Sizing your Chest Freezer for Corny Kegs

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Mine pooped out so much for buying used. Found blk Friday deal walmart for150$ 7cf , HD 14.8 347. Any other deals out there right now?
 
Magic Chef HMCF7W

Wondering if anyone who has owned one of these freezers for awhile has experienced issues with it. There are lots of negative reviews about them crapping out (mostly compressor issues) a short while after purchase.

Also, Thadius' very helpful chart lists it at 7.0 cubic feet, while the Home Depot site has it at 6.8. There are also several mentions on HBT of 7.2. Is this a different model?

I've had mine for a little less than I year. I paired it with an STC1000 and light bulb/aluminum can heater to use as a fermenter. No issues so far. Mine will hold two 6 gallon carboys or 3 corny kegs.
 
I've had mine for a little less than I year. I paired it with an STC1000 and light bulb/aluminum can heater to use as a fermenter. No issues so far. Mine will hold two 6 gallon carboys or 3 corny kegs.

Thanks!

I ended up with a used 11 Cu.Ft. Kenmore. Was quite the build, but running nicely.

On Tap:
Guernville Apple Cider
Twin Bees Braggot
West Oak IIPA
Chiles-n-Nibs Stout
 
I just bought two 6.5 gallon carboys and both will not fit in my freezer. I didn't measure of course - just hoped that the gap between my two 6 gallon carboys was enough to fill the difference in diameter. It wasn't.

I'll have to exchange them at a later date for 6 gallon carboys. It means slightly less beer in the carboy - or a slightly larger chest freezer, lol...
 
I just bought two 6.5 gallon carboys and both will not fit in my freezer. I didn't measure of course - just hoped that the gap between my two 6 gallon carboys was enough to fill the difference in diameter. It wasn't.

I'll have to exchange them at a later date for 6 gallon carboys. It means slightly less beer in the carboy - or a slightly larger chest freezer, lol...

I use 6gallon better bottles to ferment my batches usually. I get 5.25-5.5 gallons of wort in there and if I know fermentation is going to be crazy, I'll add a blow off tube. If it is normal, but want to make sure the jrausen doesn't get too high, I'll add some drops of Fermcap. The stuff is magical. It's great for preventing boil overs too! :mug:
 
I'll generally put in 5 1/4 gallons into a 6-gallon carboy and use a blow-off tube. I'd prefer to have at least a gallon of head space if possible, but with most beers I can get away with 3/4 of a gallon.

By the time that I'm ready to keg I've lost about 1/4 of a gallon to trub - but sometimes a little more. I was hoping to use the 6 1/2 Gallon carboys so that I could compensate for the loss and bring the beer level in the keg back up to an even 5 Gallons, but as I said above, two 6 1/2 gallon carboys won't fit in my fermenter.

I've decided to brew 10 gallon batches because I'd like to produce more beer out a long brew day. I'm definitely heading towards the purchase of a conical fermenter in the future.
 
Seems a bit small? I have a 7 cu ft and can fit 2 fermenters in there but no room for anything else.
 
I got a Magic Chef 6.9 last week at Home Depot. It was $158. Most of the bad reviews on the HD site i noticed were because the people were running it at its lowest for actual freezing. Even then they seemed to be running at zero. I bought a $58 Johnson temp controller with the copper bulb. I set the Johnson dial at 50F because the Freezer runs the compressor down to 32F (bottom of freezer temp) then turns off. Once it goes to about 48F it turns back on and drops the temp down all over again. Keep in mind the Johnson temp bulb is taped under the lid at the top of the freezer inside. I wanted to post the keg placement pic so it might help some people. It fits four no problem in a zig zag pattern. These are ball lock kegs. I was able to hook all the gas lines up and the lid still shut. The only problem i had was i wasn't able to stand the C02 tank straight up but it wasn't a big deal and was able to tilt it diagonal. The temp gauge on top is just an Academy digital i was using to monitor the temp towards the bottom of the freezer at first so my beer didn't freeze in the kegs. That happened when i made my first keezer.

