How To: Convert Oster 5.0 to Kegerator

All done! Here is some documentation for those that want to see it.

Oster Conversion!

Very nice looking finished project and well documented as well.

I kept forgetting to stop and take photos when I was doing mine.

Slipgate said:

All done! Here is some documentation for those that want to see it.

Oster Conversion!

Click to expand...

Slipgate said:

All done! Here is some documentation for those that want to see it.

Oster Conversion!

Click to expand...

NICE!!!
one question, was there any fear of hitting any lines when drilling or remounting thermostat? Do you know where the line runs? I am currently using mine with picnic taps until I am willing to spend the money to upgrade to a tap tower. I have the thermostat just sitting on top of the keg with the lightbulb unscrewed and I really don't want to leave it like that. I just have a fear of screwing into a freon line.

I am not sure - someone else said that the only cooling in this frig is the visible plate on the back. But in either case, if you just slowly screw the screw in, you should be able to detect when/if it hits a coolant line. It took like 10 seconds to get that in.

Thanks for posting this... I see a kegerator in my future!

looks like you spend $530 on the fridge and tower kit with no upgrades no tax ? doesn't include the plywood or $5 fan etc..
kegconnection has a 2 keg fridge with 2 kegs, tower etc.. for $595 http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=186

good job on the project, just not sure if it's worth the $65 difference

FEARDIZ said:

looks like you spend $530 on the fridge and tower kit with no upgrades no tax ? doesn't include the plywood or $5 fan etc..
kegconnection has a 2 keg fridge with 2 kegs, tower etc.. for $595 http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=186

good job on the project, just not sure if it's worth the $65 difference

Click to expand...

Don't forget the added cost of shipping from Texas to MD.

Totally worth the difference.

Slipgate - How are you doing on temperature? I am using picnic taps for now. (3/16" @ 5') I notice the temp at the bottom of the frig is 38F and on top is 44F. After pouring the beer temp in the glass is 44F. I have the frig set to max.

I need to get a thermometer and check, I have it set on 5 though and that IMO is prefect for drinking the beer.

I think that my fan setup does a lot in evening out the temp in the frig. By circulating the air through the tower, the cold air is forced up where it naturally falls to the bottom of the frig, creating an even temp throughout.

Slipgate said:

I need to get a thermometer and check, I have it set on 5 though and that IMO is prefect for drinking the beer.

I think that my fan setup does a lot in evening out the temp in the frig. By circulating the air through the tower, the cold air is forced up where it naturally falls to the bottom of the frig, creating an even temp throughout.

Click to expand...

yea maybe I'll add a fan to circulate even though I didn't add a tower yet. Also I am wondering if it is because I have it in the garage. I do remember something in the manual about outside air temp affecting the performance of the frig. Gonna have to play around and see. Also I noticed this morning the top temp went down to 42F maybe it is just taking a long time for the kegs to get down to frig temp. I had them out for a while yesterday when I was remounting the thermostat.

jay415 said:

yea maybe I'll add a fan to circulate even though I didn't add a tower yet. Also I am wondering if it is because I have it in the garage. I do remember something in the manual about outside air temp affecting the performance of the frig. Gonna have to play around and see. Also I noticed this morning the top temp went down to 42F maybe it is just taking a long time for the kegs to get down to frig temp. I had them out for a while yesterday when I was remounting the thermostat.

Click to expand...

Having it outside does not help. Mine is in the basement which is around 69. The frig insulation will slow the loss of cooling and absorbtion of outside heat, but will not stop it. Around here right now it is 95-105 during the day outside. If my frig were outside, I imagine it would be a lot warmer!

Surely you can fnd 4 sq feet inside to put that kegerator in!

Is the oster 5.6 the new sanyo 4950, or whatever that number was? or is it the same fridge just with a different name?

It is a different fridge but it works out well. The only thing that gets in the way is the thermostat, which is very easy to move higher. Plenty of room for 2 kegs and a 5lb CO2 tank on the back shelf. That is the setup I have.

Word of warning...the compressor on my Oster 5.0 burned out after 6 weeks. It had plenty of air circulation, so I don't know what caused the failure.

best to do before modding these or anything else, is to run them for a while for breakage. you might have to buy a new top from an online source and replace the top and what ever else you have to to return.

Fortunately, I hadn't drilled out the top. I did have to move the thermostat, as anyone will to try to fit 2 cornys in the Oster. However, I am going to move it back and return it to the store. I know that the moving of the temp control had nothing to do with it burning out. I didn't have to rewire, because the wiring harness has enough extra wire to move the control box up ~ 4 inches (enough to clear the tops of the cornys).

will this setup fit a 15.5 gal standard keg?

drluke21 said:

will this setup fit a 15.5 gal standard keg?

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NO TO THE 15 GAL 1/2 KEG. Not even close, these are small mini fridges.

I'm thinking I'm going to do this for my two tap kegerator. Just to be on the safe side, does anyone know that commercial 1/6 kegs will fit in there with the standard coupler? From the pictures, it looks like there's enough clearance, but I want to be sure before I do all kinds of modding, only to have my heart broken when I'm 1/4" short or something. Also, will both of them fit side to side?

FYI: The inside of the Oster is exactly 18" wide. 2 1/6 = 18 1/2" - BUT, with some staggering, the 1/6s will probably fit. I think that someone here said they got 2 1/6 kegs to fit.

I was at a Best Buy in the northern burbs of Atlanta. The Oster 5.0 model is being discontinued and they only had 3 left, 1 in a box that was sold (being held for customer), 1 in a box that was seriously damaged and the open box. I got the open box and he knocked $20 off.

MikeG said:

I was at a Best Buy in the northern burbs of Atlanta. The Oster 5.0 model is being discontinued and they only had 3 left, 1 in a box that was sold (being held for customer), 1 in a box that was seriously damaged and the open box. I got the open box and he knocked $20 off.

Click to expand...

Wow, glad I picked one up a couple of weeks ago! :cross:

I finished my conversion using these instructions a few weeks ago and just wanted to say thanks for the guide!

I would include pics but have nothing to add to the guide in that regard but here are some things I'd like to add:

I glued in my plywood before drilling any holes. I then proceeded to drill the pilot hole straight through. Removed the top and drilled the larger hole from inside fridge upwards then replaced the top to make sure the pilot hole aligned (no adjustment needed, it was spot on) and finished the hole on the top drilling down.

When moving the thermostat housing I only disconnected the red (switch) and white (neutral) wires. I notched the housing (didn't drill a hole) to allow the wiring to go around the bump-out on the side of the fridge. The wiring was barely long enough to do this but I think it's a case by case basis as each fridge is probably unique in the length of wire installed. I proceeded in connect the extension plug for the fan.

I had issues to the fan cooling the tower that is unrelated to the guide here so currently it's off. I'll turn it back on if I start having foaming issue with my 5' lines.

I'd like to rig something up to hold the Co2 tank in place. Again, thanks for the guide!

I finished mine last month.

I love it! Wished I had done this long ago.

Jma, it fits that spot perfect!

Here's my pics:
Picasa Web Albums - Mike - Keggerator

On tap
left: (and poured) Brewers Best American Micro Style Pale Ale
right: Pumpkin Ale