DIY Fridgidaire 14.8 Cu. Ft. 7 Tap + 20lb CO2 Keezer Kegerator Build (w/ pictures)

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GirthySquirt

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Location
South Bend, Indiana
I wanted to share the results of my latest keezer/kegerator build inspired largely from other builds in this forum. My old farm fridge that I scored on Facebook marketplace a number of years back finally died and I figured it would be time to upgrade to a chest freezer setup. I wanted to document my results here just to help anyone else who is thinking about doing a similar build and provide some information about parts I used.

The end goal for my build was a temperature controlled 7 tap system that also has room for a 20lb cylinder and a backup 5lb cylinder. I started with a 14.8 Cu. Ft. chest freezer from home depot which was the biggest thing they had. I made the collar using a few fir boards I cut with a handsaw and then angle-bracketed together with some metal brackets from the depot. I already had an 8 way gas manifold installed in my old fridge that I just reused and I also installed a new small fan inside the chest freezer to circulate air so the top isn't significantly warmer than the bottom. In the new fridge I was able to fit 7 corny kegs plus a 20lb cylinder with a 5lb cylinder sitting on the ledge, and I used a sleeping/camping pad as a floor for everything. I was also able to add insulation to the wood collar on the inside of the chest and add weather-seal between the collar and the chest and also between the collar and the lid. I also was able to use a few amazon clamps to add just a bit of extra lid pressure to ensure the lid fits smoothly and closely completely all the way around to prevent frost. I added a fermentation heater for the heating feedback loop in case I ever move this to my garage area where it freezes in the winter. Its worth noting that even with the 2x8's I was still able to get the lid light to stay plugged in, which was great! The hardest part was reinstalling the lid and getting the height right. The counterbalance springs had no way to disengage them that I could figure out so I had to use a c-clamp to hold it closed while I fanagled drilling it into the collar at the right height - mega sketchy!!

My advice for anyone else wanting to do this - start with a good quality chest freezer but also make sure the wood collar is totally separate and not glued or attached to the actual chest in any way. With the weather-seal on the bottom, the weight of lid + 2x8s, and the tap handles the collar cannot move but I could just install it on another fridge easily if anything ever craps out again. Also, make sure to try to make it so there aren't any air gaps to prevent frosting. I used silicone sealant to seal every possible orifice on the sides and top of the wooden fixture, and I also used clamps to make sure the lid gasket would have a bit of extra pressure to totally seal on the wood. I also had to silicon the top and smooth it out since the corners where the wood met were pretty gapped. Since the cheap 2x8 boards I got at home depot weren't perfected flat and my 90degree bracket job for the collar wasn't great I found I needed a bit of extra pressure to ensure the lid gasket was totally flush with the collar around the full circumference of the fridge, hence the installation of the amazon clamps. Also, make sure to set your inkbird up so that it has the compressor rest time on the max setting and more importantly make sure the thermometer isn't in open air but is instead taped to a vessel filled with liquid. I have my thermoprobe taped to an old bottle of proper starter wort in the corner - this will make it so that the fridge cycles much less often and theoretically lasts longer. I had my old fridge in the garage and I'm pretty sure me forgetting to change this inkbird setting combined with having the temperature sensor in open made my fridge cycle once every 5 minutes, which likely wore out the compressor. One other extremely important thing that I see a lot of people making the mistake of - chest freezers are passively cooled, meaning the front/sides get hot to dissipate heat and cool the inside. Correspondingly, you MUST leave the front uncover if you want to actually have the freezer work right. I will report back if the stickers on mine cause issues - I am not sure about this yet. Finally, for drilling the tap holes I recommend using the Lenox Tools drill bit someone else mentioned. It was a lot easier than using the traditional spade bits, and I was just able to use a flathead screwdriver to pry out the cores after each bore.

Upgrades I still need to do include finishing the tubing for the remaining kegs and getting some sort of system rigged to hold the cylinders firmly in place instead of having them freestanding - just in case. Please let me know if you have any questions - I am happy to help others looking to do a similar build and of course let me know if you have any other ideas to fix/improve my setup!!

Home Depot:
FRIGIDAIRE FFCL1542AW
WATCO DANISH OIL NATURAL PINT 275V
#8 X 1-1/4" PG10 EXT SCREW 1 LB
2X8-8FT FIR - 2 BOARDS
DYNAFLEX ULTRA 5.5 OZ CLEAR
90 DEGREE 6IN ANGLE BRACKETS - 4

Amazon:
Inkbird ITC-308 Digital Temperature Controller
FE650-40 Watt Fermentation Heater
Accessbuy Heavy Duty Adjustable Toggle Latch Clamp
AC Infinity AXIAL LS1238, Quiet Muffin Fan
Facmogu 2PCS Rubber Bar Mats
Onebom Beer Draft Faucet with 3in Shank
3/16" ID Silicone Tubing, Food Grade 3/16" ID x 5/16" OD
Lenox Tools 1772429
Co2 Dispensing Line Set for 5/16’’ Barb Red Hose
Queekay 9 Pieces Chalkboard Beer Tap Handles
Sponge Neoprene Stripping W/Adhesive 1-1/2in Wide X 1/2in Thick
Double Reflective Insulation Roll, 23.6" X10' Double-Sided Aluminum Bubble Insulation
 

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