Keezer vs kegerator

[crosschk]

I think my keezer is dying. It gets down to 33 but doesnt hold the temp long. Like 30 minutes

So i am thinking of getting either a new chest freezer or a kegerator

Seems the freezer is a cheaper way to go and i already have the inkbird controller, would just have to add the collar

I am leaning more towards the chest freezer but looking for opinions

 

[hawkwing]

So it cuts in after 30 minutes? Isn’t that good?

A kegerator is a nice polished package and likely a smaller footprint but not insulated as well.

 

[crosschk]

So it cuts in after 30 minutes? Isn’t that good?

A kegerator is a nice polished package and likely a smaller footprint but not insulated as well.

I dont know lol I would hope it would hold the temp longer

 

[hawkwing]

Well a kegerator is much less. I don’t think your going to improve that much if at all.

 

[crosschk]

so turning on every 30 minutes or so is normal?

 

[jerrylotto]

There is nothing wrong with that variation if you are measuring air temperature. What it important is the beer temperature.

 

[crosschk]

There is nothing wrong with that variation if you are measuring air temperature. What it important is the beer temperature.

How do you do that? Tape the probe to the keg?

 

[Oleson M.D.]

How do you do that? Tape the probe to the keg?

Yes.

 

[crosschk]

Yes.

I just did that lol

 

[jerrylotto]

Ideally below the fill level, so the lower half of the keg is the best place to attach your probe.

 

[crosschk]

Ideally below the fill level, so the lower half of the keg is the best place to attach your probe.

yeah it was really a duh moment for me. I just figured the airtemp was close enough for the things inside to eventually equal out. Lets see how this goes beofre I think of buying a new system

 

[Oleson M.D.]

There is a difference in temperature. I take a paper towel, folding it over several times and cover the probe after it is taped to the side of the keg. It acts like an insulation blanket, so you do not get the ambient air temp, but the temp of the keg.

 

[grampamark]

Another option for placing the temp probe is to take an uninsulated, metal container (a screw top aluminum beer bottle works great), fill it with water, and put it in a foam beer koozie. Place the probe between the foam and the bottle. Put the bottle at the bottom of the keezer. The probe doesn’t know the difference between beer and water; it just ends up measuring liquid temp, not air temp.

 

[matt_m]

I make it about 90 minutes between cycles but the original lid is intact except for 3" holes for a couple tap towers. I also have the probe taped to a soda can with foil tape so I'm tracking the temp of that can, not just air temp. Since even an empty keg has more mass than that, I expect my beer temp is pretty stable.

 

[crosschk]

Another option for placing the temp probe is to take an uninsulated, metal container (a screw top aluminum beer bottle works great), fill it with water, and put it in a foam beer koozie. Place the probe between the foam and the bottle. Put the bottle at the bottom of the keezer. The probe doesn’t know the difference between beer and water; it just ends up measuring liquid temp, not air temp.

I make it about 90 minutes between cycles but the original lid is intact except for 3" holes for a couple tap towers. I also have the probe taped to a soda can with foil tape so I'm tracking the temp of that can, not just air temp. Since even an empty keg has more mass than that, I expect my beer temp is pretty stable.

View attachment 783905

I will combine these

Thanks guys and since I taped it to the keg, I'm almost down to goal at a slow but steady pace

 

[crosschk]

Thanks once again. I dont need a new freezer, I got a nice even line for over an hour

 

[bwible]

Ideally you would use whats called a thermowell. Its basically a long, skinny metal tube that goes down into the liquid and your temp probe slides down inside the tube. I use one in my carboy when fermenting. For a fermonster they make a #10 stopper with 2 holes. For a regular carboy you need to use a carboy cap.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/1...MI5_qNrtjl-gIVlojICh1mJQ-TEAQYASABEgKAH_D_BwE
https://www.morebeer.com/products/h...MI5_qNrtjl-gIVlojICh1mJQ-TEAQYCiABEgIdOPD_BwE
This works for fermentation but I don’t know of a way to get one inside of a serving keg.

I have taped the probe to one of my kegs. I guess it ends up being the same either way. The probe is sitting on/in something metal in contact with the liquid.

 

[grampamark]

Ideally you would use whats called a thermowell. Its basically a long, skinny metal tube that goes down into the liquid and your temp probe slides down inside the tube. I use one in my carboy when fermenting. For a fermonster they make a #10 stopper with 2 holes. For a regular carboy you need to use a carboy cap.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/1...MI5_qNrtjl-gIVlojICh1mJQ-TEAQYASABEgKAH_D_BwE
https://www.morebeer.com/products/h...MI5_qNrtjl-gIVlojICh1mJQ-TEAQYCiABEgIdOPD_BwE
This works for fermentation but I don’t know of a way to get one inside of a serving keg.

I have taped the probe to one of my kegs. I guess it ends up being the same either way. The probe is sitting on/in something metal in contact with the liquid.

Keg lids with thermowells are available. They cost as much as a keg, but do exist.

 

[day_trippr]

I have compared using a thermowell in a carboy vs strapping a sensor to the sidewall well-insulated from ambient, and found the two never differed by more than 1°F. As well, the controller I use (BrewPi Classic) actually worked better with the strapped sensor, and the strapped sensor requires zero special handling while the thermowell needs to be sanitary.

Cheers!

 

[Cameronl]

Another option for placing the temp probe is to take an uninsulated, metal container (a screw top aluminum beer bottle works great), fill it with water, and put it in a foam beer koozie. Place the probe between the foam and the bottle. Put the bottle at the bottom of the keezer. The probe doesn’t know the difference between beer and water; it just ends up measuring liquid temp, not air temp.

I use an unopened can of seltzer. I don't have to worry about knocking it over and spilling.

 

[tld6008]

For fermenting I attach the probe to the side of carboy but in the keezer I put it in a 32oz growler 1/2 full of starsan