Chest Freezer Specs and Layouts

[EosTI]

The following configurations work in a HF50CW20W with a 2x6 collar and external CO2

2 Ball Locks on floor
1 Ball Lock and 1 Pin Lock on floor
2 Ball Locks on floor and 1 Pin Lock on hump
1 Ball Lock and 1 Pin Lock on floor with 1 Pin Lock on hump

 

[user 237891]

Looks a lot like the Frigidaire 7.2 I just bought. It holds 4 ball lock kegs on the floor and I test-fitted two more - one straddling the hump and the last one on the hump. Pretty sure getting 6 in there is not too much of an issue. The white plastic trim along the top is in the way but it's manageable. I bought it at Lowe's and similar to you, got a $15 off coupon on check out. The model # is FFFC07M1QW and it seems readily available at various locations. I sent Thadius the specs for it in the hope that he'll list it in his chart.

Denis

 

[afro_lou]

Sub'd for info and probable build very soon!

Edit: ok! I can confirm that the Kenmore 12512 15.6 cubic ft chest freezer is awesome! 429 from Sears and had it in 2 days. So far I can easily fit 2 1/6bbl kegs and 1 corny (all I've put in so far) with lots of space left. I'm sure I could fit 4 more cornys if I needed to. If I get bored, I'll do a corny test fit and list it here. So far, the build has been super basic, but it's working out nicely. I went with a dual tower setup, as I didn't want to deal with building a collar, plus it keeps the taps far away from small hands. If anyone else uses this freezer as I did, I would recommend reinforcing the top to support the towers. The sheet metal is pretty flimsy, and not nearly enough to support a dual tap tower. I don't have picture, but what I did was go down and buy a 2'x2' piece of 3/4" plywood and stick that to the inside of the lid with liquid nails, then drill 3" holes through it and screw through the metal into the wood to mount the towers. Works great so far, and it's much more sturdy. The inner plastic liner and insulation were very easy to move out of the way, and it all went back in, so I'm sure it'll still insulate just fine.
Bad picture:
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1490763174.349727.jpg

 

[devils4ever]

So, my chest freezer died and wouldn't get below 45F. Time for a new one. I wound up getting the Frigidaire 8.7 cu ft model at Lowe's. Model: FFFC09M1RW.

They had it for $269 and my friend got me a 5% discount which got it down to $255.55 plus tax.

It easily fit my 3 Corny ball-lock kegs and 5 lb CO2 tank. I'm sure I can get a fourth keg in there as well.

It only took like an hour or so to get down to 35F.

 

[NickTheGreat]

So, my chest freezer died and wouldn't get below 45F. Time for a new one. I wound up getting the Frigidaire 8.7 cu ft model at Lowe's. Model: FFFC09M1RW.

They had it for $269 and my friend got me a 5% discount which got it down to $255.55 plus tax.

It easily fit my 3 Corny ball-lock kegs and 5 lb CO2 tank. I'm sure I can get a fourth keg in there as well.

It only took like an hour or so to get down to 35F.

Easily with no collar? No THAT is intriguing . . .

I agree that 4 looks possible too.

 

[natsteff]

I have an update on the Danby 5.5, while this prior post was very encouraging, apparently the latest model (DCF055A1WDB1) made minor changes in dimensions. I went to a local store with my keg template cutouts and there is no way to get 3 kegs on the floor now, they must have made the compressor hump a little larger or otherwise changed the interior dimensions. I'm pretty sure it would be possible to still get 4 kegs in by raising the keg that doesn't quite fit to straddle the hump by a few inches and then there should be enough room to fit another one fully on the hump above it. However, unless you are willing to use smaller kegs (1.75, 2.5, 3, etc) this will require a massive collar as there is only 16.5 inches from the top of the hump to the top of the freezer. I had to borrow a ladder and to get inside the floor model as it was on a shelf so I didn't try all templates to confirm.

I want 3 on the floor, plus a mini on the hump and don't want a massive collar, but if I reconsider and go back for another look I'll do another check with all the templates and report back if I do pick it up.

NOTE - I do realize it looks like there might be room to slide the bottom left one over, but I did try everything before this photo. I had a last second thought to quickly go back up and snap a quick photo and didn't fully adjust, but they do NOT fit on the floor. My templates aren't perfect either, but I don't think it's worth trying for real on this one.

