My Kegerator Project

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scinerd3000

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So ive been waiting for months to build a keezer so after hunting on craigslist i found a chest freezer for 30 bucks. I knwo how much i love looking at pictures of peoples projects so i figured i would return the favor. Heres what i did to it thus far.


I used 2 x 8 pine boards and cut them to shape. There bolted with 1/4 x 3.5 inch lag bolts with SS washers. I counter sank the holes so they wouldn't stick out.
IMG_1776-1.jpg


After removing the lid to the freezer i taped off and painted with rustoleum automobile primer and then the notorius chalkboard paint.
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Had to add a goat somewhere because of my brewery so i printed a picture of a B/W goat offline and cut it out with an exacto knife. Then i taped it and used blue rustoleum to spray over it.
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finished lid:
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Caulked using silicone sealant onto the wood which hopefully will keep it in place when i have to affix the lid. Caulked ALL the seams. and weighed it down
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I plan on reattaching the lid tomorrow along with latches as well as drilling for the taps. This should be just in time to finish lagering a munich dunkel which i pulled out for a dactyl rest. Will keep posted
 
So the only thing holding it on is the silicone? I think I would want to strap in in so that when you open it the lid does not pull it apart.
 
So the only thing holding it on is the silicone? I think I would want to strap in in so that when you open it the lid does not pull it apart.

the silicone is basically gluing it to the top. I was contemplating using brackets bit even partially dried its stuck on pretty well. You think i need to still bracket it to the frame?
 
The lid is spring loaded I could see you opening it and forgetting to hold it back. Thus when it hits the end of the travel it could break the seal. Maybe not but for a few $$$ in 2-4 straps I would strap it.
 
i used liquid nails and it is holding up fine. it isnt coming off without a lot of work.
 
OT: recipe for the munich dunkel?!? :)

Munich Dunkel
7# munich
3# german pilsner
.25# crystal 120
.25# chocolate malt

tenttnager 1 oz @ 60 mins
" ".5oz @ 30
" ".5oz @ 10 mins

fermented at 50 using wyeast munich lager yeast
mashed grains at 153 and doule batched sparged after 1 hr
 
So i just reattached everything. Heres how it looks finished off

IMG_1788.jpg


I drilled out an armature for the temp probe because i wanted it semi removable but sealed and caulking it in seemed barbaric. I drilled out a maple dowel i had laying around and then split in in half so the cord would fit in the middle. Then i pushed it into the hole. Worked perfectly with a little sticking out the back if i need to remove it.
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I have a slight airgap in the front where the weatherproof rubber seal meets the wood but i dont know what to do about it but its not big at all- just not perfectly airtight like everything else. Any ideas?
 
you could get the foam rubber seal that people use for truck toppers. It's self adhesive on one side. It should form well and fill the gaps.
 
you could get the foam rubber seal that people use for truck toppers. It's self adhesive on one side. It should form well and fill the gaps.

that would be good if i didn't need to open the lid...I need something to seal when the lid is closed although i had it chilled down and i didnt feel cold air excaping.

On a side not i didint have the temperature wire hanging low enough so the top of the freezer was at 53 and the bottom is frozen solid. When i lowered the level of the wire it registered at 36 and im glad i didint freeze the rest of my beer....it would have been an interesting mess
 
that would be good if i didn't need to open the lid...I need something to seal when the lid is closed although i had it chilled down and i didnt feel cold air excaping.

On a side not i didint have the temperature wire hanging low enough so the top of the freezer was at 53 and the bottom is frozen solid. When i lowered the level of the wire it registered at 36 and im glad i didint freeze the rest of my beer....it would have been an interesting mess

No you're not understanding me. The seal stuff you can get at any auto parts store and hardware store. It's about .250" thick, adhesive on only one side and is made of a soft foam (comes in a roll). It's also used as door seals.
Just cut it and stick it to the top of the wood. The stock seal on the lid will press into it and seal off. It wont stop you from opening the lid.
 
I have a slight airgap in the front where the weatherproof rubber seal meets the wood but i dont know what to do about it but its not big at all- just not perfectly airtight like everything else. Any ideas?

I used silicon caulk on the inside of my cooler to prevent air and/or condensation from moving down the cord into the wood.

