Building a keezer, gas input please.

[machinist09]

I've got a 20lb tank for a 4 tap setup, and I'm debating whether to put the manifold on the inside or the outside.

The obvious benefit of having the manifold inside the keezer is that I only need one gas line in, and all lines and manifold stay cold.

I'm thinking about putting the manifold on the outside though. This would be in case I ever want to add a regulator and run different pressures, it would keep the regulators outside. The other reason being the possibility of ever using nitrogen beer gas, requiring a second tank and input anyway. The drawbacks being 4 holes instead of one. If I did this, would I want the bulk of my gas hose inside or outside, or would it matter much?

Thoughts?

 

[longhornbarrett]

Wouldn't think the gas lines and manifold being cold do anything for you,
I would think the less holes and lines you have to run through the collar the better, I say put the manifold inside and run one line
If you are going to run nitrogen as well you won't hook it up to the same manifold anyway it would be separate from your co2 setup

Sent from my HTC One using Home Brew mobile app

 

[day_trippr]

Just went through this a month ago when I built my new keezer (RIP, old keezer). Maybe this will provide an idea or two.

I epoxied a pair of sleepers to the lid, one to attach the 1:6 manifold, the other for eventual addition of either another manifold, a secondary reg, or who knows what. The height of the sleepers brings them up to the back side of the lid liner. Gas feeds come in through the back edge of the lid through a pair of 1/4" MFL bulkheads (which hadn't arrived when I took these pictures but they're in place now).

The wiring is for the front-mounted controller, AC to the lid lamp and the controller, DC for the fans (and also for a control loop to an external relay that switches the compressor), and for the controller's temperature probe. Power and the control loop come in through the back of the lid as well...

Cheers!

 

[machinist09]

Wow, that's quite a rig. I'm trying to build mine in such a way that if(more likely when) I decide to upsize, I can return this freezer to regular use. Here's a pic of it about half done(mocked up cause I wanted to see). Wood stain goes on tomorrow. 1"x5" board, will be getting foam insulation on the inside too.

 

[day_trippr]

Looking good!

Collar mounted faucets were out of the question: I have grandsons who are all totally into pushing buttons, turning knobs - and pulling levers

Cheers!

 

[machinist09]

Do you think mounting the manifold on the outside would be detrimental? You see that this thing isn't exactly huge, but it is designed to fit 3 cornys, and 1 commercial from a local brewery. Space may get a but tight, but if necessary, I could probably manage getting it to the inside.

 

[day_trippr]

As you have a collar you have a lot of freedom wrt locating your manifold, and without affecting the viability of eventually returning the freezer to a non-beer-dispensing role some day. You could locate it inside over the compressor hump if you're not placing a keg in that space, or you could put it on the outside of the collar in the back and totally avoid the internal space issue.

Pretty much comes down to "pick one and do it"...

Cheers!

 

[machinist09]

The back! I never thought of that. Duh! Out of the way, tidy. I don't imagine the lines would conduct much cold through the collar into open space, so i wouldn't lose much cool air. Ill probably seal with foam and caulk too. Thanks!

 

[day_trippr]

You can go one better than just poking the lines through grommetted holes (though that will work fine). I use 1/4" MFL bulkhead fittings for that. The ones I used on the keezer are the "close" type because they're running through thin sheet metal, but they make them plenty long enough to run through a 2 x whatever boards. I use the long ones to run gas into my two brew fridges - like this one

Cheers!

 

[bondra76]

You can go one better than just poking the lines through grommetted holes (though that will work fine). I use 1/4" MFL bulkhead fittings for that. The ones I used on the keezer are the "close" type because they're running through thin sheet metal, but they make them plenty long enough to run through a 2 x whatever boards. I use the long ones to run gas into my two brew fridges - like this one


Cheers!

Are you running your gas or liquid lines through that?

 

[day_trippr]

Umm....the topic is about running gas into a keezer from the outside.

I've seen crazy stuff on HBT but I don't think I've ever seen anyone running beer through an MFL bulkhead fitting

Cheers!