MooMooBrew
Well-Known Member
BiteSize said:
Just don't leave the bleach in there it will corrode your regulators.
Converting the Frigidaire 7.2 cu ft Chest Freezer
- Thread starter Quaffer
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Just don't leave the bleach in there it will corrode your regulators.
loudmouthbrewer
Member
Another inspired member; Great job:rockin:. Time to add Keezer to "the list." Bill of materials and links are an added bonus.
-cheers
-cheers
jgweataj
Member
j
jgweataj
Member
Thanks for such a great detailed post!! I know this is from 3 years ago, but I'm hoping you still are able to respond. How did you attach the strongtie to the bottom of the keezer? I'm trying to put casters on the bottom of a very similar freezer and definitely need the reinforcement.
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
OP
OP
Quaffer
Well-Known Member
I very carefully drilled holes through the frame into the insulation. Then I took a small screwdriver and poked around inside to make sure I would not run into a refrigerant tube. The screws are 1" long sheet metal screws.
On the compressor side I used bolts and nuts since the back of the frame is easily available there.
See also post #355
On the compressor side I used bolts and nuts since the back of the frame is easily available there.
See also post #355
jgweataj
Member
I very carefully drilled holes through the frame into the insulation. Then I took a small screwdriver and poked around inside to make sure I would not run into a refrigerant tube. The screws are 1" long sheet metal screws.
On the compressor side I used bolts and nuts since the back of the frame is easily available there.
See also post #355
I'm using 1" self tapping metal to metal screws with some strong tie. I need to get some steel bar for the compressor side and a drill bit for the bolts. I haven't done much metal work so I'm definitely worried about damaging the freezer. Thanks for the help!
mikewildt
Active Member
(Can't figure out how to delete this post).
atli126
Well-Known Member
Great post. I'm planning mine. I see a white is soldered to one side of wall bug. What is on the other? Any diagrams are appreciated.Here I have run an electrical cable from the temperature controller site, around the corner and towards the back of the collar. Cable clips hold the cable in place.
The Love temperature controller is hanging from its wires. On the right are two wires for the temperature sensor, on the left are three wires for 110VAC electrical power and the relay output. White is neutral, black is live, a green jumper connects the live to one of the relay switch terminals, and the final green wire carries the switched power down to the compressor.
Here is the compressor compartment with wiring before modification. I have a wall bug laying loose on the frame which will eventually power the internal fan. Incoming power cord from a wall outlet can be seen on the left. The green wire is ground and attaches to the frame. The white wire is neutral and is spliced to the compressor and the power-on light on the front of the freezer. The barely visible black wire is live 110VAC which is spliced to the original thermostat in the foreground and to the power-on light. The cable from the Love controller is coiled up on top of the compressor.
This is the picture after modifying the wiring. I spliced the white neutral wire using a solder junction. One of the white wires go to the Love controller, the other is soldered to one of the wall bug prongs and then wrapped in electrical tape. The wall bug is secured to the frame with several turns of electrical tape. The live wire is, as previous, connected to the original thermostat, the other thermostat terminal feeds the Love controller via the black wire in the cable. This way I can use the original thermostat like a switch to power down the system.
The Love controller provides switched power on the green wire which is connected by a yellow wire nut to the compressor and to the last prong on the wall bug. This allows the fan to run when the compressor runs, and stop when the compressor stops. I like this rather than having it run all the time because the electrical energy given to the fan is dissipated as heat inside the kegerator, making it less efficient.
The wall bug is a 6V DC unregulated model which outputs 7.7V DC when connected to my 12V fan. I found this to be ideal because the fan is very powerful, and unnecessarily so at 12V. We need just a moderate breeze from the fan to circulate the air in the kegerator.
I keep a partially filled glass of water in the fridge for the temperature sensor. This helps to slow down fast temperature fluctuations as I open the lid or the fan starting. If we have too much water in the glass it slows down the controller's response to temperature change too much and it will undershoot the set temperature.
Thanks for taking the time to explain everything in detail.
wininger07
Member
Holy smokes batman! I found this keezer listed on Google images under keezer designs and to my delight you have posted all the instructions. If you were here I would kiss you right on the mouth. Thank you so much for the time and energy you have put into this build and this thread. I will be using many if not all of your designs for my first build. I have been obsessing over my first build and can't wait to get started. Thanks again.
Hey, what parts did you use to plumb the gas lines through the collar? I'd like to do this instead of running the line straight through and was hoping you could tell me what pieces were used and sizes. I've been considering using a round nipple with threads at each end through the collar the attaching elbows or something to connect swivel nuts to on the inside and outside.
aviator01
Well-Known Member
Here was my attempt at a Keezer with this freezer. Works great so far.
This just goes to show you how a post can keep on giving after what, four years? I looked at the beginning of the post and thought, man, how would my white Costco freezer look, then skipped to the back and there was a great example!
Mine will be more outdoor party friendly, i.e. not quite as finished as the original, given that I keep it in the garage as a fermentation chamber right now. I'll want to drop in a tank and attach the taps for an instant party on the patio.
