Kegerator Build Help

[MexiBrew]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the website and need some advice on building my first kegerator. I was able to get my hands on a fridge for free. I am not looking to spend a lot of money and was wondering on what parts I would need to build a basic 1 tap kegerator. I have been looking online for conversion kits and was wondering can some of the parts be bought at say Home Depot/Menards to save money?

I have also seen builds where the co2 is placed inside/outside the fridge. Is there an advantage in/out?

Again I appreciate your help and will hopefully get my build to a start very soon.

 

[bueschen]

Welcome Mexibrew.
This very DIY forum that you posted in has a massive amount of knowledge on building a kegerator. I know it can be a bit overwhelming but have a look at some of the kegerator builds and see if you don't find a lot of your questions answered.
As for specific questions, it always helps to provide some details like what size fridge did you get, does it have a freezer built in, what type of kegs will you be using.
Good luck on your build and be sure to post pics of your progress!
T

 

[krazydave]

Parts you'd need at minimum...
co2 tank
co2 regulator
keg couplers for both liquid and gas (or just one coupler if you're using a commercial sanke keg)
Liquid hose and gas hose plus hose clamps.
Some sort of tap - either a cheap picnic tap, or shank\faucet, or if you want a tower, a tower with a shank\faucet.

Most parts other than hose clamps can't be found at your local hardware store, but there are plenty of places online to buy. Micromatic, keg connection, etc.

Co2 is best outside the fridge, as it provides more pressure when the tank isn't cold. However, many have them inside and they will work fine. The guages will just usually be in the red more often than not due to the reduced pressure.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Step one before you spend another dime - make *very* sure the fridge is in good running condition. There's nothing worse than that "aww shucks" moment when you find out that two months work won't keep the beer cold...

A simple check is to put a couple of milk jugs full of water in the thing and let it cool them down. Check them with a thermometer every so often for a few days to be sure it will keep them at 34 to 36F. If a bit of ice forms on the inside of the fridge with it set to the coldest setting - that's a good sign.

Bob

 

[MexiBrew]

Thank you all for the information and suggestions. Have been busy just got done takin pics. Will post them hopefuuly by this weekend.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

One very good source of stuff for the build is Craig's List. You can often score piles of this and that which have a lot of the parts you need.

I picked up a jockey box setup two weeks ago. I have absolutely no need for the jockey box. The two full 10 LB tanks of CO2, the working regulator with cage, the four keg couplers, the two faucets and shanks all will live on as part of various projects. The whole thing cost me roughly what a CO2 tank would have from AirGas.

Bob

 

[MexiBrew]

These are the plans in the conversion of the kegerator. Most of my wife's family drinks Budweiser. I mean there are family parties practically every weekend throughout the summer. I was thinking of having 1 tap for a commercial keg I would assume. Also, I love MicroBrews. I live in the Chicagoland area and have been told that I can fill up the keg at those breweries (3 Floyds/Goose Island etc and again I have been told so unsure). This would be pretty much be my 2nd tap.
As for the kegs, I am planning on using 2 1/6 barrels or 1 1/6 barrel (commercial) and a corny keg (microbrew). Let me know if this is possible to build (pretty sure anything is possible lol). I plan on leaving the co2 tank outside of the fridge since I would like to modify the other half of the inside for storage (bottles, misc things, etc). I am new and just laying out the plans before I start purchasing things. This would probably be late summer/fall build since I just got transferred for my job and in the process of looking for a house.
Again, thanks for your help.

 

[opiate82]

How do you plan on running the CO2 line into the fridge? The taps are easy because you can drill right through the door but you need to be more careful drilling through the sides and/or back depending on the fridge.

