Show us your Kegerator

[m1k3]

Kegerator 3.0 finished last night
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[d_rock]

Kegerator 3.0 finished last night
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Any pictures of how you set up behind the taps? Details on temp controls, assuming top freezer and lower fridge are set to the same temps? I've been wondering how best to set the freezer and fridge temps to the same point, to enable using a top freezer without setting the taps down low by the fridge. Cool build!

 

[m1k3]

Any pictures of how you set up behind the taps? Details on temp controls, assuming top freezer and lower fridge are set to the same temps? I've been wondering how best to set the freezer and fridge temps to the same point, to enable using a top freezer without setting the taps down low by the fridge. Cool build!

The full thread is here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=574602

Short answer is that there is a 10"x22" hole between the freezer and fridge and I have insulated the tap box. No freezing lines yet... fingers still crossed.

 

[jbb3]

Kegerator 3.0 finished last night
View attachment 341917

That's awesome! Not sure I've seen many that used the freezer compartment for taps. Looks like 1.0 & 2.0 provided good build experience.

 

[m1k3]

That's awesome! Not sure I've seen many that used the freezer compartment for taps. Looks like 1.0 & 2.0 provided good build experience.

Thanks! I searched and searched HBT and Google and could not find anything. Not saying I am the first but I was hoping that someone would have posted and said that it was a terrible idea or not.

I will say... It is WAY more work to do this build than a just stick the shanks in the door and call it good. But it will be worth it for me because my garage gets over 100F in the summer and the hot faucets always poor foam until chilled by the beer.

 

[tjosborne]

Here's mine. Kinda old and crappy but it keeps the beer cold.

 

[tjosborne]

Here's the inside

 

[jbb3]

Thanks! I searched and searched HBT and Google and could not find anything. Not saying I am the first but I was hoping that someone would have posted and said that it was a terrible idea or not.

I will say... It is WAY more work to do this build than a just stick the shanks in the door and call it good. But it will be worth it for me because my garage gets over 100F in the summer and the hot faucets always poor foam until chilled by the beer.

It may be more work than sticking shanks through the door but still much quicker than the coffin top build I took on. Beer makes us do crazy things...

As far as your design, the only thing that I see you may have to contend with at some point is condensation from the freezer compartment dripping down into the lower compartment. Not sure how/if you have accounted for that??

Other than that, I only see good performance from this design.

Well done...

 

[m1k3]

That's awesome! Not sure I've seen many that used the freezer compartment for taps. Looks like 1.0 & 2.0 provided good build experience.

This was Keezer 1.0 - RIP
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1457196222.170866.jpg

 

[m1k3]

It may be more work than sticking shanks through the door but still much quicker than the coffin top build I took on. Beer makes us do crazy things...



As far as your design, the only thing that I see you may have to contend with at some point is condensation from the freezer compartment dripping down into the lower compartment. Not sure how/if you have accounted for that??



Other than that, I only see good performance from this design.



Well done...

Good question! The humidity is pretty low in California. With my keezer I didn't get much condensation. When I ran this fridge as a fermentation chamber there was zero moisture. I'll keep an eye out for condensation. Thanks for the tip!

 

[masonsjax]

Here's the inside

Just curious how you lift a full 15.5 gal sanke over the wall?

 

[tjosborne]

Just curious how you lift a full 15.5 gal sanke over the wall?

I just tilt it on its side and get some help lifting it in. I also use to have an engine hoist that I used.

 

[TX_Brewing]

Here you go, can hold up to 5 cornys, 6 if I move the gas outside.

 

[TX_Brewing]

And the outside

 

[abeasst]

Here is my setupView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1457711970.901560.jpg

 

[Jiffster]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1458844612.542476.jpg
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[jshorty49]

Mine is still a work in process. But I test fitted the taps to give you an idea of what I'm going for. I'll post more as it comes together. Cheers!View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459135850.889596.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459135862.947843.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459135871.465814.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459135884.399597.jpg

 

[BBA]

I recently got the okay to buy equipment and start kegging. My wife told me I'd have to keep the kegerator in the garage because she doesn't want a second refrigerator in the house. I complained because I didn't want to go into the garage every time I wanted a beer. I convinced her to let me have it in the house if I make it look less like a refrigerator. Then I had to borrow tools and figure out how to use them.

