beer tower install on bev air

[RRL]

So I am getting ready to drilling and installing my tap tower on my kegerator and got a couple ideas but would love to hear your opinion or ideas.....


For starters I am using copper pipes as a method of keeping the beer lines / tower cold. Currently they are pre cut to stick inside the fridge 3" each but I can always solder in some extensions if that is insufficient.

this is the insulation I am using for the copper

Right now I plan on installing the tap / tower between the 1st and 2nd door closest to the evap fan so that the copper will get constant cold air blown on them. Figuring that is the best spot as it will be out of the way and in between door openings and close enough to the evap fan for optimal cooling. (or would it be too close and cause the lines to become too close?)


Its a triple tap tower and I am installing all 3 copper lengths individually wrapped in shown insulation. I would then find 3" or 3.5" pvc pipe and put the insulated copper pipes inside it and that PVC pipe would fit inside my tower and still allow roughly a 7/8? (3"pvc) gap between each other or under a 1/4" (3.5"pvc) gap that I could add some kind of removable non permanent foam (I was thinking on using a pool noodle and cutting it up to insert between the tower and PVC) for further insulation. For in between the insulated copper and pvc void I was planning on filling with big gap filler spray foam.



Would you drill 1 large hole through the top or just a hole large enough for each copper piece / beer line.

Would you drill it large enough to fit the pvc pipe through the hole *snug* or leave it so that the pvc sits on top of the fridge.

Id use some tin tape to seal the exposed insulation and could further tin tape the pvc to the top of the fridge to ensure an airtight seal.


Ive also seen this, which seemed like an awesome idea if I could match up the bolt pattern on the tower to the flange... are the towers that "flimsy" and could use the added stability?

sorry for the long thread... but there's no going back once I cut this fridge up... and these fridges are NOT a dime a dozen...


pic of fridge... (tower would be going between door 2 and 3 closest to compressor (looking at pic)

THANKS!!!!

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I ran a single line inside a single tube of 3/4 copper then T'ed off across the top of the fridge to get as much cold transfer up the tower copper as possible.I upgraded to a 2 tap tower and didn't use any copper and to be honest I feel theres no difference.I Always have a bit of a first foamy pour either way. My method was to Slide a piece of pvc up the tower and about an inch sticking into the fridge.That inch gives something to seal the hole and pvc to with silicone.I think its 2 1/2" (double check that)pvc that gives a dead tight perfect seal inside the tower with the foam the tower came with.

Edit.Im going to say there is zero chance your going to fit 3 copper lines wrapped in foam inside pvc inside a tower.Im thinking one line like that would be tight

 

[RRL]

did your fridge have an "evap" fan that constantly runs? I could see possibly the copper not have as much of an effect if its just sitting. This units fan runs 24/7 to blow cold air across it. The copper ends are in direct path of that fan which was my goal as I have heard of some people having no success with using copper.

I agree that most of the time the 1st pour tends to be a lil foamy for various reasons which I def can live with.


I bought my tower used for 50 bucks or so, came with one of those complete trays that has a cup rinser and drip tray all in one that the tower bolts on top of.

I did have to change out all the lines and faucets.... but for the tower and tray itself I felt like it was worth my time and money.


seeing its a commercial tower.. its roughly 4" ID vs the towers being sold are 3"



The fridge I have doesnt have a pre driller tower hole for it... so I got to do everything from scratch


I wanted a buddy of mine to machine me these parts, that matched the tower bolt pattern, would of clamped / sealed the drilled hole and added stability for the tower but he's been too busy

this is the tower here... not too many pics but yea... I already had to drill out the faucet holes to fit the taps I bought to replace them. (perlics)

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I'll ask as nicely as possible as not offend others.

Have you bought your tower yet?
Does it come with faucets?
Did you upgrade the cheap ones that came with it?
If so what did you choose?
Have you considered Perlick 650ss with flow control?
Have you heard of them?
If not you should seriously consider them as they will end all your lines balancing issues,foamy beer,flat foamy beer and will be your kegging best friend for life.
As you mentioned your fridge aint cheap,would an additional $20 per tap for hassle free pours be out of line?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I have a commercial fridge also that has a internal fan(not the same brand as yours) I think it only comes on when the compressor kicks in,which is quite often.My advise was for a standard 3" tower.Post a pic of the tower,cant hurt. If you have a custom type large tower I'm thinking not many will have those and your measurements will be all you have to go by.

 

[RRL]

Im not too stressed about foamy beer just yet... ive got the means to correct that IF that does occur. I am coming from a 1 tap kegerator, was burning through 1 half barrel too quickly so opted to a larger fridge to store more beer. scored this bev air for a good price.

To fill in some details for other curious by passers.

I bought chromed faucets. I like to call them disposables lol... their brand new and will work fine for the time being. for now I got 1 SS perlic (without FC) and 2 chromed ones mind you I am only going to run 2 kegs as I stock half barrels.


