Best window ac unit for a custom keezer ?

[brewman !]

I need to build a custom sized keezer. I cant use a fridge or freezer. They wont fit and the door orientation would be wrong.

What window ac unit would work well to cool my keezer ? Id like something that is quiet, efficient and the inside coil wont frreze up.

 

[jekeane]

many fridge and or freezers can have the door swapped to the other side.

 

[brewman !]

Could a fridge be operated lying on its side ?

 

[Bellybuster]

Could a fridge be operated lying on its side ?

no

what size chamber do you plan on cooling. Thats all that is needed to choose the right A/C unit

 

[brewman !]

8 -10 kegs in a line. 84 × 12 × 26

 

[rawlus]

Hmm. Think a window A/C unit may have a hard time cooling 10 kegs... Not sure I understand why a keezer won't work?

 

[brewman !]

A freezer wont work because the space is 84 x 16 x 27. And the door needs to be top hung and open on the side.

 

[Bellybuster]

I use a 5000 but a/c unit to cool 2 60 litre fermenters with no issue

 

[rawlus]

8 -10 kegs in a line. 84 × 12 × 26

Maybe I'm missing something... These are 5 gal cornys? I don't understand how you get 8-10 kegs into a space 82"L x 12"w and 26"h

BTU calculator here:
http://www.uscooler.com/refrigeration-sizing-estimate

 

[brewman !]

Here is a picture of the space.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=319645&stc=1&d=1448854844

Both the chest and standup freezer are in use storing food. We freeze a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables when they are in season.

I want a tap line in this room (pantry) because it is close to the kitchen. We entertain a lot and running downstairs to the brewery isn't convenient, especially if I want the guests to pick out their own beers.

The plan is to put a laminate countertop on top of the chest freezer and cover the front with faux cabinet doors, so it looks kitcheny. We'll add a backspash as well.

The distance between the walls is 84 inches. I'd like to build a keezer that runs from wall to wall. Kegs are 8" in diameter, so I should be able to fit 8 to 10 in side by side. The room has a 9 foot ceiling, so no problem on height. We'll finish the keezer out with faux cabinet doors so it looks kitcheny too. The tapline will probably go beneath the keezer. A few of the kegs will store red wine, so they won't be chilled much.

The keezer door will probably be hinged at the top and open up towards the ceiling.

I could probably cool the keezer with glycol from one of the freezers. Or I could hack apart a freezer and use the components to chill it ? Or I could use a window AC unit ????

Another option would be to store the kegs in a basement keezer and run chilled lines up to here for serving. It would take 20 feet of line and the keezer would take up valuable space right below the pantry.

Obviously I'm looking for ideas here.

 

[brewman !]

Thanks for the link to the calculator.

I ran some numbers. I wasn't planning on using 4" walls. I was hoping to use 2" walls. But my keezer will rarely be opened, and 65% of the calculated load is due to opening the freezer, so that is probably a wash.

Room Data
Room Temp: 35° F with 90% RH
Dimensions: 7'-0" X 1'-0" X 2'-0"
Doors: 1 standard door(s)
Ambient Temp.: 85° F DB
Ceiling Insulation: 4" Extruded Polystyrene
Ceiling K Factor: 0.16
Ceiling Temperature: 105° F
Wall Insulation: 4" Extruded Polystyrene
Wall K Factor: 0.16
Wall Temperature: 85° F
Floor Insulation: 4" Extruded Polystyrene
Floor K Factor: 0.16
Floor Temperature: 55° F

Infiltration Data
Air Flow: Based on 1.5 ASHRAE averages.
Infil. Temp.: 85° F DB (60% RH) infiltrating air.

Product Data
Description: Beer
Max. Load: 28 lbs./8 hrs.
Enter Temp.: 70° F
Spec. Heats: 1 above freeze/0 below freeze
Lat. Ht. Fusion: 0
Packaging: Varies
Pulldown in: 24 hrs.
Final Temp.: 35° F
Freeze: 28° F
Respiration: 0 lbs. (0 BTU/LB/Day)

Miscellaneous Data
Personnel: 0.0 person(s)
Lighting: 1 watt(s) per square foot
Motors: 0.0 equiv. horsepower

Calculation Results
Wall Heat Gains: 2141 BTU/day (20.1% of total load)
Air Change: 6960 BTU/day (65.3% of total load)
Product Load: 980 BTU/day (9.2% of total load)
Misc Load: 574 BTU/day (5.4% of total load)
Daily Total: 11721 BTU/day
Cap. Required: 733 BTUH at 16 hours per day runtime.