Nice project :mug:
 
No you're not understanding me. The seal stuff you can get at any auto parts store and hardware store. It's about .250" thick, adhesive on only one side and is made of a soft foam (comes in a roll). It's also used as door seals.
Just cut it and stick it to the top of the wood. The stock seal on the lid will press into it and seal off. It wont stop you from opening the lid.

oh i understand now. Ill have to go pick some up next time i go to the store. Should work perfectly

I used silicon caulk on the inside of my cooler to prevent air and/or condensation from moving down the cord into the wood.

Nice project :mug:

As did i my friend. I caulked the entirty of the inside but where the lid closes was where i was worried about. I tried to take a picture but it but it didint show up to well, and in fact i can barley see the gap on it but here you go.
IMG_1791.jpg
 
so i drilled for the shanks:
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Shot of finished outside with taps installed. I went with the cheap 15$ micromatic faucets because although ive been told perlick is the best i couldnt warrent spending 35 bucks for a single faucet...Im a poor college student damnit!
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I sanatized my keg and threw in a batch of Edworts apfelwein. Right now its sitting at 12 PSI. The Carboy in the center is my Munich Dunkel placed back in after its diacetal rest. I only have one gas line hook up so far because theres only one keg but the others are sitting to the side :) SOON TO BE HOOKED UP
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So at this point im pretty much done. Now all i have to do is finish lagering and then use the rest of the space for more beer.
 
I had the same problem with the tiny air gap on the front of my Kegerator. I reduced the tension on the spring that assists in opening the lid. just a little. It's got just enough pressure to hold open, but now it closes flat. Might give it a shot.
 
I had the same problem with the tiny air gap on the front of my Kegerator. I reduced the tension on the spring that assists in opening the lid. just a little. It's got just enough pressure to hold open, but now it closes flat. Might give it a shot.

i dont think my spring is adjustable...If you look back a few pics theres a closeup of one of the hinges but everythings internal.
 
I have a name for your keezer as it were. "The Goat Locker" This name is honorific given to the Chief's community in the Navy as the goat is the Navy's mascot. They are the backbone and one could argue the glue that binds the navy together. A fitting name for a keezer full of good beer and stenciled goats for decoration. You now only need to Paint an anchor on it an invite some Navy or Coastie Chiefs over to christen it. S.
 
im up and running. Apfelwein is carbonating and in a week i will draw my first pint.

IMG_1798.jpg
 
i dont think my spring is adjustable...If you look back a few pics theres a closeup of one of the hinges but everythings internal.

saw that. looks a lot like my hinge. A deepwell socket reaches up to the nut that "loads" the spring on mine. A couple of turns and mine was all set.
 
saw that. looks a lot like my hinge. A deepwell socket reaches up to the nut that "loads" the spring on mine. A couple of turns and mine was all set.

i looked inside. Unfortunately there not adjustable. I could buy a different spring and install it but then i think thats more trouble than its worth. Im going to go with the weatherstripping and seal it that way. Thanks for the help
 
nice keezer! thanks especially for posting the comment about the temp probe being too high - i'll be sure to avoid that mistake.

i'm just finishing my keezer up tonight... got mine for $40 off of criags list - damn, ya beat me by $10!!
 
So i have been up and running now for a while but i ran into yet another problem. I have kegs which were holding preasure perfectly, yet if i turn off the gas via the air distributor (i went out of town for a few days and since everything was already carbed and preasureized i figured it wouldnt matter), when i turn it on again i hear gas coming in from the tank. Now im not talking alot of gas but enough that im worried. I reached my head in tonight to check and sniffed and god what i can only describe to be co2 into my lungs. I violently blew out the air as a reflex but its deffinitly leaking from somewhere. All three keg refill slightly when i turn the gas back on but i cant figure this damn thing out. I checked all over for leaks and this is the first time its coming up....any thoughts?
 
Starsan solution in a spray bottle; spray down your equip, turn on the gas and look for bubbles. I can see the beer absorbing some CO2 when you turn the gas on, if you turn the gas of a lot, but that doesn't explain the 'CO2 into the lungs'. How big is your CO2 tank, and how long has it been going?