Yea I got my measurements down pretty well to a T... its just a matter of choice and what people would think would be best and or optimal...


beer lines inside copper, copper inside insulation wrap, insulation wrap inside PVC pipe, PVC pipe inside tower. each individually insulated.

drilling 1 large hole, tin tape seal pvc sitting on top.

drill 1 large hole pvc seats inside drilled hole snug and flush to the top of the inside of fridge.

drill 3 separate holes for each copper / beer line, tin tape to seal everything.

those are the options ive thought of and came up with. as to what will be easiest to work with, what will be the most efficient , easiest to work with is where I am unsure.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

As far as the hole I used a basic hole saw.
That piece you want machined almost looks like its meant as a spacer.Like if you were mounting the tower on a granite bar top with an undercounter fridge with a space between the two.(like mine).The tower wont move with the screws the way its meant to be.You just pre drill the holes and use tapered bolts washers and nuts on the inside of the fridge top.Your not using it to pry off a roof,your only pulling a tap.

 

[RRL]

Yea, long term wise this set up is going to end up on top of a bar counter which will sit roughly 6" above the fridge top (to allow room to run the cup rinser and drain lines) but thats a future plan thats been put on a long waiting list.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

For the space between the top of the fridge and the bottom of the bar top I have PVC wrapped in pipe insulation that does the trick.For now Id just bolt it to the fridge.If you have someone willing to fabricate a custom spacer with the same bolt pattern that just ups the cool factor..Good luck with your project

 

[RRL]

Thanks!



So far this option is what your going by... "My method was to Slide a piece of pvc up the tower and about an inch sticking into the fridge.That inch gives something to seal the hole and pvc to with silicone" (so through the drilled hole and up the PVC)


The trick is to find the proper sized hole saw lol... may be interesting as Im not about to spend 100+ on a full kit lol... someone I know should have what i need if I dont nontheless

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Don't oversize the hole past the tower diameter.The screw holes are surprisingly close..like an 1/8" of an inch past tower diameter

 

[RRL]

yea... the hole will be a mm or so smaller then the pvc or same size so the pvc slips in tightly.... (the pvc will be 7/8 to 1/4 smaller then the tower ontop of that. so should have plenty of room.


goal is to do it as clean as possible without doing anything too nasty to the tower or fridge as plans will change on how the tower is mounted to the fridge when I get a bar built. (same location obviously) but definitely wont be mounted right to it but yea

 

[RRL]

So I got the beer line "cooler" insulated and wrapped in tin tape.

Looks like ill be able to fit that tightly in a 2.5" pvc pipe so should work out well if I can find a bit that will drill large enough to fit that size of pipe snug inside the hole and make a tight seal.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Id be curios to see how cold the copper gets.If theres a way to test the copper temp at the top of the tower Id like to see it..Its a trade off with the copper stuffed in there theres no air flow as opposed to an open 3"hole with air circulation

 

[RRL]

Yea I am curious myself as to how well it will work. 1st time doing it so im only going with what ive read and seen.

For now though I am only using 2 of the 3 taps, 1 of the copper lengths (in this case it will be the middle tap) will be "vacant" but nothing is going to be directly blowing cold air up it.


I wasnt sure if I should insulate all the copper together, or individually or if I really do need any air flow as copper conducts cold very efficiently as long as theres a constant cold source in which this case evap fan blowing air on the ends.

The pvc to tower insulation should keep any heat source away from the copper as well which is my reasoning for the "double" layer of insulation to keep the copper away from any other kind of temperature

 

[RRL]

ideally though... copper should hold / conduct the temp it comes in contact with....


while my fridge is set at 38F LIQUID temp (air temp would be a little colder)

The only difference I see in most of these builds to mine is most of them do not have a fan that is pushing cold air constantly on the copper (most do this kind of mod to evade the need of a fan). They fully relying on the air temp in the fridge thats not circulating (until the compressor kicks in) to keep everything cold, which is why I can see it not working out for a lot of people as I highly doubt the compressor will run long enough for the copper to benefit that quickly from the added cold as by then.. the beer temp in the lines have already cooled off too much..

The issue thats going to persist is the faucet temp as that will not be cooled.

 

[RRL]

so finally got around to installing my tower..... hopefully it works out...

2.5 hole was needed to fit all 3 insulated copper pipes i tin tapped enough insulation that it fits snug inside the drillled hole.

i used some outdoor caulking all around the inside of the hole then wrapped hole in tin tape.

as you can see the copper lenghts are in direct line of the evap fan so that should keep them cold enough


i was also getting quite a bit of condensation in the floo of the fridge which concerns me a bit as it seems to have quite abit of water build up inside... im debating if i should drill a hole in the bottom to drain it out.

heres some pics of whats done so far...

 

[RRL]

a couple updated pics

 

[day_trippr]

Links need work, but it looks like you need two more Perls

Cheers!

 

[RRL]

yea ill be reposting those links shortley not working too well

haha yea perls would be nice but the disposables will suffice until funds come around, only 2 of the taps will be in use, right now the middle one is just installed to have that finished look. so hopefully the open tube I left with a bit of air space that can provide any kind of "breather"