Okay guys...my Sanyo 4912 is half way there

Check out the pics click here. When the window opens, click on the "slide show" button. You can slow the timing down if necessary. Maximize your browser for the best pics.

I was amazed how easy this phase was. Next week I will get to building the tower but for now...my Sanyo is gassed and ready to go.

By the way...KEGGING IS AWESOME. I have a Sweet Porter that was in the secondary less than 24 hours ago and after chilling (in my Sanyo) over night and force carbing this AM...by lunch time today it was a perfect pour. I can swear this beer actually cascaded like a stout when I poured it.


Oh yes, the beer Gods are smiling on me today.

PS -Samplng a 6.3% Porter at 11:49AM...priceless.

Yep...best $149 I ever spent. I'd give anything if these things held 3 cornys.

I thought at one time I read that you can fit a 3rd one in there, but it has to be the small 2.5 gallon size, but I sure would love it if someone can verify that before I build/buy a tower.
KALVINEDDIE: are you doing a PVC homemade tower, or buying parts. Also, if you can share your list for parts and suppliers, it'd be a huge help for me, I'm in midst of same project (just bought 4912 fridge today).

LouT said:

I thought at one time I read that you can fit a 3rd one in there, but it has to be the small 2.5 gallon size, but I sure would love it if someone can verify that before I build/buy a tower.
KALVINEDDIE: are you doing a PVC homemade tower, or buying parts. Also, if you can share your list for parts and suppliers, it'd be a huge help for me, I'm in midst of same project (just bought 4912 fridge today).

Click to expand...

Lou,

I save a penny ever chance I can so it's off to Lowes tomorrow for some PVC...etc.

Jester's post click here (scroll to the pics at the bottom) was my inspiration. I'll do some sort of version of the T-tower or perhaps two single towers. I'm not sure, but the PVC is so cheap I can dry fit a model and decide then.

PS - There is no room for another keg that I can see...regardless of the size.

Your slide show is awesome!
Yeah, when I thought about the $270 it takes to do it up "right" with nice stainless tower, two perlick faucettes, and nice stainless drip tray, I second guessed my decision to do this 4912 vs. the $500 kegerator that's ready to go. On the other hand, I like NICE stuff. I'm worried a bit about doing the PVC tower for now and then later having some ugly screw holes in the top of the fridge that don't match up with a purchased stainless tower.
I like Jester's setup, but I won't even think about a plastic "T" setup for just 2 faucettes, especially with 10 and 14 year old boys, it's just damage waiting to happen...
About to plug in the fridge and do temp checks to be sure there's no defect or problem before I start drilling & stuff.

By the way, here's a link for the installing of a poly sheet in place of the shelves inside the door: http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?t=24249
There's also a link in this forum explaining the removal of the door liner, if you haven't seen it -- I noticed you still have the door liner in your fridge. With it removed there MIGHT be room for another (small) keg...

So you're just using the basic "party" tap right away then, right? Real nice setup, and great pics!

I know most people build towers on these... but is there any known issues with installing shanks and faucets thru the doors like you see on larger refrigerators? It probably wouldn't be practical unless the 4912 was on a shelf or something, but I'm curious if there are any issues with a setup like that?

Had one other thought...

What issues, if any, are there with the holes you drilled not being airtight. Do you lose much cooling out the holes and/or does it run all the time? Would it be practical and worth one's time to find a couple grommets to snug the holes up some?

Door's ok to put tap through, but would be low (dog or toddler height) and inconvenient unless the entire fridge is on top of a counter.
I'd do grommets if I cut holes into keg.
Right now I'm looking for a setup to mount/hide the CO2 tank outside of the kegerator, since mine is going to be in a corner of our dining room & I want it to look decent.
Not wanting to put CO2 tank inside the fridge since I just found out that I can fit a 3rd keg (2.5 gal) into the fridge if I remove the door liner and it's shelves.
Anyone have any links showing clean mounting/hiding setups for 5 gal C02 tank & dual reg with the 4912 (or other) kegerators?

texasgeorge said:

Had one other thought...

What issues, if any, are there with the holes you drilled not being airtight. Do you lose much cooling out the holes and/or does it run all the time? Would it be practical and worth one's time to find a couple grommets to snug the holes up some?

Click to expand...

