Where to find used "Beverage/Merchandise" Fridges

[Jack_R]

Anyone have a good lead on where to find affordable, used, glass-front refrigerators?

I would like to acquire two for conversion to fermentation chambers.

They don't necessarily need to be functional either - the body is more valuable than the refrigeration components.

Thanks for the help!

 

[ruger988]

Anyone have a good lead on where to find affordable, used, glass-front refrigerators?

I would like to acquire two for conversion to fermentation chambers.

They don't necessarily need to be functional either - the body is more valuable than the refrigeration components.

Thanks for the help!

Good luck on the affordable part.. I've been looking for a couple years now, they pop up but they're usually $800-1000 easy.

 

[jschein]

Craigslist or local restaurant/convience store auction

 

[dtgrdn]

Don't know where you're at but here's one in Seattle:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/fod/5377467456.html

 

[Jack_R]

Ya the craigslist search has been disappointing. I found one for $480, but it doesn't run. More importantly it's too small for my conical.

I'll look for some auctions. Good tip jschein!

 

[Raenon]

Amazon sells several models new for a lot less, really depends on how many fermenters you need to fit.
This one should fit one-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MPLYEW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Whoops. Just reread that you're looking to fit a conical... Doubt this will do the trick.

 

[jimyson]

Where do you live? There are companies such as RCI that do auctions from closed restaurants. If you aren't around where they do business, I'm sure there is one near you.

http://www.rciauctions.com/

 

[Mismost]

Ya the craigslist search has been disappointing. I found one for $480, but it doesn't run. More importantly it's too small for my conical.

I'll look for some auctions. Good tip jschein!

Same here....craigslist crap or over priced, pros haunt auctions will drive up the price (shill bidders?), 800-1000 for new unit is the cheapest I've found.

I gave up the hunt. Bought a new chest freezer for 200 bucks.....not what I wanted, but it'll work.

 

[Jack_R]

Vegas.

 

[SleepyCreekBrews]

Same here....craigslist crap or over priced, pros haunt auctions will drive up the price (shill bidders?), 800-1000 for new unit is the cheapest I've found.

I gave up the hunt. Bought a new chest freezer for 200 bucks.....not what I wanted, but it'll work.

Honestly, in my experience, they're not all what you might imagine .
I had one from bev-air that held two 5gal kegs and was costing me about $30 a month to run (at 40F).
A chest freezer typically uses 1/10 of that.

 

[Cyclman]

Foodservice supply places buy these things up, then resell them You're unlikely to find a bargain, unless it's CL.

Maybe ask a local F/S place if they ever get broken ones they'd sell cheap?

 

[Rhumbline]

Try this. I've seen tons of them on here.

http://www.publicsurplus.com/

Heck, right now they have a walk in cooler with bidding at $5.50.

But as someone else pointed out they will be expensive to run. I plan on ordering an insulated glass panel from these guys...

https://www.onedayglass.com/order-online/

and building a glass front unit from an old chest freezer. their prices seem very reasonable.

 

[Jack_R]

Okay, I'll take the advice. Chest freezer it is. But how do I modify it to take a 15gal Connie?

Anyone have some recommendations?

 

[Rhumbline]

Okay, I'll take the advice. Chest freezer it is. But how do I modify it to take a 15gal Connie?

Anyone have some recommendations?

check around and you'll see folks who've used the insulation board along with plywood and built a "hat" for the freezer. Others have just cut the freezer up and used the cooler circuitry in a homemade insulated box.

 

[Jack_R]

Sounds like just buying a small compressor/fridge system and building it from scratch with plywood and insulation might be the best/cheapest/notquiteeasiest way to go then?

 

[m00ps]

I befriended 2 guys that work in the HVAC business by sharing homebrew with them. They can get commercial quality fridges and chest freezers for stupidly cheap prices. I ended up with a dippin dots freezer made in Denmark that is capable of -50C or something and has incredible insulation

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I considered this once, but I found a refrigerator to be more economical. I went to a Sears Outlet and got a 28 cu. ft. bottom freezer refrigerator brand new for $300. Has a small dent on the side and a small dent on the bottom/front, but is still guaranteed and has a warranty... that is until I cut it up a bit and installed a stc. Lol! No going back now!


If you need something taller, try the "fridge only" units.

 

[iijakii]

Okay, I'll take the advice. Chest freezer it is. But how do I modify it to take a 15gal Connie?

Anyone have some recommendations?

Don't do a chest freezer, that'll just completely nullify the point of a conical. Good luck using the dump valve etc down in a chest freezer. There are plenty of large standup freezers or fridges out there.

 

[Jack_R]

Right hence my most recent post.

At this point, I'm either considering two home builds (one for each Connie) or two scratch/dent specials from lowes/Home Depot.

Anyone know of any threads for building a DIY ferm chamber specifically for conicles?