Maybe it's just some funk in your keezer- grab a box of baking soda to keep in there...
 
Starsan solution in a spray bottle; spray down your equip, turn on the gas and look for bubbles. I can see the beer absorbing some CO2 when you turn the gas on, if you turn the gas of a lot, but that doesn't explain the 'CO2 into the lungs'. How big is your CO2 tank, and how long has it been going?

Maybe it's just some funk in your keezer- grab a box of baking soda to keep in there...


i tried the starsan which is how i found what i assumed were all the leaks early on. I have a 15# co2 tank thats been up and running since day one. Ill clean it out again and keep my fingers crossed....

Am i wrong to assume that once the beer had been sitting at serving pressure for weeks that it will no longer absorb co2?
 
i tried the starsan which is how i found what i assumed were all the leaks early on. I have a 15# co2 tank thats been up and running since day one. Ill clean it out again and keep my fingers crossed....

Am i wrong to assume that once the beer had been sitting at serving pressure for weeks that it will no longer absorb co2?

You are wrong. The beer will continue to absorb CO2 until it reaches and equilibrium. If there is a constant supply the beer will continue to absorb to saturation. This is why Bernulli's Principal is important. I am sure that I spelled his name wrong, but the point is that temperature, volume of liquid, and pressure will determine the equilibrium and CO2 saturation of the brew. The simple answer is that you are not loosing CO2, it is being absorbed into your beer and this lowers the pressure in the keg. The other factor is temp. When the keg is cold pressures can be lower because the beer more readily absorbs CO2. If you pulled the keg out of the keezer and let it warm up, your pressure will sky rocket. So you haven't lost the CO2, its just in the beer. S:tank:
 
I have a slight airgap in the front where the weatherproof rubber seal meets the wood but i dont know what to do about it but its not big at all- just not perfectly airtight like everything else. Any ideas?

I'm a cheap bastage and only had a freebie mini fridge on hand. I knew going in that getting the door to seal properly against the wood was going to be an issue. I went to Ace Hardware and they had small strips of stainless that I drilled then nailed to the front of my wooden cuff/collar. Now the magnetic seal on the door seals against the steel even thought the surface isn't perfectly plum.

Look at the front surface in the second pic. Those are enough to pull the door shut if it's near the collar.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/i-stole-twoheadsbrewings-idea-kegerator-92577/
 
You are wrong. The beer will continue to absorb CO2 until it reaches and equilibrium. If there is a constant supply the beer will continue to absorb to saturation. This is why Bernulli's Principal is important. I am sure that I spelled his name wrong, but the point is that temperature, volume of liquid, and pressure will determine the equilibrium and CO2 saturation of the brew. The simple answer is that you are not loosing CO2, it is being absorbed into your beer and this lowers the pressure in the keg. The other factor is temp. When the keg is cold pressures can be lower because the beer more readily absorbs CO2. If you pulled the keg out of the keezer and let it warm up, your pressure will sky rocket. So you haven't lost the CO2, its just in the beer. S:tank:

so i was going with this until this morning when my co2 tank was empty and i had beer all over the bottom. It comes out that after all that, the damn threads of the disconects were where the problem was. I remedied that with a bit of teflon tape and its sealed right up :) You were right also, the beer continues to absorb co2 for quite a while until its saturated (i figured that should be overwith in a few days but it took much longer)

I'm a cheap bastage and only had a freebie mini fridge on hand. I knew going in that getting the door to seal properly against the wood was going to be an issue. I went to Ace Hardware and they had small strips of stainless that I drilled then nailed to the front of my wooden cuff/collar. Now the magnetic seal on the door seals against the steel even thought the surface isn't perfectly plum.

Look at the front surface in the second pic. Those are enough to pull the door shut if it's near the collar.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/i-stole-twoheadsbrewings-idea-kegerator-92577/

now i just have to find out if the old weatherstripping is still magnetic. I was looking a your thread but somehow i missed the stainless addition. Very nice. Thanks for the idea!
 
so i was going with this until this morning when my co2 tank was empty and i had beer all over the bottom. It comes out that after all that, the damn threads of the disconects were where the problem was. I remedied that with a bit of teflon tape and its sealed right up :) You were right also, the beer continues to absorb co2 for quite a while until its saturated (i figured that should be overwith in a few days but it took much longer)



now i just have to find out if the old weatherstripping is still magnetic. I was looking a your thread but somehow i missed the stainless addition. Very nice. Thanks for the idea!