I use a 3/8" auger drill bit which is too small...but was able to kind of rotate the drill around and around to widen it enough. It is a nice snug fit and required a slight push on one side while pulling on the other. I satisfied that the fitting is air tight.

I don't know that I'll remove the inner door just yet. It is handy for storing yeast...etc.

Yeah, my SWMBO is ok with the yeast and stuff in the regular kitchen fridge. I just pulled the door liner out and installed a "chalkboard" - not too bad of a project and easily adds another 4 inches interior space.
SWMBO just said she'd rather I put the CO2 inside the kegerator, though, so I guess it'll be a 2-tap and not a 3 tap...

Nice work Kalvin. I just picked up my 4912 tonight. Im going with the picnic tap for now, until I can save up a few more bucks for a couple of forward seal faucets and a draft tower of some sort. Anxious to see how your tower comes out.

With 2 kegs you can leave the door in, but you have to remove the bottom shelf.

homebrewer_99 said:

With 2 kegs you can leave the door in, but you have to remove the botom shelf.

Click to expand...

Remove the bottom shelf, flip it around and reinstall it. It will allow you to keep the shelf and allow the door to close with the 2 kegs inside.

If you do that, can you still fit the CO2 (5lb w/dual reg) inside the kegerator?

Tony said:

Remove the bottom shelf, flip it around and reinstall it. It will allow you to keep the shelf and allow the door to close with the 2 kegs inside.

Click to expand...

Never thought of that...thanks.

LouT said:

If you do that, can you still fit the CO2 (5lb w/dual reg) inside the kegerator?

Click to expand...

Mine fit barely.

I ended up removing the inner door anyway, as I also have a 2.5 pound co2 tank inside as well as a spare.

Saugus, geez you're just up the road, Tony! Cool that all fits inside, I think I'll leave the door liner off for now since I already did the work, just want some type of bracket for the Co2 tank if possible. Did you put rails on top of your fridge when you converted it?

I made a wooden shelf for the CO2 tank that's 3 1/2" deep. The CO2 tank sits on that and the lip that juts out from the back of the fridge at the bottom. The tank is wobbly due to the shelf and lip not being exactly flat together, though, so I set the tank in the dead center of the shelf so that the cage on my regulator is against the side of the fridge and I hook a loose bungee cord from the cold plate to around the tank. This holds it securely. The cord needs to be tight enough to hold the tank in place but loose enough not to strain the plate - I just happened to have one that was the exact length I needed.

Buford said:

The CO2 tank sits on that and the lip that juts out from the back of the fridge at the bottom.

Click to expand...

I'm planning on building a single plywood platform on castors that will also hold the CO2. I attached some castors on the fridge, but they're not perfect and there is no way to move the CO2 right now.

Rollerkegerator....

Just finished my kegerator project. It's somewhat of rehash of what has already been posted previously on this forum, but if you want to see the steps I took, you can find it here:

http://community.livejournal.com/homebrewing/413981.html

One thing I added was a homemade 12v blower to keep the tower cold.

I like the flashy blue gas line, where'd you get it?

LouT said:

I like the flashy blue gas line, where'd you get it?

Click to expand...

I got it at TheBeverageFactory.com.

They ended up having the cheapest "Premium" grade double CO2 regulator ($43.00). I mixed my order for all the parts between them and Midwest. Now I need to get my faucets and shanks ordered for the tower to keep up with Buford....

Nicely done Buford. :rockin:

My wallet hurts now though...

I bet it hurts, you went the whole enchilada, Buford. I'm skimping and I'll be up over $500 for all of it so far...
I ordered my Shirron faucets yesterday from Northern Brewer, ordered a beer kit and some other stuff from them on same order, and ordered the shanks and a faucette wrench from Micromatic. What really hurt, though, was the 14" tall 3" draft tower (2-hole) I ordered from ACU -about $75 with freight (I think $64 ish for the piece) -- they quoted me so high for a drip tray that I opted not to get it from them, I think they quoted me $94 bucks or so before shipping -- when I see a stainless drip tray that doesn't have the curved cutout selling for $14.95 at barproducts.com , the ACU price seems like highway robbery! Stainless Steel Drip Tray DTS-419 at barproducts.com
Anyone have more reasonable source for nice looking drip tray (ideally with half circle cut-out?