Insulating Beer Tower

I put a draft tower on my Frigidaire mini and I made a hole that was just big enough to fit the beer line through.

I've seen people making bigger holes to fit copper pipes through and then insulating the tower with foam pieces.

Since I created a small opening should I still add foam to the interior of the tower?

Also, would regular home insulation be good enough to add? I have some sections of pink insulation that would be easy to shove in there.

I intend on using pipe insulation. You should also consider a fan to draw the cold air up through the tower.

Yes, but are you going to stuff foam into the draft tower?

It seems like people do this.

If so, what is the point of the fan?

Isnt the foam blocking air flow?

Typically you insulate along the inside wall of the tower, leaving enough room to either run copper sleeves up from the kegerator/keezer to conduct heat back to where it can be chilled, or run a 1" ID hose up from a small fan to push cold air into the tower then return along whatever gaps exist between all the plumbing.

If you just pack the tower column with insulation, that will slow down the warming, but won't prevent the beer lines from eventually reaching the ambient temperature of the room...

Cheers!

I lined my tower with a thin layer of flexible foam, and ran a hose to the top. The hose is connected to a fan in the bottom of the kegerator.

If I don't let the fan run for a little while before I pour, I get more foam in the first glass.

With the fan on, the tower is cool to the touch, but the taps are COLD.

The insulation definitely helps.

msmith92 said:

Yes, but are you going to stuff foam into the draft tower?

It seems like people do this.

If so, what is the point of the fan?

Isnt the foam blocking air flow?

Click to expand...

I have a full three inch hole that goes into my three inch tower. I am going to insulate the outer portion (there is already a thin foam around my tower, but there is probably an inch open around the three lines) then run a fan to force the extra air. If I am not getting the airflow that I need (dont think it will be an issue) I will just run some copper through there and hope that carries the cold enough.