Need fan for keezer...

[mongoose33]

hold on...false alarm....I totally forgot to rig the door switch...the fan never ran with the door closed....

so what happened that caused the temps to change so radically??? well I did remove the drip tray immediately below the freezer section to allow the fan (which didn't actually run) move the air better...I guess that allowed enough cold air to cascade over the shanks to drop the temps significantly..

So I fixed the switch this morning and the fan is running now....I will see what the temps read when I get home...might even be colder

Also...maybe I could also run longer beer lines...coil up the middle sections with zip ties and place them in the freezer section? Both tidy up the spider web of hoses and also chill the beer more?

I don't think I'd coil the lines and put them in the freezer section. The temp at which beer freezes drops about .8 degrees Fahrenheit for every percent of ABV. So, with a 5% beer, the freezing temp is about 28 degrees. I set my glycol chiller at 28 because I never have beers at 5% or less...

It wouldn't be surprising for the beer in those coiled lines in the freezer compartment to freeze, so be aware of that.

In my keezer I have a remote thermometer on top of my kegs near the shanks; I also have an inkbird telling me the temp in the jar of water in which I place the temp probe. The difference between the two varies, sometimes as little as 2 degrees, as much as 6 or 7. This has eliminated almost all foam that was due to warm lines. The remaining foam is simply from cold beer going through a warm faucet and that faucet warming up the beer, producing foam. After about half a pint, that all cools down and pours well.

One other thing: that's the same type of fan I used in my keezer; I went through 3 of them before buying the muffin fan. If your fan dies--and my experience suggests it will--don't just get another.

 

[odie]

that's just a small fan I already had to try out and see what it will do....but as I observed, the temps at the shanks evened out pretty good, apparently just from removing that tray. the shanks are just below the freezer section but the tray almost touches the door panel, well actually the tray appears to serve as a cold barrier as well, separating the freezer section from the warmer fridge area...even though it one big chamber...gotta lov the 1940's simplicity..lol

 

[blizz81]

I think I might have ordered that same one, or a very similar one. I remember something like "Low Speed: Has a lower noise and airflow rating than high speed models." in the description of the one I ordered, and reviews of the higher speed ones being super loud.


Well, I wish I would have gotten the louder, higher airflow one. I still have some stratification in my fridge, and the quiet one is SUPER quiet. I'm sure being inside the insulated fridge that I wouldn't have noticed any noise even from a fan 3-4x as loud.

 

[LittleRiver]

...Do you think fan at the bottom blowing up or top blowing down or does it really matter?...

From all the posts I've read what's most important is getting good airflow, but since I had a choice I put my fan on the bottom blowing upward, directly at the shanks. It has worked well.

 

[odie]

Fan is now running and the drip tray is still removed

 

[odie]

Is this too damn cold?

 

[day_trippr]

Probably not, but it depends on when you caught that temperature.
For example, note the interior air temperature readings vs the beer temperature in this plot (beer constant 35°F +/-1) and you can see it dives well below the beer when the compressor is running...

Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

View attachment 649074
Is this too damn cold?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/need-fan-for-keezer.670322/#post-8699186

The temp at which beer freezes drops about .8 degrees F for every percent of ABV. So, a 5% beer would start to freeze at 28 degrees (.8*5).

Why you'd want it that cold is a mystery; I'd think 30 degrees would be more than enough; further, many will note that very cold beer is difficult to taste as the beer numbs the tongue.

But, it's your beer and I'm all for people doing what they want to do.

 

[odie]

I don’t have any digital controller on the fridge. It just does it’s thing. 1946 or 47 fridge with a freezer section. I set the mechanical thermostat as the warmest setting. Like a compact dorm fridge. Without the fan inside it’s a bit warmer. The fridge cycles so it kinda goes back n forth high 20s low 30s with the fan going. South Texas as soon as I pour a beer it’s warming up anyway. If I do get a frozen line I guess I’ll take the fan back out

 

[day_trippr]

Don't blame the fan, it's definitely a positive to have to prevent stratification.
And, again, unless you know the beer temperature it's premature to believe your air temperature observation is a problem.

