Quick Help On Possible Purchase

alright guys, i found this online and i'm very tempted to grab it-i just dont know if there is something fishy. (yes i know i started a thread about kegerators yesterday, but i found this in my searching) its a converted mid size fridge, for $375. description from seller is:

This is a duel tap kegerator conversion. Holds full keg or 2 small ones . It is a med sized westinghouse frost free fridg. freezer. can run 1 keg through both taps or two kes through sepirate taps. freezer great for those frozen mugs!!! includes 20 lbs Co2 cylindr and duel gauge regulator.






what do you guys think? i'd like to move on this if it seems sound. only thing is that it says it can hold 2 small kegs, i would think you would be able to get atleast three cornies in there. if i only had two cornies, i was thinking maybe fitting a carboy in there for lagering or using the extra space for bulk storage...

I have a 14 cu. ft. that held 4 cornies when I used it as a kegger. Had to put the CO2 outside. $375 seems rather high.

Looks to me like you could get at least 3 cornies in there. When he says "kegs", he might be referring to sankey kegs. IN WHICH CASE, you might have to switch out the tap disconnects to ball/pin disconnects. But otherwise it looks kosher to me. No idea how old the fridge is, but considering that you get a 20lb tank, regulator, 2 taps and a drip tray, it sounds like an okay deal. Not a steal or anything, but not bad either. Ask him how old the fridge is, then, when he tells you how old it is (probably at least 5 years), offer him $300. See if you can negotiate down!

The tank and a regulator would run you around $150-$200.

The taps and shanks would run about $30 each.

If the fridge works well (gets nice and cold without running 24/7) it's probably a good deal.

That connector though will not fit a corny keg so you'd need to cut that off and refit with normal ball lock connectors (about $6.00 each).

Look for an inspection date on that tank though. Any thing older than 5 years old and it will need to be recertified for a nominal fee.

Yup.... what those guys said.

thanks for the real quick replies guys. i'm pretty bummed right now, it was on ebay and says free shipping, but the guy is saying its only for pick up now definitely not paying for shipping on a fridge from NC to NJ

defenestrate said:

thanks for the real quick replies guys. i'm pretty bummed right now, it was on ebay and says free shipping, but the guy is saying its only for pick up now definitely not paying for shipping on a fridge from NC to NJ

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I'd start hitting up Craigslist for fridges and start cobbling together the other essentials as you are able.

flyangler18 said:

I'd start hitting up Craigslist for fridges and start cobbling together the other essentials as you are able.

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yeah, i'm starting to find a lot of chest freezers, i think i'm going to go that route. so on top of the freezer, if i wanted 2 taps, i'm basically looking at spending another 250?

Well you can get a tower with faucets for 129 at adventures in homebrewing. Regulator will run 50 splitter will run 20 co2 tank varies and hoses are next to nothing to buy, think I built my last one with new freezer from home depot for 400, go the used route i'd say 300. If you want to add a collar plus 20ish. Well worth it considering the one I have now (I had to sell my old one due to moving) cost 600 out of bed bath and beyond, but I had to replace the tower and regulator. Luckily it was a weding gift.

Check out the 'Show us your kegerator' thread for ideas; If you go the keezer (freezer based kegerator) route, you might want to just consider a collar, with shanks/taps rather then a tower. Cheaper, and you don't have to worry about opening the lid with a tower attached. Hope you find something that will fit the bill!

I think $375 is fair, but not for a homebrewer. This is setup for sanke, which means you still have to buy corny kegs and disconnects. That will probably run you another $100. I'd explain that to the guy, and offer him $275. Who knows, he may just bite...

BTW, i've got this same fridge and it will fit 4 cornies easily with room in the center for bottles or the CO2 tank. I've even squeezed in 5 kegs with the CO2 tank outside, but it's pretty tight.

maybe i can get this guy down to 100, GE Deep Freezer
seems like a pretty new freezer and that size should hold 3 cornies right? then maybe i'll pick up a smaller one to do lagers in. i like the idea of a tower, but i do want to keep price down. does opening the top have any negative effects if you run a tower?

The only negative affect is added weight on the hinges, possible wobbly tower (if not on real tight), and possibility of smashing your tower when you open it. As long as you're careful about it, a tower will work just fine.

defenestrate said:

maybe i can get this guy down to 100, GE Deep Freezer
seems like a pretty new freezer and that size should hold 3 cornies right? then maybe i'll pick up a smaller one to do lagers in. i like the idea of a tower, but i do want to keep price down. does opening the top have any negative effects if you run a tower?