This is what I came up with.

Like others that used a side-by-side I'm using the freezer side for serving. I can squeeze four kegs in there but only wanted to have three on tap. And even though I just moved this into the house last night, I've already got three kegs in there carbonating (I've been preparing for this).

And the fridge side is the fermentation chamber.

This refrigerator has digital controls so I just used a Johnson Control A419 with the temp probe in the freezer side since that's the side I'm more concerned about. But, while letting it run the garage (while cutting the wood) I was getting consistent 50 degrees on the fridge side (according to the thermometer I had in a jug of water). So, I figured I should add temperature control to that side, too.

I ran a second power cord to the fridge for the temp controllers on the fermentation side - two controllers, one for the top, one for the bottom. On the bottom of the fridge side I made a chamber within a chamber using insulating board. Now I can ferment at two different temps if I want. Since I just got this put together and moved into the house last night I haven't really had the opportunity to experiment with the fermentation side (experimenting to see how cold I can get in the lower chamber).

And making the little blue box in the bottom still left me with enough space to access the CO2 regulator.

And if you wonder why I didn't do anything to the sides of the fridge, I still have more work to do. Part of the deal for this was that I would also make cabinets and other storage to go around the fridge. But, the important part is done-ish (knocked off the drip tray mount getting it moved and set up in the house, have to figure out to better mount it).

 

[Sellick]

This thread was really helpful for giving me ideas when I built my kegerator, figure I should put some pictures of mine here because of that! I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Build thread here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=573149

 

[tjosborne]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459632436.722295.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459632476.025045.jpg
Redid mine with perlicks and a collar.

 

[OkanaganMike]

View attachment 348479View attachment 348480
Redid mine with perlicks and a collar.

What is sitting on the Sanke? Smoke or Carbon Monoxide detector?

 

[Hang Glider]

What is sitting on the Sanke? Smoke or Carbon Monoxide detector?

EvaDry silica gel to remove moisture. After the crystals turn pink, you pull it out and plug it into the wall - a built-in heater evaporates the moisture and they turn blue - back to useful -

 

[OkanaganMike]

EvaDry silica gel to remove moisture. After the crystals turn pink, you pull it out and plug it into the wall - a built-in heater evaporates the moisture and they turn blue - back to useful -

Hmmmm. Never seen that before. Guess it could be useful if you have a lot of condensation happening in there. Thx

 

[christyle]

Hmmmm. Never seen that before. Guess it could be useful if you have a lot of condensation happening in there. Thx

I keep one in my fermentation fridge. It can't keep up I feel, or I can't keep up with cycling in out to dry and back in.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H0XFCS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[tjosborne]

Yep evadry. Plug it in once a month for a day and it's good, no moisture. Got the 500cf version, bit over kill in a 23cf freezer but without it I get mold.

 

[Hang Glider]

Hmmmm. Never seen that before. Guess it could be useful if you have a lot of condensation happening in there. Thx

British Columbia probably doesn't have the high humidity that the Southeast US has - water drips out or freezes up in there against the walls all the time!

 

[branman]

I get ice build-up all the time in the south...

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[Doed]

I get ice build-up all the time in the south...

whoa

 

[Howhownow]

Speaking of the silica gel dehumidifiers- They are currently on sale on Amazon Prime: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H0XFD2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[OkanaganMike]

British Columbia probably doesn't have the high humidity that the Southeast US has - water drips out or freezes up in there against the walls all the time!

Nope, I live in the Okanagan Valley of BC, Canada. We're considered a semi-arid environment where its super dry in the summer and great for orchards and grapes. We're nick named Napa of the north for all the quality vineyards. I'm not in tourism but real proud of where I live!

http://www.hellobc.com/thompson-okanagan.aspx

 

[OkanaganMike]

I get ice build-up all the time in the south...

Thats nuts! What temp is your keezer at that it freezes up like that? Would turning it up to a warmer temp help with all that ice?

 

[branman]

It was set at 38°F but i have sice relocated the probe sensor and cut it up to 42° it's helped a bunch but still accumulates over time if un checked...