Mine will be more outdoor party friendly, i.e. not quite as finished as the original, given that I keep it in the garage as a fermentation chamber right now. I'll want to drop in a tank and attach the taps for an instant party on the patio.
aviator01
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the inverted pics. I didn't even notice until today.
wambizzle
Active Member
First off let me say this thread has given me more information than i could ever ask for. My question is as far as a temperature controller which model should i buy if i want to just keep it basic without changing any wiring if thats possible?
atli126
Well-Known Member
I bought the cheap basic Grey analog box. It's great. Set it and forget it
SlickWilly
Member
I have 2 of these and they work great. Just plug it into the wall and then plug the kegerator right into it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002EAL58/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
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atli126
Well-Known Member
http://www.blackboxbrew.com/store/ this is what i want to get in the future
I hate to ask a dumb question, but does this one read in farenheit, and what does it mean flashed? I am getting ready to start my keezer build and I know that there is one out the that just reads in celcius, and there is another one out there that has a large number and the second number is smaller. I would really like to purchase the correct one the first time. Also what is the purpose for the dual sensor?
Not a dumb question, a good question. These STC 1000 controllers come pretty cheap from China, but original firmware displays temps in Celcius. So industrious people figured out how to access the firmware, modify it to at a minimum show farenheit (and now much more) and then reprogram ("flash") the controller.
I just wired up one of the Celsius controllers and wish I would have bought a flashed one from blackbox or just picked up one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6
Read the blackbox site for all of the functionality they provide with their flashing, and if you think you'll have the need for the advanced functionality they provide, then go for it. Otherwise, just go for the Inkbird controller. Make sure you follow the many tutorials on the internet on how to wire them up. Some of them conflict a bit, so study the instructions. Mine worked fine, first try, but it took me an hour to make sure I was interpreting everything correctly.
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Why would you need one that has a heat setting and a cool setting for a keezer, or is that if you are building a fermenter?
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Correct, you need heat only if you are using it for a fermenter as well. Some people have dual purpose keezers. Mine will be dual purpose, a fermentation chamber most of the time (what it is now). When I add a few taps to "keezer-ize" it, I can roll it out for a party on the patio when needed.
Well my old kegerator died on me so it is time to build a new one. I really liked my old one too... Moving on.
I can not find a black chest freezer anywhere. I see somebody painted on, but I just want to get one already in black. Has anybody recently purchased a black chest freezer and where did you find it?
I can not find a black chest freezer anywhere. I see somebody painted on, but I just want to get one already in black. Has anybody recently purchased a black chest freezer and where did you find it?
wambizzle
Active Member
Walmart sells a 7.1 igloo for roughly 200 online. I used it for mine and had it shipped to store so no extra shipping charges
Thanks! I exhaustively search and that is the only one that is around anymore it looks like. It is a 7.2 ft^3 Igloo in Black and it is $249 right now.
I wonder why they don't offer more chest freezers in black.
I wonder why they don't offer more chest freezers in black.
wambizzle
Active Member
Bestbuy also offers some in black but the pricing wasn't right
Otis1031
Well-Known Member
Was at my local Sears Hardware store last week and they had a black 7.2cu ft chest freezer on display.
Eisendrath
Well-Known Member
I was telling a newbee kegger about this forum and particularly this thread today and want to thank all for what it has helped me with.
Ike.
Ike.
TheFlatLander
Well-Known Member
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Here is the one I used for my ferm chamber build. I plan on using the same one on my keezer build this month.
http://tinyurl.com/j973ghe
drifter001
Member
Planning on doing a build soon. Def gonna use this as a guide. Love everything about it!
Though I studied basic electronic (46 years ago) lol, I had difficulty understanding the wiring. I used the pictures you had included and give detailed informations which makes it clear. My Keezer is also a Frigidaire and my frien is also putting one together and he asked me to send you the pictures I had modified for him. Lots of people are using your design. I love it.
Hope this can be usefull.
Regards
Michael
Hope this can be usefull.
Regards
Michael
Dockside_Brewing
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Great Build
BrewBrains
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.
Eisendrath
Well-Known Member
Love this old thread. I have suggested it to many a friend building a keezer.
Here is my new question. I built this years ago and frequently have to soak up condensation at it's bottom. If I don't I get mold. Has anyone found an easy way to deal with this common issue with all kegerators and keezers, other that going with a frost free unit to start with?
Eisendrath - I can't answer your question. But I am currently developing a plan to build a 4 tap keezer. I might not have seen this thread if you hadn't pulled it up. So thank you! An awesome build and a very detailed, incredibly helpful thread.
WhiteSoxRob
Member
The best and most common way is to stick a couple renewable dehumidifiers in the keezer. Most people use Eva-dry E-500. There are little pellets inside that absorb moisture and turn from orange colored to blue. When they are blue-ish, you just plug it in to an outlet for 24 hours and the pellets dry and go back to orange.
peter78
Well-Known Member
Here is my take on it:
Can’t seem to find a decent acrylic catcher for the bottle caps, like in the original post. Anyone knows where I can get one?
Can’t seem to find a decent acrylic catcher for the bottle caps, like in the original post. Anyone knows where I can get one?