I know there were some doubts about the Danby 5.5 cu ft actually fitting 4 kegs and to be honest I couldn't find proof anywhere online myself. So here is some proof!

There's actually a good amount of room left, enough to fit potentially 2 5lb co2 tanks inside if you really needed such a thing.

I went with this model because I have a very tight working space and wanted 4 taps. This will be a through the wall setup eventually.

The 3 on the floor are ball locks and it is kind of a squeeze but there is air around them and I will have a fan or two running in the final build. You would NOT be able to fit 4 pin locks in this fridge due to the tight space on the floor. In this pic I have 1 pin on the hump and three on the floor. Plenty of space on the hump, you could probably fit a 10lb tank next to the hump keg, even with a pin. I don't have one to test, just 20's and that will NOT fit, just tried it.

I will have to make a relatively tall collar for this to work, a ball lock sits 8" higher than the top. So 10" collar at least.

 

[natsteff]

I have an update on the Danby 5.5, while this prior post was very encouraging, apparently the latest model (DCF055A1WDB1) made minor changes in dimensions. I went to a local store with my keg template cutouts and there is no way to get 3 kegs on the floor now, they must have made the compressor hump a little larger or otherwise changed the interior dimensions. I'm pretty sure it would be possible to still get 4 kegs in by raising the keg that doesn't quite fit to straddle the hump by a few inches and then there should be enough room to fit another one fully on the hump above it. However, unless you are willing to use smaller kegs (1.75, 2.5, 3, etc) this will require a massive collar as there is only 16.5 inches from the top of the hump to the top of the freezer. I had to borrow a ladder and to get inside the floor model as it was on a shelf so I didn't try all templates to confirm.

I want 3 on the floor, plus a mini on the hump and don't want a massive collar, but if I reconsider and go back for another look I'll do another check with all the templates and report back if I do pick it up.

I know there were some doubts about the Danby 5.5 cu ft actually fitting 4 kegs and to be honest I couldn't find proof anywhere online myself. So here is some proof!

There's actually a good amount of room left, enough to fit potentially 2 5lb co2 tanks inside if you really needed such a thing.

I went with this model because I have a very tight working space and wanted 4 taps. This will be a through the wall setup eventually.

The 3 on the floor are ball locks and it is kind of a squeeze but there is air around them and I will have a fan or two running in the final build. You would NOT be able to fit 4 pin locks in this fridge due to the tight space on the floor. In this pic I have 1 pin on the hump and three on the floor. Plenty of space on the hump, you could probably fit a 10lb tank next to the hump keg, even with a pin. I don't have one to test, just 20's and that will NOT fit, just tried it.

I will have to make a relatively tall collar for this to work, a ball lock sits 8" higher than the top. So 10" collar at least.

 

[Psywar]

I see you don't have any of the 3.5 cu freezers done yet.
Can anyone confirm that the 6 gal carboy or 6.5gal bucket will fit in this with an airlock?
I don't have room for anything bigger and I would like to get a fermentation chamber for lagers.

Thanks!

 

[the-crowing]

I just bought a Kenmore 12909, same as the 12912 I believe but black. I can fit 6 ball locks on the floor and a 5# CO2 on the hump, no collar. I was wondering if anyone knew if I can fit 5 pin locks on the floor? I have 5 ball locks in there right now. I bought Bev-Seal Ultra and John Guest fittings and I can just barely close the lid and keep it closed because of the height. I would like to just use pin locks for some extra clearance if I can get away with it.

 

[Wortlover]

Bestbuy is having a sale on chest freezers. I just picked up an Insignia 10.2 cuft unit for $219. Best deal I could find.

 

[Konadog]

Bestbuy is having a sale on chest freezers. I just picked up an Insignia 10.2 cuft unit for $219. Best deal I could find.

Same one I found last year. It will hold 6 pin or ball lock kegs with room to spare.

 

[bschaefer66]

First off, thank you for all that contributed to this thread. Tons of useful info in here. Ultimately helped me figure out what I needed for my chest freezer build.

Thought I would share what I wind up with - hope it helps someone like it did for me

Bought the following from HomeDepot. It was on sale, $100 off ref price and holds 10 Ball lock corny's on the floor and one on the hump if needed with collar.