IMG_3298.jpg


IMG_3300.jpg
 
I got a Magic Chef 6.9 last week at Home Depot. It was $158.

<snip>

It fits four no problem in a zig zag pattern. These are ball lock kegs. I was able to hook all the gas lines up and the lid still shut.

Is the model number HMCF7W2? If so, that sounds great. I saw it here and was wondering what it would fit. Just getting started with kegging.
 
Pro's and cons of adding a collar or putting a tower on the lid with the lines ran to the back so it can hinge to open? I am sure this has been answered but the search function here returned way to much...
 
Pro's and cons of adding a collar or putting a tower on the lid with the lines ran to the back so it can hinge to open? I am sure this has been answered but the search function here returned way to much...

Here was my list when I decided on the collar. See my couple of pics below of my collar build.

*With a collar, you are drilling holes through wood. With a tower, you drill a hole through the freezer lid, causing permanent damage. You can make freezer back in normal 'freezer' condition to sell if necessary if using a collar.

*Aesthetics: you can paint and customize the collar to look nice.

*Easy to open lid. A tower can be heavy and awkward when opening a lid.

*With a tower you also need more clearance behind the freezer, as a tower can bang the wall if it's too close when opening lid all the way. Taps in front mean you can put freezer all the way up against the wall.

*Some will say a collar adds a lot of weight when opening lid, and/or height when adding/removing kegs. I agree, but a remedy is the double hinged lid like in my design. I can open only freezer lid just to look around or pour from a picnic tap, or I can open entire collar+lid if I'm changing out kegs.

*Along with that, my hoses are attached to the collar, so if opening just freezer lid, they are not 'stretched'. With a tower, you need the extra slack to be able to open the lid.

*Temp. A tower can have temp issues, since it is 'outside' the freezer. With a collar, your taps are right up against the freezer. I put a fan below my shanks inside to help circulate and keep shanks cold. Worked like a charm.

*Clearance height. You may be able to fit an extra keg/kegs on a compressor hump if you have the additional head room that a collar gives you. This is the reason I put a collar on my fermentation chamber as well, I could fit another carboy on the hump with it, but not without it.

maybe someone can chime in with functional pros of a tower, but I really can't think of any. It does look cool, I'll give it that.

Entire collar up, for changing kegs, or getting hoses out of my way to work on something.
IMG_0693.jpg


Just the lid up, for simply looking inside or using picnic taps.
IMG_0691.jpg


Double hinge design
IMG_0428.jpg


The extra head room in my ferm. chamber was necessary when using a blow off.
IMG_0410.jpg
 
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^ I rock a tower and would agree with just about all of those points. With that said, I still like the tower.

- Mounting a drain is simpler
- More aesthetically appealing in my opinion. It's like you're pouring a beer at a real bar. I personally don't like the feel of pouring a beer at waste level

In response to a few of your points:
- A small hole in the freezer can be patched pretty easily and I don't feel like a freezer really matters if it's not pretty.
- Most keezers are on some sort of moveable assembly. I can just roll my keezer forward if I want to hinge the lid all the way back. It's not heavy or awkward, but I do need to be careful because if the taps hit the wall, they'll open and beer will spew everywhere.
- My biggest and really only complaint about the tower is that it can get warm and often pour a foamy glass before you get a nice pour. I've added a small fan as well as a copper coil all the way up my tower and still have issues. I finally bought flow control taps and that seems to be the winner.
 
^ I rock a tower and would agree with just about all of those points. With that said, I still like the tower.

- Mounting a drain is simpler
- More aesthetically appealing in my opinion. It's like you're pouring a beer at a real bar. I personally don't like the feel of pouring a beer at waste level
.......
In response to a few of your points:
- A small hole in the freezer can be patched pretty easily and I don't feel like a freezer really matters if it's not pretty.

Yeh I agree with the drain, forgot about that. You can barely see in my first couple pics, but I just bought some L brackets with magnets.. so while I did need some additional parts (about $10), I still was able to mount the drain without drilling holes.

