7cu Keezer under a wet bar - what is utopia ?

[theQ]

Alright, I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread of to piggy back on one in this category but here it is.

I am finishing my basement and that includes a regular 36" tall wetbar with a sink, dishwasher and granite top and I had a plan to build a 3-4 line keezer but my wife said why don't you place "this keezer thingie" under the counter. I just couldn't believe my ears (never thought that would pass if i propose it)

Anyhow so that got me thinking so I am starting with things I know

1. I need to find chest freezer(some 7cu I looked at are 33.5 tall, 21-22 deep, 37 wide. that technically could fit under regular size cabinets. I am going to double check that.

2. The chest freezer need to have a front facade that would make it look seemless (do you think homedepot/menards/lowes millworks would do that ?) This facade has to be 37 wide, wider if the facade is a double door.

3. The beer lines would have to extend out of the keezer to the tower and that will imply the freezer has bushed back and forth on wheels for access. The only modifications would be related getting the beer lines out from one of its sides. Wheels would be great, however that could bring other complications - how to transition between hardwood and cabinets/wetbar.

4. the beer lines will be around 4-5 feet from the chest freezer body and have to be chilled (how, moving air ? static glycol, dynamic glycol ?)

5. how to isolated the beer lines ?

6. since the freezer is enclosed, how to avoid overheating ?


Anyone seen anything like this ? Is this an utopia ? Thoughts, ideas, counter ideas are all welcome

Hope never dies! Cheers

 

[owmatooth]

always a good day when the wife gives the go ahead.

I think the toughest part is going to be cooling the lines 4-5 feet away from the cooler. sounds like a glycol set-up to me- which i have no experience with. I could imagine a copper recirculation set up with an aquarium pump running along side the beer lines, but I believe that's what a glycol set up is for.

I wouldn't be overly concerned with the enclosure and overheating, as long as you've got a few inches of room it would be fine. you would need that much room to be able to roll it out and change the kegs. If you don't want to add height with a collar (to allow holes to be drilled out the side for the tubing) I'd either try to run the lines through the side of the top or within the first inch of the top on the side. The refrigeration lines don't seem to run that high on the side of my kenmore 8 cu ft model.