Very basic keezer build question

OK, I picked up an old deep freeze and a temp control system. it's big enough to hold 6 corny kegs plus two 20# gas tanks. If I don't plan on throwing a fancy wood frame on it, and since it's tall enough not to need a collar, are there any special steps I'd need to take if I wanted to run the taps out of the front of the keezer rather than thru a tower?

I'm starting with 4 taps and may upgrade to the full 6 eventually. With them coming straight out of the freezer body would it behoove me to add some sort of insulation (either pink foamboard variety or some manner of expanding spray) around the taps?

And if at some point I decided to add the wood shell how would it be best to fill those holes to prevent it from venting cold air?


One last question: Can someone point me to generic keezer plans? I tried to search the web and this site for "keezer plans" and got a million hits for "my keezer project" but nothing as to a generic, "these are the things you need to do."

Thanks in advance

you will likely kill the freezer trying to drill through the front. Most likely there are coolant lines to hit. If you dont want a collar then the other option is to build a tower or coffin of some type. Drilling thru the lid is safe.

If you don't want a tower and you are already seeing the possibility of adding a collar later then installing one now might be the easiest route.

Yeah. As others have said DO NOT drill thought the front. If you want a simple no effort keezer just to get you started consider four picnic taps instead. The only downside is you have to open the lid to get beer. But if you don't want to build a collar your only option is to go through the lid.

I think right now the "coffin" at the top seems like my best bet. it leaves the versatility for eventually upgrading to a more decorative cabinet.

Any links to generic plans for that sort of thing?

If it helps, the type of info I'm looking for is:
Where is it safe to insert the thermometer end of the temp control?
How do you mount the tower/coffin to the top in the most stable fashion?
Maybe other things that aren't even occuring to me.

I dont have plans but you can look at my keezer build - lots of pics. i did a coffin. i think you have a good idea making the coffin as it will work if you ever upgrade to wood paneling. just make your box deep enough to accomodate your shank, tail peice and hose. Make sure it's tall enough for a pitcher of your tallest glass to fit under. Make it wide enough for the maximimum number of taps that will fit in the freezer - you will undoubtedly add more taps.

you will also (likely) have to figure out how you are going to install and account for some sort of drip tray.

deadboy said:

If it helps, the type of info I'm looking for is:
Where is it safe to insert the thermometer end of the temp control?
How do you mount the tower/coffin to the top in the most stable fashion?
Maybe other things that aren't even occuring to me.

Click to expand...

This may help - (The plywood that I am referring to is a plywood sheet that you use to go over the freezer lid, you then attach the coffin or tower to the wood, that way if you want to decorate the top - tiling or stone or something like that - its easier to do onto wood that onto the metal lid)

Jeebas said:

Step 1 - Place screw into hinge so they don't snap open when you remove the freezer lid from the top of the hinges.
Step 2 - Remove freezer lid from hinges.
Step 3 - Using a jigsaw, make 2-3" holes in the plywood for lines and air circulation.
Step 4 - Using a bimetal holesaw, drill holes to match to holes in the plywood. Line them up.
Step 5 - Buy tee nuts and hex bolts. Sink tee nuts into plywood lid.
Step 6 - Drill holes for hex bolts through the lid.
Step 7 - Secure bolts into tee nuts. The lids are now "as one"
Step 8 - Reattach lid to hinges.

There are other things you may need to do based on what kind of freezer you have and what kind of insulation is in the freezer lid, but that's the basics of it.

You can take a look here - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/jeebass-3-phase-keezer-project-240063/#post3612962

Or most of the builds threads on here have some reference to this process as well.

Click to expand...

That all helps quite a bit. The plastic that lines the top of my freezer is curved for whatever reason. I'm likely to have to cut that out and add a layer of the pink insulation sheathing, then put plywood on both the outside and the inside to allow for a solid connection between the top and the inside.

Hadn't considered T-nuts. I was just thinking carriage bolts on the top and regular nuts on the inside.

Ok, knowing that I'm going to incorporate a drip tray I'll want to build the space for it to recess into the coffin box rather than just cutting a section from the lid of the freezer. Just typing it out I realize cutting the lid like that is a bad idea...



I really liked that Idea and am planning to modify it by T-ing off the connection at the top and using a pair of 4" PC fans to suck the cold air up from the bottom and push it up top. I was going to power them with a rigged ATX power supply on the outside and just run the wires in via small conduit with the temp control sensor. Does that sound reasonable? Is there a flaw I don't see? Is there a better cheap fan/power supply solution?

OK, MAIN QUESTION:

Where is the safest place/what is the safest way to run the temp control sensor into the freezer without damaging the integrity of the freezer?

deadboy said:

OK, MAIN QUESTION:

Where is the safest place/what is the safest way to run the temp control sensor into the freezer without damaging the integrity of the freezer?

Click to expand...

Sorry I just realized that my quoted post wasn't necessarily directly related to where to run the sensor.

The quick answer to your main question is - Through the holes in the lid that you will make for the beer lines to go in you can see the plywood top with the holes drilled out here - (the freezer lid is under the plywood and has the holes drilled through as well). The inner dimension of the coffin box is outlined in marker on the wood.



If you make holes of any kind into any part of the freezer other than the lid, you risk hitting coolant lines and ruining the freezer.

Ok, that makes sense. Most of the build pics I'd seen had the wiring coming in under the plastic seal on the lid (as you can see on the pic I included in my last post). That seemed like it would create a gap for air to escape thus decreasing efficiency.

deadboy said:

Ok, that makes sense. Most of the build pics I'd seen had the wiring coming in under the plastic seal on the lid (as you can see on the pic I included in my last post). That seemed like it would create a gap for air to escape thus decreasing efficiency.

Click to expand...

Yeah I was forced do to the "hang the sensor wire over the seal" arrangement before I built the lid and panels, when I was just using picnic taps. The other thing that it causes is a lot of condensation to build on the inside of the freezer.

Condensation shouldn't be a HUGE issue since it's not going to be below freezing but it's certainly not going to help anything. I know I need airflow to the coffin to keep the tap lines cool. Do I need to worry about forcing air up there or should the holes be enough?

Ok, thanks for all your help. It's not pretty yet, but it's fully functional. I had a pint of Altbier and a pint of IPA fresh from the tap and it was so delicious. I got 3 standard taps and a stout tap installed. The stout tap won't see use though till this weekend when the Beavr Nuts Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout is ready. I REALLY can't wait for that.