Also, on the hole, I understand it can be patched, and you might not mind while you own it; I was talking more about when it comes to selling, if you are upgrading or for whatever reason. It is easy to sell a perfectly, undrilled chest freezer. A patched hole in the top will def. take off your bottom line.

Matter of fact, when I parted my keezer out (the one above), I sold the freezer for more than I paid for it. A good cleaning and paint, and no holes, made that possible. My ferm. chamber had a hole in it when I bought it, and I made sure I mentioned it when buying. Got it for $50 instead of their $75 asking. And oddly, that unit was a fridge, not a freezer. I have never seen a chest fridge, but it cooled to 35 and stayed there. I controlled it to 60s for fermenting.

I do agree with the 'feels like at a bar' statement. However, mine was in the garage, so that didn't come into play really.. I mean, my wife's car was right in front of this thing.. so a tap wouldn't have made it feel more like a bar.

But if it's in your home, then absolutely, a tower looks great and is more appealing. So depending on the use, this may or may not come into play.
 
Doubt I would ever sell a freezer... and since I am the only one drinking from it 4-5 days out of the week 2 kegs will be plenty so a smaller chest freezer I can tuck in a corner. If I decide I need bigger I can always use it for fermenting! I have low back issues and sometimes zig sideways walking so taps sticking out might be a bad idea...
 
Great freezer. 9 kegs + 5 lb. CO2 tank. The lid closes with the CO2 tank on top of the compressor shelf.
Lowes:
http://www.lowes.com/pd/Whirlpool-15-cu-ft-Chest-Freezer-White/50284169
Whirlpool 15-cu ft Chest Freezer (White)
Item # 646118 Model # WZC3115DW


I am looking for a freezer to use for 8 kegs on the bottom floor with the ledge left for my two 3-gallon kegs. I am thinking this one will fit the bill. Is that true? Looks like you have 8 kegs on the bottom floor.
 
I am looking for a freezer to use for 8 kegs on the bottom floor with the ledge left for my two 3-gallon kegs. I am thinking this one will fit the bill. Is that true? Looks like you have 8 kegs on the bottom floor.


just bought it. it fits 9 plus a 3-gal on the hump
 
This is Whirlpool 15-cu ft Manual Chest Freezer (White) from Lowes:
Item # 646118 Model # WZC3115DW
It's working well with a regulator over 1 year later.

IMG_0163.JPG
 
On the Magic Chef 5.5 CF*, can you set the comes-with thermostat up to warmer temps (say, 55-65°F), or do you still have to hack it with an external unit?

Thanks!

-----
* Same question for any of the others, if folks want to chime in, but I'm specifically liking the profile of the MC5.5cf, for the space I have to put it in.
 
I bought a 7.2cu (Hisense) from Costco, a really good deal and didn't measured precisely, more like a guestimate I thought it would fit 4, hoped for 5 but just realized it would only fit 3. I am totally deflated!

Anyone can recommend something that would fit at least 4, hoping 5 on the same general dimensions of 37.3W X 22D X 32.6H ?
 
How are you planning on mounting your faucets? Unless you're going to use a tower atop the lid a collar would be indicated, at which point you could size the height to fit at least four but probably five kegs in a 7cf chest freezer. It's all about the height of a keg standing on the hump.

Check out the first post in this thread. While it's dated at this point, the various geometries are still pretty useful for guidance, and you can drill down for more detail on most of the models shown...[edit] or at least you could before The Big Move. Looks like all the links are broken, but if you search for the post number you can find the detailed spec pages...

Cheers!
 
Hi again day_trippr!
That is the thing, no collar, all beer connections thru the lid to top tower. I am constrained of the height, can't go above 33" - has to fit in a hallow cabinet with the given dimensions. I think I can live with 3 but I'd like 4 and 5 would be better! I totally got mislead by 7.2 cu but that's fine. I can use the freeze for family needs!
 
Your length constraint pretty much means you're topped out in the 7 cubic foot class, but if the table at that thread I referenced is any indicator, you might be able to find a model that will actually hold four kegs without a collar. Maybe see if there was a follow-on model like the Kenmore 7.2 cf referenced here...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...-specs-and-layouts.377518/page-3#post-4906444

Cheers!
 
