Insulating Your Hole Properly

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

I just built my first kegerator from a mini fridge. I added fiberglass insulation and duct taped the inside and outside of the beer line hole. Been a successful first couple weeks, but I feel the cold air must be escaping as the fridge seems to be constantly running even with a temperature controller. Anyone have suggestions for insulating the hole for the beer lines?

 

[day_trippr]

Welcome to Homebrew Talk, @Tippy_Toes_Tom

Can you inform as to the size and origin of the "beer line hole"?
Was that a feature of the mini fridge you're using, or did you make a new hole in the unit?
Any chance of posting a picture of the subject?

Cheers!

 

[grampamark]

Where is the probe for the temp controller? Ideally, it should be reading the temp of the beer, or some other liquid, not the air temp inside the fridge.

I use an aluminum, screw top, beer “can” filled with water and stuffed into a beer koozie. The probe goes between the koozie and the can. I have a kegerator in one location and a keezer in another and use this method for both appliances. Both cycle normally, set at 39° F.

 

[Jeroen79]

Lol i had to open this thread with such a title , but i would just use some pur foam.

 

[DonT]

I just caulked the two holes I drilled...

 

[MaxStout]

They make a version of Great Stuff foam that doesn't expand as much as the regular variety, for windows & doors.

 

[day_trippr]

Unless there's a hugely oversized hole made for a typical gas line I find it hard to believe an air leak could keep a compressor running continuously...

Cheers!

 

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

Thank you for your responses. Here are some photos for additional context. The hole drilled was approximately 1 1/4 inch in diameter to accommodate the co2 and beer lines. The probe is hanging near the top of the kegs/beer lines.

 

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

Lol i had to open this thread with such a title , but i would just use some pur foam.

Haha mission accomplished!

 

[Indian_villager]

This wins, this is the most jank kegerator I have seen! Are you using picnic taps? Put your probe in a growler of sanitizer, that is what I did to minimize fluctuations. Also max out the compressor timeout on the controller. Should run less. Or if you want to keep it jank, Tape the probe to the bottom of one of your kegs and tape something over that to provide some insulation.

 

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

This wins, this is the most jank kegerator I have seen! Are you using picnic taps? Put your probe in a growler of sanitizer, that is what I did to minimize fluctuations. Also max out the compressor timeout on the controller. Should run less. Or if you want to keep it jank, Tape the probe to the bottom of one of your kegs and tape something over that to provide some insulation.

Aside from the placement of the probe, why do you call it jank?

 

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

This wins, this is the most jank kegerator I have seen! Are you using picnic taps? Put your probe in a growler of sanitizer, that is what I did to minimize fluctuations. Also max out the compressor timeout on the controller. Should run less. Or if you want to keep it jank, Tape the probe to the bottom of one of your kegs and tape something over that to provide some insulation.

Not using picnic taps lol. The kegerator sits in my crawlspace and the lines run to the taps, which are mounted in a recessed cutout I built on the wall of my bar.

 

[jschein]

Nice looking setup, definitely not jank .
Had to look it up

 

[Yesfan]

Pretty sweet setup. Definitely not janky.

 

[Jeroen79]

Yeah looks nice, i would only remove the heineken sign.

 

[OzzyPeeps]

The probe is too high up. Cold air falls, warm air rises.

Get it down on the floor of the fridge where the coldest air is, at a minimum, so it's always reading the coldest air in there.

That way it will cycle less. Works for me.

The problem with taping it to a keg is 19l/5gal liquid takes time to chill down.

So if you end up taping it to a warm keg, the comp thinks it's warm in there when it ain't and you can come back to a keg that's frozen solid.

Not a pleasant experience when U want a beer!

 

[OzzyPeeps]

Yeah looks nice, i would only remove the heineken sign.

Hahaha

 

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

The probe is too high up. Cold air falls, warm air rises.

Get it down on the floor of the fridge where the coldest air is, at a minimum, so it's always reading the coldest air in there.

That way it will cycle less. Works for me.

The problem with taping it to a keg is 19l/5gal liquid takes time to chill down.

So if you end up taping it to a warm keg, the comp thinks it's warm in there when it ain't and you can come back to a keg that's frozen solid.

Not a pleasant experience when U want a beer!

I ended up putting the probe inside a can filled with water sitting on the bottom inside a koozie. Definitely better now since the temp doesn’t drop ten degrees as soon as the door is opened. But now I’ve noticed it often stays in cooling mode even when the target temp is reached. If I unplug it and plug it back in, cooling stops.

 

[IslandLizard]

Tape the probe to the bottom of one of your kegs and tape something over that to provide some insulation.

That would be my preference, unless you know for certain the probe can be kept submerged for years at a time.
I have mine taped/strapped to the bottom third of the fullest keg, under a 4x4" patch of 1/4-3/8" dense packing foam.

now I’ve noticed it often stays in cooling mode even when the target temp is reached. If I unplug it and plug it back in, cooling stops.

What controller do you use?
Have you set enough temp difference between the on and off trigger temp?

