freezer kegerator

[insnekamkze86]

hello there im going to be taking a upright freezer and converting it into a kegerator. The freezer im going to be using is 26.5 deep 68.25 high 32 wide so its big enough to house a full size keg or some corny kegs if a full keg is not being used.
I was going to be using a chest freezer but decided to us a upright instead. Its a used freezer but its cleans and works was curious what you guys think also if anyone can tell me how many corny kegs i could fit in there as well. i plan on using it mostly for corny kegs but every once in while will put a full size keg in there as well.
My goal is for a guinness setup but until i can get the full setup im going to run guinness out of the kegerator i run home brew through it. Also do any of you guys know where you can get beer gas filled up near uniontown pa? im thinking maybe pittsburg but was curious of other places too.

 

[lumpher]

without knowing the internal dimensions or setup, there is no way for us to know. most likely, you're looking at 3 corneys

 

[insnekamkze86]

the demensions are 26.5 ince deep 68.25 ince high 32 inch wide for the freezer.

 

[camiller]

the demensions are 26.5 ince deep 68.25 ince high 32 inch wide for the freezer.

Is that interior dimensions or exterior? assuming interior - I think a ball lock corny is about 9" diameter IIRC. You could easily get 6 in there.

So now to ask the hard question. Is this the kind of upright freezer where the cooling coils run through the shelves?

 

[phatuna]

cornelius kegs are typically 25" tall x 8.5" in diameter. Here is an idea if your fridge looks like this:

 

[insnekamkze86]

i believe its interior demensions. im double checking to see if the shelves are removeable or not because it they arent i dont think im going to get it because the coils are in the shelves if they cant be removed correct. I was thinking of getting the unit because its only twenty bucks, but it works.
Thats a nice looking setup you have there man how many kegs have you gone through latey lol.

 

[oceanselv]

Do the refrigerant lines run along the shelf in the freezer? If so you may not be able remove the shelves to fit the kegs. I know that is the case with my upright freezer.

 

[insnekamkze86]

the shelves are not removeable in the upright freezer so im not getting it. my other option which i was thinking about is using is a 1988 kenmore chest freezer which is clean and works but the outside dimensions are 26"wide x 26"deep by 36" tall. would this be a good size to use as a kegerator?

 

[wilserbrewer]

FYI, people have used freezers w/ coils in the shelving by carefully bending the shelves down and against the back wall of the freezer. Of course, YMMV...good luck w/ your project, search around the forum for examples. You will also need a temp controller, so a cheap fridge might be "cheaper" than a cheap freezer in the long run.

a search for "upright freezer" turned up this ...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/fridge-freezer-26179/#post807782

 

[johnodon]

cornelius kegs are typically 25" tall x 8.5" in diameter. Here is an idea if your fridge looks like this:

View attachment 17402

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Phatuna...what did you use to mount your co2 bottle to the back of the freezer?

Thx,

John

 

[phatuna]

Phatuna...what did you use to mount your co2 bottle to the back of the freezer?

Thx,

John

it's actually not mine, just saw it on craigslist and thought the setup was cool and was close to what the OP was looking for...

 

[camiller]

the shelves are not removeable in the upright freezer so im not getting it. my other option which i was thinking about is using is a 1988 kenmore chest freezer which is clean and works but the outside dimensions are 26"wide x 26"deep by 36" tall. would this be a good size to use as a kegerator?

Outside dimensions are important to know if it will fit where you want it but you need the inside dimensions and info on the size and shape of the compressor hump to know how many kegs fit. As far as what is a "good size for a kegerator: is it depends on what your goals are. If you want 2-3 beers on tap it might be good for you but if you want 6 beers on tap it most certainly will not be. Since you haven't told us what your goal here is we can't really help with qualitative judgments or recommendations.

 

[insnekamkze86]

Im sorry about that my goal is to use it for kegging homebrew and having it on tap, also every once in awhile have a full keg of guinness as well. Im only going to be using two taps off of the freezer. So if im runing corny kegs i dont think i have more than two or three kegs ready for use for the kegerator. My issue is i be currently using co2 only once the unit has been built, but i want to run a beer gas mix because i want my stouts to be dispensed like guinness and also to run guinness once i have it.

I make stouts because thats all i drink and want them served like guinness but the first batch of stouts will be on co2 only because i wont have a full guinness setup when the kegerator is built. Overall my goal is to run a guinness setup; and other types of stouts on nitrogen but also have a co2 tank to run another beer for people that dont like stouts as much.

 

[cheesewiz6]

I will be honest with you wouldn't use a freezer from 88 no mater if it was free unless someone. Pays you utility bills for you because most of the old ones cost up to $100 a year to run. Buy a new budget freezer for 170 it cost $26 a year. Mine is 7 cubic feet.

 

[camiller]

Im sorry about that my goal is to use it for kegging homebrew and having it on tap, also every once in awhile have a full keg of guinness as well. Im only going to be using two taps off of the freezer. So if im runing corny kegs i dont think i have more than two or three kegs ready for use for the kegerator. My issue is i be currently using co2 only once the unit has been built, but i want to run a beer gas mix because i want my stouts to be dispensed like guinness and also to run guinness once i have it.

I make stouts because thats all i drink and want them served like guinness but the first batch of stouts will be on co2 only because i wont have a full guinness setup when the kegerator is built. Overall my goal is to run a guinness setup; and other types of stouts on nitrogen but also have a co2 tank to run another beer for people that dont like stouts as much.

So you want to be able to have a full size Guinness keg? I don't off the top of my head remember what the diameter of a Guinness keg is but I think it is slightly narrower than an american sankey. American sankey kegs have some slight variation but the max is about 17.1 inches. Just for a little wiggle room assume 18 inches. if You want the full size keg plus a cornie keg for homebrew look for a fridge/freezer about 27" wide on the inside. Because the kegs are circular and can overlap a bit you might be able to go a little narrower. Also be sure to measure the narrowest points between the shelf supports and not just the distance between the walls. If you have access to the potential fridge cut out some appropriately sized circles of cardboard and lay them out to check for fit.

cheesewiz6 makes a great point, I'm almost frightened to think what my kegerator costs to run!

 

[insnekamkze86]

Thank you i wont use the 88 freezer theres a holiday 5.0 cu foot band new freezer for $80.00 i might get that unit and use i m just worried about dimensions because i know they are small inside. But yea i want to run guinness and homebrew together.