Kegerator Help

[Beerrific]

I have a Kenmore dorm fridge that looks almost exactly like the Sanyo 4912 except it has the fridge plate thing at the top (Grr...).

I want to do two things and I need input to see if you think it is possible.

I want to take off the door and build an insulated 'box' off the fridge, probably using 2x4s and polystyrene insulation.

In the first part (still in the fridge) I want to have it at lagering temps. Then a partition with a fan blowing into the second part which I want to keep at beer serving temps. I plan on building/buying two temperature controls, one for the fridge and one for the fan. These temperatures may be the same at some points but I would like to have the control.

I think this is how many refrigerators/freezers work, cool the freezer and blow into the fridge.

So in theory this would work, right?

But, do you think this fridge can handle this?

Any tips?

Thanks.

 

[Beerrific]

Has anyone tried something similar?

 

[sirsloop]

IMHO, I would just put a single temp controller on a chest freezer and serve your beer at lager temps. Most lager yeast will work at 48-55°F...id call that an acceptable serving temp range for most beers.

 

[HenryHill]

I wonder if trying to maybe double the area being cooled is gonna be too much for the refrigerant system to handle? if it's like a Sanyo, it is frig only, so not having an integral freezer, it probably doesn't have much reserve capacity of cooling. Seems better to just have a kegerator and use something else (chest freezers are preferred) for lagering.

 

[sirsloop]

Actually, those sanyo fridges are pretty stout!! Once you get the beer down to temp, there is a TON of thermal mass there that will make the fridge run more efficiently.

If you dont already, you may want to put some 2L bottles of water in empty parts of your fridge. A full fridge runs cheaper than an empty one...especially when its got some water in there....

 

[Beerrific]

I wonder if trying to maybe double the area being cooled is gonna be too much for the refrigerant system to handle? if it's like a Sanyo, it is frig only, so not having an integral freezer, it probably doesn't have much reserve capacity of cooling. Seems better to just have a kegerator and use something else (chest freezers are preferred) for lagering.

This is the part that I am worried about. It has the frezzer section so they expect that area to get that cold. When I was using it at school the '3' setting (out of 5) would freeze my milk.

I guess if no on has heard of this not working, I will give it a try.