I feel your pain. The whole loose connection thing, ya, been there. Seabee John has been there multiple times. So don't feel bad. I think it happens to everyone at one point or another. Also ya on the second part. It takes much longer than you would expect. I freaked the first time I checked a keg and cracked the CO2 and she hissed. Then it dawned on me, Bernulli ! Oh yea. LOL. Chit, that stuff I learned in college really does have a practical application. LOL. Sean
 
so i ended up finding the leak when i came home again and i had beer all over the bottom of my keezer. The area around the nut didint have a proper seal so it was oozing out beer and leaking co2. Crappy design on that one i guess. I switched it to a solid one piece disconnect and everythings ok. Oddly enough, i also have pin lock kegs and from what i can tell, they leak due to poor design of the same disconnects. I may be jumping the gun but if anything touches the disconnect it will disengage and his air out of the bottom where its actually hooked in (and yes i checked and there seated properly)...im pretty sure thats not supposed to happen....pic for reference
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so i ended up finding the leak when i came home again and i had beer all over the bottom of my keezer. The area around the nut didint have a proper seal so it was oozing out beer and leaking co2. Crappy design on that one i guess. I switched it to a solid one piece disconnect and everythings ok. Oddly enough, i also have pin lock kegs and from what i can tell, they leak due to poor design of the same disconnects. I may be jumping the gun but if anything touches the disconnect it will disengage and his air out of the bottom where its actually hooked in (and yes i checked and there seated properly)...im pretty sure thats not supposed to happen....pic for reference

quickconnects.jpg


Leak at 1, 2, or 3?
 
A couple things...

That nut at connection #2 above is a flare fitting. Do not use teflon tape on flare or compression nuts. When you take that nut off, is the end of the male threads rubber? If it's all metal, you need a gasket in there.

If the leak is between the disconnect and the keg post, you might have an Oring issue. I also have pinlocks and have found that the quoted #111 Oring you typically find on the forums is really mean for ball locks. There are two solutions I've found. First, the #111 size works if it's silicone. Size #112 also works well. It fits in the post groove a little loose, but when you put the disconnect on it seals well.

Paint that wood collar.
 
quickconnects.jpg


Leak at 1, 2, or 3?

leak at 1 and 2. On the pinlock kegs im leaking from 1, and on my ball lock and pinlock im leaking from #2.

A couple things...

That nut at connection #2 above is a flare fitting. Do not use teflon tape on flare or compression nuts. When you take that nut off, is the end of the male threads rubber? If it's all metal, you need a gasket in there.
At first i didnt have any teflon tape and when it leaked from around the nut i added it. The tape doesnt intrude on the end where the seal is made only around the threads. It stopped leaking as far as i can tell. Theres no rubber on the head of the coupler where i screw in- only a small red peice of plastic which is integrated with the tap.
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If the leak is between the disconnect and the keg post, you might have an Oring issue. I also have pinlocks and have found that the quoted #111 Oring you typically find on the forums is really mean for ball locks. There are two solutions I've found. First, the #111 size works if it's silicone. Size #112 also works well. It fits in the post groove a little loose, but when you put the disconnect on it seals well.

Paint that wood collar.

What do you mean oring? i dont see any type of o-ring located on the bottom of the disconnect- only plastic and a small black peg which sticks out....could you please elaborate? And i did int paint the collar because i chose to polyurethane it instead. PLus its sitting in my garage so im not going for aesthetics.

edit: I misread your post. I changed the orings on the posts so i doubt there leaking from that point although maybe i got the wrong size? they seem snug
 
finally got it figured out....it was a faulty fitting. Got a new one and its solved :) That paint is the bomb...ive used it on EVERYTHING. Someone else on here painted there kegs
 
cool, i might have to try that.

i'll be doing the same thing to my keezer. should be fun. only bad part is I gotta get it downstairs first....

....and none of my deadbeat friends will come help me.....
 
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