 

[30Bones]

Brainstorming here......Anyone have any pics or links to keezers with the entire lid and collar incorporated as one and how they accomplished and insulated it? Keep the factory lid or just make it all out of wood to make mounting fans and lines to it easier??

I am not looking for a show piece, it just sits in my basement. It's a standard 15CF freezer with 6 taps. Be nice to make the lid portion 8-10" to put my 20# CO2 on the hump and have the ability to maybe even stack a 2.5-3gallon on top of a 5 gallon if I ever own some of those. Also taller collar makes mounting secondary regulators a possibility if I ever come across a few. I realize the freezer hinges won't hold it up, so I would have some sort of prop rod incorporated.

Reason being is to have the faucets raise with the lid and to keep the lines out of the way more when swapping kegs. As well as making it easier to swap kegs with less height to lift as well as easier cleaning. I absolutely hate my standard keezer collar and fighting the lines and cleaning aspect. Makes me want an upright.

 

[Doed]

@30Bones - you mean like this?

 

[BiteMeElmo]

Many people put hinges on both the collar and the lid. That way, you can open just the lid if you need to check or do maintenance on the lines, or any other "quick in & out" job. But you can also open the collar and lid assembly together, so that the lines and tap shanks are out of the way for changing kegs, or to better reach the bottom of the freezer for cleaning.

 

[30Bones]

@30Bones - you mean like this?

That's it, thanks, this thread is so large it's hard to search through it all.

Many people put hinges on both the collar and the lid. That way, you can open just the lid if you need to check or do maintenance on the lines, or any other "quick in & out" job. But you can also open the collar and lid assembly together, so that the lines and tap shanks are out of the way for changing kegs, or to better reach the bottom of the freezer for cleaning.

I could see that being an option also. I like the one piece idea as of now, but maybe I will try it with the factory lid and change it out if I feel it's not for me. Mounting lines to the lid would be simple with some stick on zip tie mounting pads.

 

[jbb3]

That's it, thanks, this thread is so large it's hard to search through it all.

I could see that being an option also. I like the one piece idea as of now, but maybe I will try it with the factory lid and change it out if I feel it's not for me. Mounting lines to the lid would be simple with some stick on zip tie mounting pads.

Most folks like to keep things simple. NOT me!!!

I removed factory lid and made my own top. Now if I ever want to convert it back to a freezer, I can. I also hinged both the top & the collar separately with the idea that I wouldn't have the lift the kegs as high. But I never added a latch to keep the top from flopping open if I open it from the collar, so I rarely use the collar hinges unless I have a helper. You can click on the link in my signature for the build thread.

 

[Yesfan]

I have a 4 tap T tower. I made a collar with a wood top. Instead of mounting the T dead center, I mounted to the left, opposite of the compressor hump. That way my beer lines feed straight down to the kegs. The top is split in two. The left side lifts up and to the left so the tower doesn't bang the wall should I need to open it. The right just lifts straight up for retrieving bottles.


Here's an old pic.

I don't have any pics where the left side open up, but I made it where the bar in the middle is gone and I mounted the distributor on the back of the keezer. I also drilled two holes in the back of the collar for the gas lines to my dual body regulator. I moved the co2 tank out so I could fit more kegs. I also polyed the top inside and out since that pic was taken.

 

[martyjhuebs]

I have a 4 tap T tower. I made a collar with a wood top. Instead of mounting the T dead center, I mounted to the left, opposite of the compressor hump. That way my beer lines feed straight down to the kegs. The top is split in two. The left side lifts up and to the left so the tower doesn't bang the wall should I need to open it. The right just lifts straight up for retrieving bottles.


Here's an old pic.

I don't have any pics where the left side open up, but I made it where the bar in the middle is gone and I mounted the distributor on the back of the keezer. I also drilled two holes in the back of the collar for the gas lines to my dual body regulator. I moved the co2 tank out so I could fit more kegs. I also polyed the top inside and out since that pic was taken.

This is pretty sweet

 

[55x11]

Here's my build from a month or so ago
Using GE 10.6-cu ft Chest Freezer.
Fits 9 kegs comfortably (can be pushed to 10 if using narrow-profile Ball kegs).
Currently has 6 taps (1 Nitro for stouts, 5 regular Perlick 630SS, with 4.5inch shanks, may need to expand in the near future).