I bought a 7.2cu (Hisense) from Costco, a really good deal and didn't measured precisely, more like a guestimate I thought it would fit 4, hoped for 5 but just realized it would only fit 3. I am totally deflated!

Anyone can recommend something that would fit at least 4, hoping 5 on the same general dimensions of 37.3W X 22D X 32.6H ?
Day Tripper, you'll notice when looking at chests, there are really only 2 depth sizes (front to back measurement).. the 20-22" range and the 26-28" range (Some huge 20cuft ones are maybe 30-32" deep.)
Find one in the 26-28" range. A 22" deep chest, less front/back wall thickness, ends up in the 16"-17" range inside, and a keg is 9", so they have to be offset from each other. A 28" chest less walls is 20-22", so there is room for two kegs in 'tandem' with a few inches in between.

My keezer is right at 40" wide, but I can fit 6 on the floor and two on the hump with my collar because it's a 30" deep one which allows 2,2,2 configuration. If it was 22", I'd only have maybe 4 on the floor since they'd be offset. When I was looking, I first found a 40"wide one but 22" deep, and it was a huge difference.

Take a tape measure to the store and pick out a 26"+ deep one and you'll be fine.
 
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Hey Human being: Here are the measurements:
ID 32"X15"(it was a slightly smaller than this measurement)
Hump size: 7.5"(wide)
Distance from side wall to 3rd keg 13"
size of carboy: this varies but I measured my largest(6.5 gallons) and it was 13" wide X 27" high(w/ bubbler).
height of hump: 8"
Distance from top of hump to lid: 19"
The hump size is crucial because the carboy will sit on the hump. You will have to extend the width of the hump to be as large as the carboy bottom, another 4".
Bottom line: width will be very tight but doable and height will require a large collar, either 8-10". All of my measurements were hard to take due the crowded keezer. I did the best I could.
here is what it looks like(my first picture on this site). Charlie

View attachment 8411

Hello Charlie,

In there you have a picture of what looks like 4 ball lock Corny Kegs in a freezer with the exact same dimensions as one I just got (very likely the same model). It looks like none of them are on the hump. I couldn't get close to fitting 4 kegs in there the way it is in the picture. I was wondering if there was anything special you did or anything I am missing. Any advice would be appreciated.

Jason
 
Magic Chef 5.0 cu. ft.

How many kegs.. The pic is not working on the first page.

I have 3 5Gal Soda kegs. I'm hoping i can fit those in with the Co2 tank on the hump.
Is that possible?
 
I don’t have a Magic Chef, but my 5 cu ft Insignia holds two corny kegs and one carboy.
 
I have a GE 7.0 and it holds 3 easy. The small shelf that is there for the compressor you could put a 2.5 gal. keg. My wife put wine and other drink mixes on that shelf.
 
Magic Chef 5.0 cu. ft.

How many kegs.. The pic is not working on the first page.

I have 3 5Gal Soda kegs. I'm hoping i can fit those in with the Co2 tank on the hump.
Is that possible?
I don't think 3 kegs will fit. but two and the CO2 should
 
Has anyone used a Frigidaire 8.7 cu. ft chest freezer for a keezer? Wondering how many kegs can fit in it with/without collar.

Looked through several pages didn't see it mentioned
 
Has anyone used a Frigidaire 8.7 cu. ft chest freezer for a keezer? Wondering how many kegs can fit in it with/without collar.

Looked through several pages didn't see it mentioned
I'm interested to know if anyone has this model and can share some insight as well. This is concerning the 8.7 cu. ft. chest freezer by Frigidaire, model #FFCS0922AW.

Manufacturers specs read:
Height: 33.375"
Length: 37.625"
Depth: 24.375"

Based on customer support on HomeDepot.com, the internal specs should roughly be:
Height: 28.85"
Length: 32.5"
Depth: 18.11"

Looks like 4 cornies can easily fit in the main cavity without the need for a collar. I'm mainly trying to get my hands on a chest freezer and use it for aging kegs/cellaring bottles.
 
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