 

[carlisle_bob]

These are the plans in the conversion of the kegerator. Most of my wife's family drinks Budweiser. I mean there are family parties practically every weekend throughout the summer. I was thinking of having 1 tap for a commercial keg I would assume. Also, I love MicroBrews. I live in the Chicagoland area and have been told that I can fill up the keg at those breweries (3 Floyds/Goose Island etc and again I have been told so unsure). This would be pretty much be my 2nd tap.
As for the kegs, I am planning on using 2 1/6 barrels or 1 1/6 barrel (commercial) and a corny keg (microbrew). Let me know if this is possible to build (pretty sure anything is possible lol). I plan on leaving the co2 tank outside of the fridge since I would like to modify the other half of the inside for storage (bottles, misc things, etc). I am new and just laying out the plans before I start purchasing things. This would probably be late summer/fall build since I just got transferred for my job and in the process of looking for a house.
Again, thanks for your help.

Hi

Without exact measurements it's tough to tell. I'd bet that it will hold:

3 1/6 bbl commercial kegs
2 tall 1/4 bbl commercial kegs
3 pin lock corny kegs
Maybe 4 ball lock corny kegs

In combination:

2 1/6's and one pin lock corny.
1 tall 1/4 and one pin lock corny

The the big thing to check is height. You want about 30" clear for the commercial kegs.

Bob

 

[MexiBrew]

I found a dual gauge for argon brand new at a garage sale, can this be used for a co2 tank?

 

[MexiBrew]

I ended up buying not only one but 3 since I got a good deal. The seller was told it was for argon but nothin on the box or instuctions or the Internet I was able to find. It just says tri gas. They are pretty nice regulators! What do you think?

 

[MexiBrew]

I looked at the instruction booklet and wasn't able to find what it fits for. I looked online but no luck. All the intructions says is tri gas

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Looks like a welding regulator. If it's for argon, that's an inert gas, which is about as easy to handle as anything out there. The seals in it may or may not be ok with CO2.

Bob

 

[MexiBrew]

Thanks Bob for your help.

As for the temp for the refrigerator before I continue to purchase any equipment for it. I have taken the temp and it stays at around 42 degrees. It currently sits in my detached 2 car garage. It gets pretty stuffy in there. I live in Illinois so humidity gets the garage pretty hot. Can this be a factor for the temp not cooling any lower? The freezer and fridge are turned up all the way.

 

[barrooze]

I ended up buying not only one but 3 since I got a good deal. The seller was told it was for argon but nothin on the box or instuctions or the Internet I was able to find. It just says tri gas. They are pretty nice regulators! What do you think?

Do the threads fit a CO2 bottle/tank?

 

[MexiBrew]

Do the threads fit a CO2 bottle/tank?

That's what I am trying to find out. I don't know anyone with a co2 tank

 

[MexiBrew]

I went to a welding shop to see if they would know a bit more about the regulator. After looking at the connection it will not fit a co2 tank. On the nut of the connector it says hydrogen. That same connection is on a regulator for oxygen. They mentioned that an adaptor cannot be put on that would dit a co2 tank. Does anyone think that there can be a way to adapt? Here is a pic

 

[Huaco]

I have almost the exact same fridge! I just picked it up for about $35 in craft brew from a club member. It is model number ET16JM Yours is "JK" I wonder what the difference is? Right now I am using it as my fermentation chamber. I plan to get a chest freezer to use as fermentation chamber and turn this fridge into my Kegerator. I really look forward to see what you do with yours.
The only thing that surprised me about this fridge was that it is somewhat more narrow than most "household" refrigerators. I think these things were mostly used in apartment units.

 

[barrooze]

I went to a welding shop to see if they would know a bit more about the regulator. After looking at the connection it will not fit a co2 tank. On the nut of the connector it says hydrogen. That same connection is on a regulator for oxygen. They mentioned that an adaptor cannot be put on that would dit a co2 tank. Does anyone think that there can be a way to adapt? Here is a pic

All the CO2 regulators I've had have had the CO2 tank connector on a threaded stem that was removable from the regulator body tself. This allows multiple regulators to be connected, creating a multi-body primary regulator.

If your Argon regulator has a similar removable stem, you could possibly bring the regulator to your LHBS, remove the stem, and see if they have a CO2 tank stem that could fit your regulator body. Good luck!