Getting cold feet about the kegerator conversion. Why a fan is needed to cool tower?

[BansheeRider]

I understand that the reasoning behind this is to prevent warm beer in the first few drinks. What I don't understand is how the cold air doesn't reach the tower without a fan. It looks like there is a large enough hole for the beer lines to go through, so why wouldn't cold air travel up through the same hole with the lines? I just bought a new mini fridge (Danby DAR440BL model) and I am suddenly getting cold feet about destroying this fridge with a dremel and what ever else tools. I have never done anything like this.

 

[abrix]

Cold air is more dense -- and therefore heavier than warmer air -- and has a tendency to sink. And since there is typically less insulation in the tower, it warms faster than the rest of the refrigerated space and tends to stay warmer.

 

[acidrain]

Cold doesn't travel, heat does.
Heat moves towards cold.
Heat enters the tower, and warms the beer.
Warm beer is not as good as cold beer, so if you want cold beer that doesn't foam up when you pour, you'll need some kind of cooling system.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Rather than a fan, others have had success using a copper pipe over the beer line that extends up into the tower and down into the fridge conducting heat away from the tower....YMMV.

 

[BansheeRider]

Rather than a fan, others have had success using a copper pipe over the beer line that extends up into the tower and down into the fridge conducting heat away from the tower....YMMV.

Thats nice. The fan is easy enough to install and I guess they are on sale fully assembled for $40. The pipe is probably a cheap alternative. How would you install this pipe and what is a good alternative?

 

[Richard-SSV]

I also use copper pipe and it keeps my lines in the tower very cool. First pour is just as cold as the next.

What I did was take 1/2" copper pipe and ran it from about 4" from the top of the tower all the way to the bottom of my mini fridge. I then wrapped the portion of the copper pipe that would be in the tower with foam pipe insulation. I then used duct tape to wrap the foam insulation as tight as I could get it around the copper pipe. Next, I used PVC pipe to go over the foam wrapped copper pipe. My tower then slides down over the pvc pipe.

You obviously cant get the PVC and copper all the way up to the top of the tower, so there is about 3"-4" at the top of the tower where the shanks come through that has exposed lines/shanks. After all connections were made I then cut up some left over foam pipe insulation and crammed every nook and cranny to fill the space from the top of the tower down to the pvc/copper pipe.

As I said, every pour is nice and cold. So far, so good!

 

[flyfishnc]

I also use copper pipe and it keeps my lines in the tower very cool. First pour is just as cold as the next.

What I did was take 1/2" copper pipe and ran it from about 4" from the top of the tower all the way to the bottom of my mini fridge. I then wrapped the portion of the copper pipe that would be in the tower with foam pipe insulation. I then used duct tape to wrap the foam insulation as tight as I could get it around the copper pipe. Next, I used PVC pipe to go over the foam wrapped copper pipe. My tower then slides down over the pvc pipe.

You obviously cant get the PVC and copper all the way up to the top of the tower, so there is about 3"-4" at the top of the tower where the shanks come through that has exposed lines/shanks. After all connections were made I then cut up some left over foam pipe insulation and crammed every nook and cranny to fill the space from the top of the tower down to the pvc/copper pipe.

As I said, every pour is nice and cold. So far, so good!

I'd like to see a pic of this setup... I'm starting my build this weekend.

 

[Richard-SSV]

I don't have a pic of it before I put it all together.... sorry!

However, you can see from the pic below of my bar that there is about 12" from the top of my mini fridge to the bottom of my tower that is mounted on the bar. It was because of this span that I decided to use the foam wrapped copper pipes surrounded by PVC. I needed to insulate my beer lines since they had a ways to go outside of the mini fridge.

If this set up keeps my lines chilled for that long of a span, I would think it would keep them even colder in a standard set up with the tower attached to the mini fridge?

 

[Stovetop535]

I tried the copper pipe on my kegerator and it did not work very well for me. I ended up just using a fan to blow cold air into the tower and it is a noticeable difference with the fan. I think the best solution would probably be a large diameter copper pipe, with insulation sandwiched between the pipe and the tower, along with a fan running cool air right up to the shanks on the taps. I do not have enough room in my kegerator to run a setup like that, so for me the fan will have to do. I do run two fans in my kegerator though. One for the tower and one to circulate air in the fridge itself. Keeping the setting the same, I was able to drop the temp 8 degrees by running a fan inside the fridge to circulate air.

 

[BansheeRider]

I tried the copper pipe on my kegerator and it did not work very well for me. I ended up just using a fan to blow cold air into the tower and it is a noticeable difference with the fan. I think the best solution would probably be a large diameter copper pipe, with insulation sandwiched between the pipe and the tower, along with a fan running cool air right up to the shanks on the taps. I do not have enough room in my kegerator to run a setup like that, so for me the fan will have to do. I do run two fans in my kegerator though. One for the tower and one to circulate air in the fridge itself. Keeping the setting the same, I was able to drop the temp 8 degrees by running a fan inside the fridge to circulate air.

