Homemade Kegerator

[CiderHouse]

I have 13 inches of space to install a kegerator. This is my thought:

Take a 10 inch diameter section of air duct and put it inside a 12 diameter inch section. Drill holes in both and use long bolts and a nuts to mount it perfectly in the center...probably only need 4, but I would do 8. Put an end cap on each of them to make a smooth flat bottom on the 12 inch and to keep the insulation out of the 10 inch. Then inject expanding foam in the 1 inch gap all the way around between the two...leave a one inch gap on the bottom so the foam can insulate under the 10 inch holding section. Let that dry and it would be insulated....I'll remove the bolts and nuts to keep a smooth surface on both sides. I could then attach some kind of cooling/thermostat system to the top to keep it the temperature I want.

The steps all the way to cooling it are within my skill set...setting up a cooling, thermostat controlled system is beyond me at this time. I don't know where to start with figuring out a reliable way to do that. I might be able to learn though.

 

[Jorb]

Neat idea. I would either use low expanding foam (like the kind used to install windows) or just get some bulk fiberglass to fill the void. For cooling look into stealing the compressor and element out of an old mini fridge. I feel like you'd need some extra space at the bottom to fit the coils. Have you looked into a cold plate chiller?

 

[CiderHouse]

Neat idea. I would either use low expanding foam (like the kind used to install windows) or just get some bulk fiberglass to fill the void. For cooling look into stealing the compressor and element out of an old mini fridge. I feel like you'd need some extra space at the bottom to fit the coils. Have you looked into a cold plate chiller?

I have not heard of a cold plate chiller before. If such a thing exists, that might be the answer I'm looking for. Do you know how to find of these? I brief google turned up nothing. I assume I'd have to put in a thermostat of some kind.

 

[Jorb]

Google "peltier refrigerator" - I found several articles where people have tried to use electric plate chillers for various things, particularly for computer CPU cooling.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mini-Peltier-Refrigerator/
http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/dirt-cheap-fridge/

In the first article the author claimed a 25 degree drop inside his refrigerator tube. Not quite cool enough for beer but getting close.

 

[wineANDbrine]

Could you take a pic of the area that you have available?

 

[CiderHouse]

The end cabinet on the penisula is where the dead space begins. It goes about 18 inches to the pillar. The other way, there's 13 inches of dead space. The height is at least 32 inches...it could be as much as 40. If I'm going to hide all this, I might need to use a smaller CO2 tank than the 20 pounder I already have. The tap would be right where the acorn squash is.

I'm planning to pop the "paneling" off the back side of the cabinet, put the kegerator in, then put it back on in an easy to remove way.

This is what I have to work with...my wife said I could do it if I could have a nickel plug to put into the hole in the granite when the tap is taken off and if it's all contained inside and not visible.

 

[CiderHouse]

Google "peltier refrigerator" - I found several articles where people have tried to use electric plate chillers for various things, particularly for computer CPU cooling.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mini-Peltier-Refrigerator/
http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/dirt-cheap-fridge/

In the first article the author claimed a 25 degree drop inside his refrigerator tube. Not quite cool enough for beer but getting close.

Is there any other way to chill this thing that a Peltier? Everything I read says 20-30 degrees below ambient temperature... That's going to put my brew at 40-50 degrees during the winter and 50-60 degrees in the summer. 40 would be okay, but 30-35 sounds more like what I want.

I would tear apart a mini refrigerator, but the coil looks like something I'd rather not have to deal with.