How Are You Attaching Your Temperature Monitor/Regulator In Your Keezer?

[Gustatorian]

I have a chest freezer converted into a keezer (using a wooden collar) and using a Johnson controller to maintain temps. Where do you guys attach the probe within the keezer/kegerator? I've noticed that if I hang the control lower within the unit, and set the control to 50ºF, it will maintain most kegs between 39-41ºF (check by using a thermometer in a poured pint of beer) . I'm looking to close this gap between temps. Any recommendations?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Endless threads about this...just let it hang around the mid point of the keg at the temp you want....test it out..want it colder or warmer adjust accordingly after a few kegs.

 

[Steveg229]

I have my temperature probe in a 12oz water bottle filled with water. Keeps temperature fluctuation to a minimum and keeps beer at set temperature.

 

[day_trippr]

I place the controller probe down low on the side of the fullest keg with a ~4"x4" pad of inch thick closed cell foam over it and a pinned tight using a velcro strap.
I allow a +/- 1°F dead band around my target temperature, which results in a duty cycle around 20% (ie: the compressor runs for ~75 minutes every ~six hours).

Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

I have mine through the lid of a quart canning jar, about half-filled with liquid.

Submerging it in water will reduce the cycling of the compressor. I have a kill-a-watt meter that measures electricity usage. I compared what I do now to just suspending the temp probe in the air, and there really was no difference in the amount of electricity consumed. However, there clearly is a difference in the number of compressor cycles.

 

[Jim311]

Be careful that your probe is rated to be submerged, some aren't.

 

[Gustatorian]

I have mine through the lid of a quart canning jar, about half-filled with liquid.

Submerging it in water will reduce the cycling of the compressor. I have a kill-a-watt meter that measures electricity usage. I compared what I do now to just suspending the temp probe in the air, and there really was no difference in the amount of electricity consumed. However, there clearly is a difference in the number of compressor cycles.

Is it safe to submerge a Johnson temp control probe in liquid?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

No disrespect to the members but its an over thought.
Most of the country use kegerators for store bought beer. They stick a keg in it and drink it because it works.
Nobody has ever taped a remote temp probe to a piece of chicken in a chest freezer. They plug it in and use it. They also don't use a remote temp control in the home fridge that always seems to keep the food good bottled beer cold and family happy

The liquid temp will be the air temp...set it and forget it...or overthink a simple thing for the fun of it if it makes you happy...I mean that in a good way

 

[day_trippr]

"Most of the country use kegerators for store bought beer. "

IOW, they don't use freezers...

"Nobody has ever taped a remote temp probe to a piece of chicken in a chest freezer. "

Because (wait for it) they're trying to keep it frozen and don't care if the freezer is 0°F or -20°F.

Seriously, there's a lot of nonsense there...

 

[wyowolf]

I place the controller probe down low on the side of the fullest keg with a ~4"x4" pad of inch thick closed cell foam over it and a pinned tight using a velcro strap.
I allow a +/- 1°F dead band around my target temperature, which results in a duty cycle around 20% (ie: the compressor runs for ~75 minutes every ~six hours).

Cheers!

View attachment 415606

What are lower and upper air? Top and bottom of keezer?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

"Most of the country use kegerators for store bought beer. "

IOW, they don't use freezers...

"Nobody has ever taped a remote temp probe to a piece of chicken in a chest freezer. "

Because (wait for it) they're trying to keep it frozen and don't care if the freezer is 0°F or -20°F.

Seriously, there's a lot of nonsense there...

You edit.
That was an obvious overstatement. The point is it doesn't need to be over thought... whatever your air temp is your beer will be. If your chest freezer burns out its not because you didn't tape a probe on a keg...or stick it in a glass of water...its because you got a crappy freezer or lemon or things aren't made the way they used to be...in the meantime hanging a probe in the freezer will keep the beer at the temp you want it to be...a fan may help but that's not what the OP was asking

 

[mongoose33]

Is it safe to submerge a Johnson temp control probe in liquid?

I suspect it is, but I have no direct knowledge of that.

 

[day_trippr]

What are lower and upper air? Top and bottom of keezer?

Yup. Upper probe is a couple of inches from the lid liner, lower probe is a couple of inches from the floor.
They read very close because of a 200mm fan sitting on the hump running at ~1/3rd speed and firing horizontally keeping the interior stirred up...

Cheers!

 

[day_trippr]

You edit.[...]

Did you a favor.

Post a 24 hour temperature plot from your dispensing system and let's see how frequently your compressor cycles...

Cheers!

 

[Gustatorian]

You edit.
That was an obvious overstatement. The point is it doesn't need to be over thought... whatever your air temp is your beer will be. If your chest freezer burns out its not because you didn't tape a probe on a keg...or stick it in a glass of water...its because you got a crappy freezer or lemon or things aren't made the way they used to be...in the meantime hanging a probe in the freezer will keep the beer at the temp you want it to be...a fan may help but that's not what the OP was asking

My keezer is well-made, with a fan for circulation so that temp stratification is minimized...but the ambient temp with the unit is not the same as the liquid temp in the kegs. This is probably due to kegs touching the bottom/sides of the unit.

 

[wyowolf]

Yup. Upper probe is a couple of inches from the lid liner, lower probe is a couple of inches from the floor.
They read very close because of a 200mm fan sitting on the hump running at ~1/3rd speed and firing horizontally keeping the interior stirred up...

Cheers!

I have push pull fans In tower and larger on floor firing diag up...i get about 3 diff between tower floor