Advice on faucet placement on my fridge/freezer

[RugerRedhawk]

Regular over/under fridge/freezer that I'm turning into my kegerator. Keezers sound nice, but I already had this one setting around.

Now I'm just seeking opinions about how I should place my faucets. How far apart should they be? I'm putting in just a single right now, but plan on later adding a second, and possibly a third some day well down the road.

Now with the freezer being above I have a few options regarding faucet height.

1. I can place them lower, toward the middle of the fridge door and use long handles.

2. I can place them higher and use simple short handles

3. I can place them higher, use long handles, and build a simple bracket that would force the fridge door to open when opening the freezer door.

What do you guys think would look/work the best?

 

[sivdrinks]

I'm in the same boat, undecided. Gonna see what the faucet looks and feels like at a height clear of freezer with short cheapo handles. Considering the bracket thing also. I can machine something if I need too.

 

[RugerRedhawk]

I snagged a furniture leg from lowes that I'm going to use to make a handle hopefully tonight. I guess I'll figure out how that fits in the scene. Is there a rule of thumb about how high it should be placed? I know it is a variable on the line balancing calculators, but I don't want to get too crazy about it.

 

[erikpete18]

At least you're thinking about this beforehand, I had mine drilled before testing my handles and wound up half an inch too high. I thought about going the route of the bracket to open both but decided I'd be moving in a few years anyways and might upgrade at that point.

If I was doing it over again and planning on keeping it for a while, I'd definitely either drill lower or plan on a bracket. You can use the small handles, but they never look as nice. Plus, if you're not using perlick faucets those tiny plastic black ones can snap off on a stuck faucet (another mistake I made and will soon correct ).

I wouldn't worry too much about height in regards to line balancing, I think most of those figure lines from the center of the keg to the tap, and either way yours won't change much. Its more for those people that want to pump from the basement up into the kitchen, not the couple of inches that yours might change. Figure out what's comfortable standing in front of it, whether or not you're going to have a drip tray to rest your glass on, etc., and let that influence where you decide you want them.

 

[RugerRedhawk]

At least you're thinking about this beforehand, I had mine drilled before testing my handles and wound up half an inch too high. I thought about going the route of the bracket to open both but decided I'd be moving in a few years anyways and might upgrade at that point.

If I was doing it over again and planning on keeping it for a while, I'd definitely either drill lower or plan on a bracket. You can use the small handles, but they never look as nice. Plus, if you're not using perlick faucets those tiny plastic black ones can snap off on a stuck faucet (another mistake I made and will soon correct ).

I wouldn't worry too much about height in regards to line balancing, I think most of those figure lines from the center of the keg to the tap, and either way yours won't change much. Its more for those people that want to pump from the basement up into the kitchen, not the couple of inches that yours might change. Figure out what's comfortable standing in front of it, whether or not you're going to have a drip tray to rest your glass on, etc., and let that influence where you decide you want them.

Thanks, I'll lay out my handle and see if it has to be awkwardly low. If not I'll mount it low enough. If it will, I'll try to rig up a bracket.

 

[puckjer]

i dont know if this is an option for you but have you thought about putting the faucets on one side of the fridge instead of in the door? that is how i have mine and it eliminates all the problems with doors hitting the tap handles etc. it also makes it easier to access your equipment without having lines in the way and you can still use your door for storage. im 6'1" and didnt want to have to bend over to reach the faucet.

 

[RugerRedhawk]

You know, that may have been best.... for some reason the thought didn't even cross my mind. You see so many through the door. Plus I'd have to figure out for certain that there were no lines through the side. Oh well, I've got it thorugh the door, up near the top. A little black handle would fit if I wanted it too, but I think I can rig up a couple pieces of hardwood screwed to each door so when I open the freezer, the fridge opens, but not vice versa.