Keezer cover questions....

From perusing this forum, I've learned that modern chest freezers use the exterior skin to dissipate heat.

My plan is to cover my keezer with diamond plate to go with the auto/racing theme in my garage.

Questions for the keezer brain trust is: How can I attach the diamond plate in a manner that will transfer the heat from the skin of the keezer, negating the need for gaps or fans?

I would glue it on using a suitable adhesive. The relatively thin diamond plate should dissipate the heat well enough and I doubt the adhesive will cause any interference. It would be different if you were installing a wooden skin which would work like insulation to retain heat.

Why not just remove the "freezer" from the skin and make your own skin out of the diamond plate?

homebrewer_99 said:

Why not just remove the "freezer" from the skin and make your own skin out of the diamond plate?

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Interesting idea. I wonder what's involved in stripping one down?

tom_sd said:

Interesting idea. I wonder what's involved in stripping one down?

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I'll let YOU get back to US on that...

I'd like to add that I have my keezer and Son of Ferment Chiller on dollies...it makes them easier to move around in the garage...

Stainless steel, as I'm assuming your diamond plate is, has a very negligible R-value... it actually transfers heat very well. Therefore, I'm confident that if you attach it tightly, avoiding any airspace, you'll be fine.

I bet the keezer coils are glued up against the skin, removing the skin would destroy this heat transfer. I wouldn't do it just glue on thin aluminum diamond plate.

BrewBeemer said:

I bet the keezer coils are glued up against the skin, removing the skin would destroy this heat transfer. I wouldn't do it just glue on thin aluminum diamond plate.

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I'm planning on using polished aluminum, I'm just afraid that the glue would prevent heat transfer.

My thinking first use 80 grit adding a tooth to the aluminum plate then applied contact cement with plenty of pressure. The adhesive layer would be only a few mils thick to the kezzers wavy metal in thickness for plenty of heat transfer. Even removing the paint on the keezer to bare metal would increase heat transfer. What your doing would put SHMBO over the top at my house as I already have engine parts and prizes laying around. Blend in with the house is my theme.

My keezer is skinned with copper sheet and trimmed in mesquite. I just snugged the copper up against the sides of the freezer and tried to avoid gaps/airspace as much as possible. It dissipates the heat very well.

You can see what I did here -https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/keezer-soze-yet-another-keezer-build-164158/

Remember a freezer is designed to run at a much colder temp. Using it as a keezer you have some wiggle room. Mine only runs for about 2 minutes at a time and then its off for at least 15 or 20.