Frozen Keg

I had a keg freeze up and I don't know how it happened. In the fridge are 2 kegs and the other one is fine, but this one was frozen on the inside. I have a thermometer in the fridge and it was reading 38 degrees, but it has never been calibrated. I've had this setup for 5 months now and this is the first keg out of 5 that have been in there. Anyone ever have this happen? Would cold co2 contribute to this as I have the co2 tank in the fridge with the kegs.

usually freezing for most craft ales is 28/29.. lower if you have more alcohol.
was the keg mostly empty?

It was probably a little less than half full.

what type of fridge . I have a fridge that has a large metal plate in the back flush with plastic liner this is the fridges cooling system If I put bottles or a keg to close or touching it they freeze.

It's a basic Whirlpool upright, nothing fancy. The keg was near the front of the fridge. I am going to get a new thermometer and monitor the temp over the weekend.

I notice you don't use a secondary. Do you go straight to a keg? Do you use any fining agents?

Brutus Brewer said:

It's a basic Whirlpool upright, nothing fancy. The keg was near the front of the fridge. I am going to get a new thermometer and monitor the temp over the weekend.

I notice you don't use a secondary. Do you go straight to a keg? Do you use any fining agents?

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Very rarely do i use anything other than Irish moss or Whirlflock. Just a long primary 3 -4 weeks then cold crash then keg. I did use gelatin on one beer because I was going to enter a comp.But I had friends over and we kicked the last of the keg I should have bottled before we started drinking

Is the fridge a compact or reg fridge ? I use a an upright freezer for my keggerator right now and had to move the temp probe to the bottom of it . I had it in the middle was set at 38° and my beer lines froze.Bottom was well below freezing temps. I also have a bettery operated fan that I use in my travel trailer fridge to move the air around a little. Rechargable batteries are great.

It's a standard size fridge with no external temp control. I will give the fan a try, good idea.

I would like get away from the secondary, if I am reading your post correctly you crash cool in the primary. I will have to try that.

yes in the primary. I have racked to keg then cold crash when I ran out room and was itching to brew just makes for an extra cloudy first few pints.

+1 on the fan. Your temp sensor may be above the bottom, and you can have stratification in a fridge with no air circulation, so the probe may be at 38 but the beer in the bottom is way colder. I've also had a frozen beer line once.