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I'd recommend against a tower for several reasons:

1. You have to drill a hole in your lid which cannot be reversed.
2. You have a tower...then you have a drip tray. No way opening that lid with a drip tray is anything less than a complete hassle.
3. Once the lid is open...no beer for you.
4. Your restricted to maybe two taps while there are many more kegs in the chest.
5. Price.
6. You'll be in and out of the chest many, many times and the wear and tear will take it's toll on a tower.
7. A collar will set you back less than $20, plus however many taps you decide to install.

If you end up keeping your CO2 tank on the outside (which I do), you'll need to install a collar anyway so you can drill a hole and run your gas line inside.

Anyway, good luck on your search. Here's some enticement.

amazing. is that a 10 cf?
before reading your post i had opted for the collar for the reasons of installing more taps down the road, returning the freezer to its original duties, etc. just icing on the cake now.

i'm dealing with a few people right now for freezers off craiglist so hopefully within a few days i'll have one. i think i would be ok with a 5 cf b/c i don't see myself having more than 4 taps (but who knows).

so beirmuncher, i have a couple quick questions. how did you attach the collar to the freezer? i see that you have silicon on the seams.
also, are you just running off 1 regulator? all the kegs running the same carbonation levels?

My brother can fit six kegs in a standard over-under fridge that he got. THat's six cornies. He only has five taps on it, though, so I only give him five at a time usually.

I have a chest freezer kegorator with a center tower. I would not do that again, because every time I open the lid, I hit one of the taps on the shelf behind it, it opens, and if hooked up to beer I get a mess. BUT, it looks cool and people like it.

oh, and if you keep your eyes on craigs list for a few weeks you find whatever style of fridge or freezer you want, plus you can find co2 tanks, cornelius kegs, etc. Then you go buy the final parts at LHBS (shutoff-valve-splitter).

defenestrate said:

...so beirmuncher, i have a couple quick questions. how did you attach the collar to the freezer? i see that you have silicon on the seams.
also, are you just running off 1 regulator? all the kegs running the same carbonation levels?

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The wood frame was glued and brad nailed together. To attach to the freezer, it was a simple zig-zag bead of silicone caulk and then a bead on the outside and inside edges to smooth it out and better insulate.

I only have one regulator. Many folks employ two (or more). Most of my beers I like to carbonate at English Ale levels. For my "public" beers, I have a two-tap unit upstairs and those beers are generally carb'd at higher levels because those are more BMC like beers.

BierMuncher said:

The wood frame was glued and brad nailed together. To attach to the freezer, it was a simple zig-zag bead of silicone caulk and then a bead on the outside and inside edges to smooth it out and better insulate.

I only have one regulator. Many folks employ two (or more). Most of my beers I like to carbonate at English Ale levels. For my "public" beers, I have a two-tap unit upstairs and those beers are generally carb'd at higher levels because those are more BMC like beers.

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the collar sounds easy enough. i think im going to pick up this up on saturday, same town as me, cheap and looks good enough for 4. GE chest freezer

i guess if i'm running 4 taps, i could get a dual regulator, that should be able to cover the carb levels enough (2 on each pressure) although i might just employ a single reg for cost sakes in the beginning. i have 2 batches down the basement that i was going to bottle in the next couple days but i think i'll wait another week or so let them be the virgin taps.

You'll get two kegs in there, tops. Maybe three if you set the keg on the compressor hump and build a tall enough collar.

He may get three on the lower level. Hard to tell by the pic.

Either way...for $40? If it gets cold, you can't go wrong.

BierMuncher said:

He may get three on the lower level. Hard to tell by the pic.

Either way...for $40? If it gets cold, you can't go wrong.

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Damn skippy. Even if he outgrows it for serving, it'd make a damn fine ferm-cabinet.

BierMuncher said:

He may get three on the lower level. Hard to tell by the pic.

Either way...for $40? If it gets cold, you can't go wrong.

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thats what i was thinking (referring to the cant go wrong) if it doesnt work out for a keezer, i'll turn it into a lagerator

that does look like a 2 kegger, but with a collar and your gas on the outside (tall collar) you could fit four probably.

flyangler18 said:

Damn skippy. Even if he outgrows it for serving, it'd make a damn fine ferm-cabinet.

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+1

I bet it would hold a body...no problem.

whats the footprint of a corny? i'll make a cardboard cut out for when i check it out. if it wont work, i'll offer 30

9.5" diameter