Maytag 14.8 cu. ft. Chest Freezer in White

Model #MZC31T15DW
Internet #205736970
Store SO SKU #1001209522
Unit Price$399.60
Qty1
Total$399.60

View attachment IMG_4075.jpg

 

[sailbrew]

Maytag 14.8cf MQC1552TEW

Download this specification sheet and layout as a high-resolution printable PDF at Dropbox.

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Is it possible to fit (6) 1/4bbl kegs and a 20# with a collar?

 

[day_trippr]

If you used slim quarters (11.125" diameter) and a collar you could fit all that.
Not even close with pony kegs...

Cheers!

 

[sailbrew]

If you used slim quarters (11.125" diameter) and a collar you could fit all that.
Not even close with pony kegs...

Cheers!

yes the slim 1/4 kegs. I just dont see it fitting.

 

[day_trippr]

I did a quicky drawing to prove they'd all fit. You could use Google SketchUp for this...

Cheers!

 

[sailbrew]

I did a quicky drawing to prove they'd all fit. You could use Google SketchUp for this...

you have the sketch?

Cheers!

 

[day_trippr]

You'd need a full collar, and probably a prop for one of the kegs.
For sure it'd be tight, but it'd fit. If you went with a 10 pound cylinder at 6" D it'd be markedly easier...

Cheers!

 

[sailbrew]

View attachment 546714
You'd need a full collar, and probably a prop for one of the kegs.
For sure it'd be tight, but it'd fit. If you went with a 10 pound cylinder at 6" D it'd be markedly easier...

Cheers!

Awesome! thanks for the draft. Considering going with (8) 1/6th and a 20# or 10# instead. What program are you using to make that draft? Thanks so much for all of your help.

 

[day_trippr]

I use CorelDraw, I've used it for decades so it's my go-to drawing program for simple stuff.
It's really more of an artistic content creation tool but it has always had a surprising level of support for technical drawings.

fwiw, this is what a 10 pound cylinder could do to ease the crowding...

Cheers!

 

[Jayjay1976]

Just FYI, all of the links in the first post are broken. The syntax must be incompatible with the new layout.

 

[UglyDude]

Chest Freezer Specs Sheets and Layout Drawings

Like what you see? Click 'Like' at the bottom of this post!

Introduction

A little while back, I discovered the [thread=75449]Sizing your Chest Freezer for Corny Kegs[/thread] thread that inspired me to build a keezer and a fermentation chamber. I was blown away at how much information has been gathered to date on chest freezer models. Unfortunately, the thread has become increasingly disorganized as it has aged and, at over 60 pages, is unwieldy to browse. I found myself search for hours on hours just trying to determine which freezer could suit my needs (four kegs on the floor, fifth on the hump). As with many of my purchases, it resulted in a huge spreadsheet filled with numbers that I'll never look back at.

In an attempt to help the community here, I decided to utilize my CAD skills to help others vastly shorten their search to find the perfect chest freezer for them. To this end, I've created a specification sheet and layout drawings for several models of chest freezer so that their homebrew capabilities, prices and special features can be browsed on-the-fly. My goal is to gather, synthesize, and present these products for each of 30 models, ranging from 3.5 cu ft to 25 cu ft in capacity.
...

Thadius! thanks so much! this is awesome! I am about to upgrade from a 7.5 that originally had a double tower, that was upgraded to a triple, and now I want to go much larger. Originally I thought if I had 6 taps and 2 "on deck" that it would be way more than I will ever need.
Of course you can see where this is going. Currently I have 6 kegs with about a gallon in each and can only tap 3 at a time. I am now leaning towards 8 taps and room for 2 to 3 on deck, or a fermenter bucket to try my hand at lagers, after-all, weren't we all weaned on lagers?

I intend to spend a lot of time here over the next few weeks (months?) while I do it right this time. the little guy will become my "picnic" system.

Happy Holidays
Merry Everything and Cheers!

 

[CarolinaMatt]

Good Morning!

