Keezer/kegerator in unheated space question

I know that refrigerators and freezers don't work well in unheated garages - either the ambient temperature is too hot or too cold.

However, once the temperature control units are installed into the keezer or kegerator, would one or the other work without a problem in an unheated/non-air conditioned space?

I am not sure I fully understand the question. Are you asking if the temperature controller will help the unit work better in large temperature swings?

Large swings below the desired temperature will still be hard to negate, but if there is some fluctuation just above the desired temperature then it should be able to cool down to the proper temp.

Any help?

My kegerator is in an unheated, non airconditioned garage. All summer, the temp controller helped to keep the temp where I wanted it. However, not that it has gotten cold in teh winter, the temperature was dropping lower than set on the controller b/c of the ambient temperature. I had to buy one of these:

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWER_S_EDGE_SPACE_HEATER_P518.cfm

Works great and I can keep my fridge at whatever temp I want with my dual stage temp controller

Sorry if I wasn't clear with my question.

chode720 is on the right track. Did you have to drill a hole for the heater chord or did you just close the fridge door on the chord (wondering if you would lose the seal and wind up with a lot of the cold air escaping).

If the ambient temperature drops below a certain temperature, I've heard that it messes with the temperature sensor and either the freezer will not cycle or the refrigerator gets too cold.

I was wondering whether people had problems with their kegs freezing up in the unheated spaces. I would love to have a keezer in the house but the most likely candidate is either the garage or the unheated sunroom.

tincob said:

Sorry if I wasn't clear with my question.

chode720 is on the right track. Did you have to drill a hole for the heater chord or did you just close the fridge door on the chord (wondering if you would lose the seal and wind up with a lot of the cold air escaping).

If the ambient temperature drops below a certain temperature, I've heard that it messes with the temperature sensor and either the freezer will not cycle or the refrigerator gets too cold.

I was wondering whether people had problems with their kegs freezing up in the unheated spaces. I would love to have a keezer in the house but the most likely candidate is either the garage or the unheated sunroom.

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I just ran the cord out of the door. When it closes on the cord, there is a small gap. Im not convinced that it makes much of a difference. I was in my garage for 6 hours brewing on saturday and the temp stayed at 43 the whole time, while it was probably about 30 degress out.

Do not worry about the temperature sensor in the fridge. If you use a dual stage controller, that will do the job of keeping it at whatever temp you need. I have my fridge set to 44 and it either turns on teh fridge to cool or the heating mat, depending on whats needed to get it back to 44.

I use something like this for my heating of my fermentation chamber: http://www.target.com/Holmes-Large-Grill-Slim-Heater/dp/B001J0DKJS
It has a fan to help better circulate the heat and you can't beat the price. Just plug it into the second stage of the temp controller.

chode720, do you have a brand or a site for the dual stage controller you use?

great question munch. also, i live in the "ice box of the nation" I falls MN. My beer lines are freezing in my kegerator (in my non-insulated garage). However the beer inside is not freezing. SO i am wondering if the taps are freezing and in turn freezin the beer just ahead of the taps.

Munch671 said:

chode720, do you have a brand or a site for the dual stage controller you use?

Click to expand...

http://www.rancoetc.com/ranco-etc211000000-stage-prewired-temperature-controller-p-110.html

The Ranco controllers are very nice and a lot of people use them. I use a single stage for my fermentation chamber too. I would highly recommend using the dual stage for a kegerator. That way, you can have it in heating and cooling mode and the controller will turn on either the fridge, or heating mat, depending on whats needed

I feel your pain Kegtoe, just over the border in WI, and this weeks temps really put things into perspective.

Thanks for the link chode720. You said you use the single stage for your fermentation chamber, but for us way up north freaks that love sub below temps, do you see any issue with using the dual stage with the heating pad for the main fermentation chamber if it were in the garage too?

Munch671 said:

I feel your pain Kegtoe, just over the border in WI, and this weeks temps really put things into perspective.

Thanks for the link chode720. You said you use the single stage for your fermentation chamber, but for us way up north freaks that love sub below temps, do you see any issue with using the dual stage with the heating pad for the main fermentation chamber if it were in the garage too?

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No, not at all! The link i sent above for the heating pad is more designed for a fermentation chamber, not a fridge. The only reason I have a single stage on that fridge is b/c i dont really need the heating since I ferment indoors

chode720 said:

No, not at all! The link i sent above for the heating pad is more designed for a fermentation chamber, not a fridge. The only reason I have a single stage on that fridge is b/c i dont really need the heating since I ferment indoors

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So you wouldn't recommend the heating pad for keeping a keezer/kegerator from freezing during the winter months?

Hooking up a 40watt light bulb to a controller in the heat mode is another commonly suggested solution. It would certainly be cheaper than the heating pad...

tincob said:

So you wouldn't recommend the heating pad for keeping a keezer/kegerator from freezing during the winter months?

Hooking up a 40watt light bulb to a controller in the heat mode is another commonly suggested solution. It would certainly be cheaper than the heating pad...

Click to expand...

Sorry if my post was confusing. While the heating pad is not made for the kegerator/keezer, thats what I use it for. The product on the Williams Brewing site says it can be used to heat a fermentation chamber. So if it can heat one of those, why not a kegerator. I've had one in my fridge for couple months now and its worked great!

I'm in Cleveland, it's not the Icebox of the Nation, but it does get cold enough to freeze beer. I'm going into my first winter with a kegerator in the garage and was faced with the same issue.

My solution was simpler, but probably a bit more wateful of energy. I took advantage of the light that is already in there. I pulled out the switch that turns on the 40 watt bulb in the back. I was able to pop the switch out. Then I trimmed some plastic to give me a little slack wire so I could get it into the fridge and out of the way of the door. Finally, I duct taped it to the ceiling of the fridge. One of the adavantages of having a kegerator that's a rusty POS somebody on Craig's List was giving away is you don't mind cutting it up a little bit or having eelectrical wiring duct taped to the ceiling.

I think this is going to prove to be a very simple and effective solution. 40 watts seems like it should be plenty to keep a very well insulated box above 29 degrees or so. I'd guess it's actually more than I need.

Which part of Cleveland?? I'm in Cleveland too

chode720 said:

Which part of Cleveland?? I'm in Cleveland too

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I'm in Wickliffe