All refrigeration sizes are estimates and may not accurately represent specific applications. This calculator was programmed based on U.S. Cooler walk-ins. The calculator may not be as accurate for walk-ins not manufactured by U.S. Cooler. In no event, shall U.S. Cooler be liable for special or consequential damages in connection with the use or output of the U.S. Cooler refrigeration sizing software. For detailed sizing and pricing, call U.S. Cooler.


733 BTU/hour seems pretty small. Ignoring the air change due to opening, it is more like 250 BTU/hour.

The biggest thing I am worried about using a window AC unit is the noise. Everyone that I am familiar with has a really noisy fan. I want something really quiet, like fridge quiet.

Has anyone ever stripped out the mechanicals from a freezer or fridge and repurposed them for use in a keezer ?

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate them.

 

[brewman !]

There are 3 ways that I can see to cool this thing.

1) Buy a wrecked freezer and hack its cooling system into the keg storage space.

2) Use a window AC unit.

3) Pump glycol from one of the 2 existing freezers in the pantry to the keg storage space.

Which would you do and why ?

I am leaning toward the glycol system. Any arguments for the other systems ?

 

[iijakii]

The biggest thing I am worried about using a window AC unit is the noise. Everyone that I am familiar with has a really noisy fan. I want something really quiet, like fridge quiet.

Has anyone ever stripped out the mechanicals from a freezer or fridge and repurposed them for use in a keezer ?
.

Then rule out the AC unit - all of them are loud.

Many people have stripped freezer/fridges and built custom chambers. Also super common to simply take the door off a mini-fridge and build a box around the front to expand it. You wouldnt be able to do a mini fridge for 10 kegs though Im sure, but a normal fridge or freezer can do that easy.

 

[brewman !]

Then rule out the AC unit - all of them are loud.

Many people have stripped freezer/fridges and built custom chambers. Also super common to simply take the door off a mini-fridge and build a box around the front to expand it. You wouldnt be able to do a mini fridge for 10 kegs though Im sure, but a normal fridge or freezer can do that easy.

Thanks for the reply and the advice. That was my thinking too. I wanted confirmation that was the case. Interior coil freezing is a problem too, I hear.

I've looked for threads of people who have stripped freezers and fridges and haven't been able to find any. Could you point me in the right direction ?

 

[iijakii]

Looking at the thread again, what's the issue with no space for a keezer but you have space for a custom solution? Or were you just trying to be cheap and not buy a huge keezer? I don't follow.

10 kegs and a box is going to take up a lot of space anyway you go about it.

 

[brewman !]

Family is using the 2 freezers we have in the pantry. No more floor space for a 3rd unit. I really want to serve from the pantry. Only space available is above the existing fridge/freezer.

These threads explain the situation in more detail.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=557877

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=458747

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=398139


FWIW, I've been scratching my head on this for a long time.

 

[iijakii]

Oh ok, you want to have something above the existing freezer. I'll think about, that does sound tricky. First thought is cooled lines running from the basement is the easiest solution, but understand trying to do something else.

 

[brewman !]

Oh ok, you want to have something above the existing freezer. I'll think about, that does sound tricky. First thought is cooled lines running from the basement is the easiest solution, but understand trying to do something else.

The lines would be at least 20 feet if they ran from the basement. I'm also worried about the beer oxidizing while it sits in the lines. And then the keezer down there takes up floor space and I don't know if we want a freezer right underneath the pantry. In fact, I'm sure we don't.

I'll save a lot of space and headache if I can store the kegs in the pantry. I think I'm going to buy a used freezer this weekend and tear it apart.

We want to do a remodel of the pantry, replace the wire racks with a nice wood built in. Once we do that, we can't easily move the fridge or the freezer in or out of the room. That means I need to get my keezer project done before I do the pantry shelves/ build in. I hope to get started right after Christmas.