Looking to create my first fermentation chamber. I've got my ink bird dual temp controller and my brew jacket heat source. Now just need to add the chest freezer for cooling. This seems like a pretty solid deal that walmart just released today -- https://www.walmart.com/ip/Arctic-King-5-0-cu-ft-Chest-Freezer-Black/45723096

Does anyone have experience with it? I'm guessing it will not be a problem fitting my 6 gallon plastic carboy in it, but thought I'd check if others have used it. I also plan to convert to kegerator and rotate between fermenting into using the keg.

Arctic King 5 cu ft chest freezer
20.6 D x 28.7 W x 33.5 H Inches
Model # WHS-185C1WSB

 

[user 237891]

I recently bought what was advertised as a 5.1 cu ft chest freezer. After installing a collar, I am able to get 6 ball lock kegs in it. So you'll be fine to fit a (or several) plastic carboy(s) in it.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

I recently bought what was advertised as a 5.1 cu ft chest freezer. After installing a collar, I am able to get 6 ball lock kegs in it. So you'll be fine to fit a (or several) plastic carboy(s) in it.

Good to hear! How big was the collar you installed? I plan to add a collar once I get through a ferment/keg/serve cycle.

 

[user 237891]

10". Not only does it give you a bit more room to manipulate kegs and hoses inside, it brings the taps up to a more comfortable serving position. I installed a 110V computer type fan to the collar to keep air circulating inside. It gets a bit noisy, so I have it plugged into the controller so it only runs when the compressor runs. I also have it sitting on a pallet to which I attached wheels. I then "cladded" it will old clapboard I had salvaged from my farmhouse renovation. The clapboard is nailed into the pallet and the collar. The collar is sitting on the chest held in place with silicone. So if I ever needed to convert it back to a freezer, it would be pretty easy and the freezer has not been damaged whatsoever.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

10". Not only does it give you a bit more room to manipulate kegs and hoses inside, it brings the taps up to a more comfortable serving position. I installed a 110V computer type fan to the collar to keep air circulating inside. It gets a bit noisy, so I have it plugged into the controller so it only runs when the compressor runs. I also have it sitting on a pallet to which I attached wheels. I then "cladded" it will old clapboard I had salvaged from my farmhouse renovation. The clapboard is nailed into the pallet and the collar. The collar is sitting on the chest held in place with silicone. So if I ever needed to convert it back to a freezer, it would be pretty easy and the freezer has not been damaged whatsoever.

wow that is a fantastic looking setup! Did you use any insulation other than the silicone? Got the freezer ordered. Can't wait to get to work on it.

 

[user 237891]

The silicone was just to "glue" the collar to the chest. The hinges were moved from the chest to the collar and the lid attached to the hinges. The collar itself is insulated. Here it is with 6 kegs almost all in. (The one sticking up eventually slid down to the bottom and leveled itself with the other one sitting on the hump. The white thing hanging from the fan is a closet dehumidifier to reduce condensation.

I just realized, that is not a 5.1 cu ft freezer! That's what I was going to buy in the first place but I ended up getting a 7.2 cu ft Frigidaire model FFFC07M1QW from Lowes. Sorry for the misinformation. But nonetheless, you will be OK with your 5 cu ft model. You'll get your carboy(s) in there no problem and if you turn it into a serving fridge, 4 kegs will fit.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

No worries. I'm excited the freezer is already coming today so I can work on setup this weekend! Thanks for the tips!

 

[mscroggi]

I just bought this chest freezer at Best Buy, holds 3 kegs without a collar (see photo). Details are:
Insignia (Best Buy) 7.0 cu ft Chest Freezer, model NS-CZ70WH6
White only
In-store and online
Pricing: $199.99 but seems to be on sale for 169.99 a lot.
Exterior: 37.25 x 20.75 (incl hinge) x 33.375 H
Interior: 31.875 x 14.5 x 27.75 (top looking down has rounding on edges)
Hump: 8.25 wide, distance from hump to top: 19.375

View attachment 376316

Oh man.. thanks for posting that info.. I am about to pick up one of these tomorrow.. Its running $159 at the moment.. I was thinking of the 5 cu ft model.. but I was nervous it wouldn't be big enough to offer at least a tiny bit of flexibility.. (There is only $15 difference between the 5 cu ft model and the 7 cu ft) This unit ranked high (and a best buy) on consumer reports... I was struggling to find internal dimensions... And you even put in some placemats in to show the size of the kegs...

Awesome..!