Do you have a link to the fans you bought?

 

[Stovetop535]

I do. This is the fan that circulates within the fridge http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJ27QM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this one runs into the tower

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kegerator-Beer-Tower-Cooler-Tap-Cooler-Fan-Kit-compatible-with-Danby-other-/140794915328

I was just going to build my own tower fan, but I got busy with work stuff and decided to just order that one off of ebay. It does a decent job, cools the tower nicely and moves a decent amount of air. For the money you could probably build one that does a lot better job. After receiving that one and using it, I wish I would have just made my own. If you dont feel like building one, that one will get the job done.

Here is my thread on my conversion. I dont have a picture of the second fan I put in, but it sits right on top of that fan. Also the copper pipe and spray insulation I no longer have due to foam issues.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/emerson-kegerator-382399/

 

[BansheeRider]

I do. This is the fan that circulates within the fridge http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJ27QM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this one runs into the tower

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kegerator-Beer-Tower-Cooler-Tap-Cooler-Fan-Kit-compatible-with-Danby-other-/140794915328

I was just going to build my own tower fan, but I got busy with work stuff and decided to just order that one off of ebay. It does a decent job, cools the tower nicely and moves a decent amount of air. For the money you could probably build one that does a lot better job. After receiving that one and using it, I wish I would have just made my own. If you dont feel like building one, that one will get the job done.

Here is my thread on my conversion. I dont have a picture of the second fan I put in, but it sits right on top of that fan. Also the copper pipe and spray insulation I no longer have due to foam issues.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/emerson-kegerator-382399/

Hey thanks!! How did you wire the fan that has a USB connection?

 

[Stovetop535]

I used an old cell phone charger and plugged it right into a wall outlet. I tried it with my phone charger and my ipod wall charger and both worked. That fan is nice and quiet. The tower fan can be a little noisy at times. The tubing running into the tower cant touch anything, otherwise it vibrates and gets noisy at times. Not a huge deal, but something to be aware of.

 

[BansheeRider]

I used an old cell phone charger and plugged it right into a wall outlet. I tried it with my phone charger and my ipod wall charger and both worked. That fan is nice and quiet. The tower fan can be a little noisy at times. The tubing running into the tower cant touch anything, otherwise it vibrates and gets noisy at times. Not a huge deal, but something to be aware of.

Good idea with the phone charger. Does the wire run through the drain port in the back?

 

[Stovetop535]

Yes. I just drilled it out, ran the wires then re filled the hole in with expanding spray foam.

 

[nny2k]

Banshee, just an FYI my Danby arrives today and I'm going to be doing the mods this week. Like the one thread I'll be getting plexiglass(like whiteboard) for the door and then I'm going to spray paint that with chalkboard paint. I also bought this fan Kegerator-Beer-Tower-Cooler
I'm going to take lots of photos so i can post my own write-up when it's been finished.

So if your feet are still cold, hang tight, I'll be jumping in very soon

 

[krenshaw]

i got this fan and couldn't be happier for my keezer setup.. i didn't want to bother with any sort of wiring and this was a turnkey solution that was perfect.. you can see it installed in my link in my signature about my keezer.. can't beat the price especially if you don't have the other components for it around the house..

 

[BansheeRider]

Banshee, just an FYI my Danby arrives today and I'm going to be doing the mods this week. Like the one thread I'll be getting plexiglass(like whiteboard) for the door and then I'm going to spray paint that with chalkboard paint. I also bought this fan Kegerator-Beer-Tower-Cooler
I'm going to take lots of photos so i can post my own write-up when it's been finished.

So if your feet are still cold, hang tight, I'll be jumping in very soon

i got this fan and couldn't be happier for my keezer setup.. i didn't want to bother with any sort of wiring and this was a turnkey solution that was perfect.. you can see it installed in my link in my signature about my keezer.. can't beat the price especially if you don't have the other components for it around the house..

Hey guys I completed this conversion yesterday excluding the door. The only issue I had is when I was drilling the hole for the tower I didn't let the saw do the work and it cracked the plastic inside the fridge. So word of advice take your time while using the hole saw. The crack happened where the bolts are so I used larger washers and adhesive to mount the tower. Once I get another batch of beer I will modify the door to get two kegs in there. Right now I have one keg which is working out great.

Krenshaw.... How are you going to wire that fan inside the kegerator to the wall outlet?

 

[krenshaw]

Banshee, that fan is connected to the power supply by a clip that is about a half inch square..

i just have some insulation and tape filling out the hole i had to made in my collar.. if you already have a hole cut you could use that, or it could go easily right next to the weatherstripping on the door w/o any more cutting..

 

[BansheeRider]

Banshee, that fan is connected to the power supply by a clip that is about a half inch square..
i just have some insulation and tape filling out the hole i had to made in my collar.. if you already have a hole cut you could use that, or it could go easily right next to the weatherstripping on the door w/o any more cutting..

Thanks Krenshaw!!