Advice for new kegerator build out -- apartment fridge, 3 lines, CO2 outside, lines run through wall...

[kfinke70]

My utility room is behind my bar wall, so I can put a full size (top freezer, 16 cuft) unit behind the taps. I intend to drill through the side of the unit (right side if looking at it). It's not ancient, so what I can gather is the sides should be safe. I will be looking up schematics and will follow the advice here on drilling. The unit will sit directly against the same 2x4 wall as the tap handles.

I have two main questions.

1. Do I drill one hole for the 4 lines? 3 beer and 1 co2? How would I know what size and how would I insulate it again? Just like the spray foam insulation? Or, do I drill 4 individual holes with shanks for each? Then 3 more holes through the wall with shanks again to the faucets?
2. The Lines would run for maybe 2' as they come out of the fridge side and turn 90 degrees into the wall. I thought about just wrapping them in foam. Is that distance too great? Do I need some sort of coolant system for that distance?

Thanks,
K

 

[duncan.brown]

I have a somewhat similar set up in this post. I went with a piece of 3" PVC pipe to carry the lines through the wall. That makes it easy to drill one hole, make a trunk line, and route it through the pipe. The lines in the PVC pipe are insulated with insulation tape and I wedge two pieces of pipe insulation in either end to prevent any air flow inside the pipe. I searched the forums before deciding on a cooling option, but since: (i) i had a glycol chiller for my fermenter anyway, (ii) my beer tower has glycol lines, and (iii) my line length is closer to 8', I went with glycol for remote cooling.

At 2' you might be able to get away without remote cooling (although your taps will be at room temperature, which could cause foaming). Given the short length of you line, you could always add a couple of PEX or copper tubes to your trunk line. If you don't need them, great, but they are there if you do need them. If you do need cooling, then I suspect at 2' length you could get away with pumping 39F water from the keezer and you don't need a 29F glycol loop.