 

[grampamark]

When I was in college, a long, long time ago, a bunch of us who played pinochle in the chow hall of the men's dorm almost every weeknight figured out how to score free soda.

There was a restaurant-style soda dispenser at the end of the chow line, which was just outside the part of the kitchen which was locked up after supper. The people who hung out in the chow hall in the evening would drink the cornies dry every night until the food service manager hit upon the idea of putting a keyed master switch in the circuit which powered the individual relays for each flavor of soda.

I was part of a group who were all Auto/Diesel or Industrial Arts majors. It didn't take someone long to realize that the side panel of the dispenser adjacent to the key switch simply slid up to access the wiring and controls behind the panel. All we had to do was slide the panel up, jump the terminals at the back of the key switch with any metal object (low voltage control circuit) and pour the flavor of choice.

I don't think the manager ever figured out how his ingenious solution didn't stop the loss of soda.

 

[501irishred]

I’ve Got a 16 year old boy who has friends in and out constantly. I’m surely a year or two late, but I should really get on the stick about making access more difficult.....

All we had to do was slide the panel up, jump the terminals at the back of the key switch with any metal object (low voltage control circuit) and pour the flavor of choice.

Yep, and a bunch of 16 year old boys are destined to set there goal to out thinking the old man as well. I would expect nothing less, and cheers to them if they succeed as it is a time honored tradition of 16 year olds (errrr, and 50yr olds) everywhere. A reasonable expectation of security is what I’m shooting for, until of course there dumb enough to let me actual catch em....

 

[passedpawn]

Simplest keezer security method is put a wifi web camera on the wall, right over the taps. Put a sign there informing of video surveillance, and that it's being recorded. That will stop all but the most brazen hooligan. It doesn't even have to be a real one - there are cheap dummy cameras that just are a blinking LED.

 

[501irishred]

That will stop all but the most brazen hooligan.

= 16 year old boys..... You can of course add intermittently stupid as well. (As I recall...... good times indeed)

 

[passedpawn]

= 16 year old boys..... You can of course add intermittently stupid as well. (As I recall...... good times indeed)

I raised 3 kids, so I'm familiar.