To help save it from burning out prematurely, definitely set the compressor delay to the maximum possible. IMO, the 10 minute "standard" is too short, I'd prefer at least 20-30', maybe even 40-60' for larger fridges/freezers. Although you could extend that interval by selecting a somewhat wider low/high interval.

Aside from filling that hole with some insulation foam, I'd insulate those beer lines going to your faucets. That might improve your pours too, especially the "first" ones. Bundle them of course, then insulate the bundle.
Although "heat/cold draw" maybe minimal from them, I'd probably insulate the gas lines, too.

On another note, there are better beer/gas lines available now (EVA Barrier), being much more oxygen impermeable than vinyl.

 

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

That would be my preference, unless you know for certain the probe can be kept submerged for years at a time.
I have mine taped/strapped to the bottom third of the fullest keg, under a 4x4" patch of 1/4-3/8" dense packing foam.


What controller do you use?
Have you set enough temp difference between the on and off trigger temp?

To help save it from burning out prematurely, definitely set the compressor delay to the maximum possible. IMO, the 10 minute "standard" is too short, I'd prefer at least 20-30', maybe even 40-60' for larger fridges/freezers. Although you could extend that interval by selecting a somewhat wider low/high interval.

Aside from filling that hole with some insulation foam, I'd insulate those beer lines going to your faucets. That might improve your pours too, especially the "first" ones. Bundle them of course, then insulate the bundle.
Although "heat/cold draw" maybe minimal from them, I'd probably insulate the gas lines, too.

On another note, there are better beer/gas lines available now (EVA Barrier), being much more oxygen impermeable than vinyl.

I have an Inkbird ITC-308. I’m not sure what you’re referring to with the compressor delay. I have my temp set to 32° with my “Cd” set to 2°.

 

[IslandLizard]

I have an Inkbird ITC-308. I’m not sure what you’re referring to with the compressor delay.

I don't have one of those, still using an old STC-1000, on which the ITC-308 is based. There must be a similar setting for that, a time interval.

I have my temp set to 32° with my “Cd” set to 2°.

Well, that fridge with content may never get down to 32F, and it may stay on forever while trying.
With that Cd setting the "on temp" would be 34F then. It may not even reach that either...

 

[day_trippr]

I have an Inkbird ITC-308. I’m not sure what you’re referring to with the compressor delay. I have my temp set to 32° with my “Cd” set to 2°.

The compressor delay is termed "PT" on the ITC-308...

Cheers!

 

[Indian_villager]

Not using picnic taps lol. The kegerator sits in my crawlspace and the lines run to the taps, which are mounted in a recessed cutout I built on the wall of my bar.

I rescind my comment of jankness.

As for sealing the hole, my recommended option would have you take the tubes off the keg disconnects. Cut a piece of wood or acrylic that is an inch bigger than your hole on each side. Drill holes in your wood/acrylic just big enough to fit your tubes through and keep it snug then use silicone caulk to seal that wood to the top of your fridge.

Alternatively if you want to upgrade to evabarrier tubing you can use these lovely bulkheads, Duotight Push-In Fitting - 8mm (5/16 in.) Female Bulkhead | MoreBeer.

There also is a 9mm one if you want to use 3/8 tubing for your CO2

 

[Tippy_Toes_Tom]

I rescind my comment of jankness.

As for sealing the hole, my recommended option would have you take the tubes off the keg disconnects. Cut a piece of wood or acrylic that is an inch bigger than your hole on each side. Drill holes in your wood/acrylic just big enough to fit your tubes through and keep it snug then use silicone caulk to seal that wood to the top of your fridge.

Alternatively if you want to upgrade to evabarrier tubing you can use these lovely bulkheads, Duotight Push-In Fitting - 8mm (5/16 in.) Female Bulkhead | MoreBeer.

There also is a 9mm one if you want to use 3/8 tubing for your CO2

This sounds like a solid solution - albeit a more permanent one. Will this be a chore when lines need replaced? Also thinking that with two beer lines and a two co2 lines, I might not have a ton of room to work with this unless I make the main hole larger.

 

[IslandLizard]

Also thinking that with two beer lines and a two co2 lines, I might not have a ton of room to work with this unless I make the main hole larger.

I'd refer to this:

there are better beer/gas lines available now (EVA Barrier), being much more oxygen impermeable than vinyl.

EVA Barrier lines (4 or 5 mm ID / 8mm OD) are also much slimmer (OD) than vinyl lines. Use EVA for both beer and gas to keep O2 out of your beer. Those 4 lines bundled together are less than an inch in diameter, about 20 mm.

 

[Indian_villager]

This sounds like a solid solution - albeit a more permanent one. Will this be a chore when lines need replaced? Also thinking that with two beer lines and a two co2 lines, I might not have a ton of room to work with this unless I make the main hole larger.

If you switch up to eva barrier tubing, as IslandLizard said, you'd use less space, and with the bulkheads, they are push to connect on both sides so they will be real quick to swap out lines in the future.

 

[Yesfan]

Have to agree with the above posters. The Duotight push to connect fittings are the game changer. They make changing out your lines easy peasy.