In that plot I posted, if I had checked the air temperature at its lowest without the appropriate (beer temperature) context I'd be facing the same question...

Cheers!

 

[odie]

I saw 25' this morning for the probe around the shanks and 27 on the bottom...

assuming this thing is gonna average upper 20s and my lines don't freeze...what kinda PSI am I gonna need to serve? from looking at the charts I'm guessing I will be dropping all my regulators down several PSI to maintain CO2 volume? Otherwise my beers are gonna start to over carb?

 

[day_trippr]

I might have missed something, but why not just turn the fridge temperature up a few degrees?

Yes, you need to adjust the CO2 pressure to maintain your desired carbonation level..

Cheers!

 

[odie]

It's already set at the warmest setting possible. Since it's an old style, not frost free, fridge with an integral freezer section that is always coated with ice and no drainage...I'm not sure an inkbird is gonna work for me. I did try an Inkbird on my 1946 Frigidaire and I ended up dealing with a constant freeze-thaw-freeze-than cycle and thus water in the bottom all the time. By it running at the warmest setting with the original mechanical t-stat the coils stay frozen and collects all the moisture inside so it stays dry inside.

I don't mind the beer coming outta the taps at damn near freezing as long at the carbonation is good/correct for the style. Beer warms up pretty fast once poured...why do you think Yetis are so popular...lol

 

[odie]

My bad again. Just checked and it was set half way.

Backed it off and will see what happens. But I can’t find a co2 chart below 32’. I could probably calculate something close. But definitely gonna need to change out the hefe line for a longer one, maybe 15’?

 

[odie]

After 2 days at the warmest setting everything seems to be stable in the low 30s as the fried cycles on/off with the fan. I'm happy with that.

I got a muffin fan off ebay...exact same as the Amazon one and it even came in an amazon package...but it had no AC plug or any hardware even though it was clearly pictured. I had a spare plug and wired it up anyway.

so beware of saving a few bucks on ebay. I've actually had several things from ebay show up in amazon packaging???

 

[day_trippr]

I've found many eBay stores have Amazon fronts as well. I like that because they can use AMZL so packages get here a lot quicker...

Cheers!

 

[odie]

well finally had a beer freeze up...My new pumpkin ale. poured fine for a few days after putting it in...now if just barely drips...gotta hold the tap open a while and it starts to dribble and after a few minutes it will pour ok...go back a little later and plugged again...

I don't have an ABV yet but I suspect it's maybe low since my other 2 beers on tap flow great. Or it's just the location of this particular hose?

 

[theQ]

Here is a video of my fan setup it's a bit lengthy when you look at all three videos but it gives you a good idea of how my system is set up. The bilge fan is a very good option and you can use the speed controller to adjust the amount of flow.

Nice - I see is a 12V. I have it wired for 110V - I could adapt it but I'd prefer to keep 110V. Are you aware of anything that would fit that ?

I will research more - basically 110V and temp 36F-86F - this is a fermentation chamber.
I already went thru 2 Thermocool 110 VAC Muffin Cooling Fan 120 x 38mm, they got bad and loud - most likely humidity and temp range did them.

 

[ArchiPants]

@BeerBaron1985 I am trying to follow along your diagram, but I am uncertain as to what 86 connects too. I am attaching my diagram. Can you let me know if that is correct, and what to hook to 86, the white wire?

 

[ArchiPants]

@BeerBaron1985 I am trying to follow along your diagram, but I am uncertain as to what 86 connects too. I am attaching my diagram. Can you let me know if that is correct, and what to hook to 86, the white wire?

After watching your video again, I am thinking that this is the wiring setup. 87A goes to the motor controller, 87 to the led. NO from magnetic latch goes to 86, 30 is positive input, 85 is negative input

 

[BeerBaron1985]

Hey Archi! I believe you got the wiring right. Honestly I have to check it out myself as I don't exactly recall. Sorry for the delay in my response! PM me if you run into any issues!

 

[ArchiPants]

Hey Archi! I believe you got the wiring right. Honestly I have to check it out myself as I don't exactly recall. Sorry for the delay in my response! PM me if you run into any issues!

The second one is the wiring diagram that works.