Frustrated with Oster Kegerator

**apparatus** · 11-01-2008, 02:52 AM

I recently converted a Best Buy Oster refrigereator into a kegerator with a two tap tower (thank you slipgate for the instructions). I can not get anything but foam when I try to pull a pint from the tower. I am cooling the tower with a small 3" muffin fan mounted in a food storage container with a outlet of 1/2" tubing running up into the tower. The fridge seems to bottom out at a temperature of 39 degrees with the 2 kegs and CO2 bottle inside. I force carbed the kegs with 30 PSI for 48hrs and then reduced PSI to 12. I have now spent close to $800.00 on this thing and it has been useless so far. I plan to try Bradsuls invention of copper tubing around the beer lines for added cooling.

My questions are;
What temp are other people keeping there kegerators at?
How many feet of beer line do you run?
If you have an Oster, do you keep 2 kegs and the CO2 bottle inside the fridge, and if you do what temp do you get.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

**jma99** · 11-01-2008, 01:40 PM

I built up the same system about three weeks ago.

I have two kegs and the tank inside, the cooler fan etc.....

My Oster is keeping at a steady 35 degrees, I run 5 foot beer lines to the taps with 10 lbs pressure, and it works like a charm.

You may have a problem with your beer lines having a rough inside surface, where did you get them from?

Mine are from micromatic, and puors everything great. The cooler fan pours the first draft very cold, I would'nt bother with the copper pipe deal.

Good luck!

Joel

**david_42** · 11-01-2008, 02:32 PM

I'd strongly recommend using 15 feet of 3/16ths hose. There is much talk about balancing the system, but the ultimate goal of balancing is a fast, controlled pour. Does it matter if pulling a pint takes 15 seconds or a minute?

**apparatus** · 11-01-2008, 10:03 PM

Thanks, for the replies guys. I decided I will get new 15ft, 3/16ths line. From what I have read it seems to be one of the easiest things to do to help control foam. My fridge is maintaining at about 36 right now which should be plenty cold enough. If the new longer lines don't help, the only thing I can think is there must be something wrong with the faucets.

MoRoToRiUm · 11-01-2008, 10:13 PM

I have a Sanyo 4912, same issue. Just upped to 10 feet. I still have a foam issue... Lines are clear, but pours foamy. I cleaned my PerlicK tap, no luck. Hope it works for you! I still need to find my "Zen".

quixotic · 11-01-2008, 10:20 PM

I've got a 4912. 5ft lines. ~40 degrees. I usually force carb with 25 for 36h, then drop pressure to ~8-10. Serves well.
My recommendations would be to lower your serving pressure to ~8, and in the future force carb at a lower pressure for a slightly shorter period. Sounds like your beer might be overcarbed. There are a few threads addressing that problem here.

**ChshreCat** · 11-01-2008, 10:35 PM

Balancing the system is done to keep you from getting a glass of foam, not just to control the rate. Here's a good page to help you calculate your serving pressure to your system.

Draft system line balancing

MikeG · 11-06-2008, 02:47 PM

I keep my recently converted Oster in my basement which is about 68F. The inside is around 34F which is far too cold so I upped the temp to about 38F.

I had problems cooling the main part when I had the fan in so I ripped it out (I should have just unplugged it). My tube size was 1" and I think too large, not enough flow so the fridge wasn't cooling. Right now, I don't have any air going up the tower and I have no foaming.

Maybe just turn off the fan for a bit and see if you continue the foaming problems. I think I'll rig mine back up with a smaller diameter hose.

**IrregularPulse** · 11-06-2008, 03:59 PM

One thing I noticed is that you never mentioned venting the keg after dropping pressure. If you didn't do this then you still have the 30psi in the keg pouring your beer at first. After force carbing at a high pressure, turn your reg to 0, pull the gas relieve vent on the keg to vent any stored pressure (your beer will not lose it's carbonationg), then tunr your reg back up to serving pressures.
If you did do this and just didn't mention it, try longer lines. 10ft seems to be the magic number around here. And why do you guys pour your beer so cold?

Another thing, You need to make sure you're opening your faucet/picnic tap COMPLETELY or you WILL get foam. No half way open pours. Fully Open quickly, then Fully closed. Ever notice how the bar tender slaps the tap open, then shut?

MoRoToRiUm · 11-07-2008, 10:15 AM

Sanyo 4912, 10FT 3/16 line, 1FT dual tap tower, large 1FT pub handles (easy full open close), set on 4 (looking for good therm/debating ranco). I de-pressurized keg before tapping, set at 10PSI (also used extra copper tubing to wrap tubes in the tower to help cooling). Keg is now almost kicked and still haven't balanced my system....

I guess first step is better temperature control/monitor before I look over the charts/calculations again...