Plans for 4 keg setup in upright fridge...looking for base build assistance

[madbird1977]

I'm building my base for the kegerator and I want to have two tiers, 4 kegs total. 2 in the back and 2 in the front, and CO2 in there as well, if not outside....likely inside until I can get another hole drilled and fitted for the C02.

With the angled hump in the back of the fridge I need to cut a portion at an angle...nothing to tough and I think 8-9 inches for width on each tier should be fine, kegs aren't that round....

Anyways, I'm looking for some easy to follow plans if anyone has anything or a better idea. I really wish I did a Keezer but that will have to wait a bit.

Thanks in advance for any advice/help.

RDWHAHB

 

[beerman1957]

I'm building my base for the kegerator and I want to have two tiers, 4 kegs total. 2 in the back and 2 in the front, and CO2 in there as well, if not outside....likely inside until I can get another hole drilled and fitted for the C02.

With the angled hump in the back of the fridge I need to cut a portion at an angle...nothing to tough and I think 8-9 inches for width on each tier should be fine, kegs aren't that round....

Anyways, I'm looking for some easy to follow plans if anyone has anything or a better idea. I really wish I did a Keezer but that will have to wait a bit.

Thanks in advance for any advice/help.

RDWHAHB

If you build a small "ramp" at the bottom to make it level, you would have to account for that additional height. I would think 2-3" would get you over that "hump' no pun intended. If the hump is in the back, then the back legs of your ramp would be higher than the front, probably about 1" or even less. You could build this in a template by not nailing the thing together. Also, elementary trig should come in handy I would think.

I have no "plans" on me but I would imagine that you could calculate the slope using simple trig and then build the triangle to that spec. I would use PT lumber for sure or coat the lumber with some liquid plastic like Red Guard.

Next, you could also build wooden shelves inside with 2x4 PT lumber and some PT plywood. Take into account the extra height before building. I would imagine that since a keg weighs about 22-25 lbs full that the shelve would have to support that. I think that 23/32 plywood would do.

If you plan to have beer lines, then you have to add another item to the height of the plan.

Now, if I had the bucks, I would use stainless steel as much as possible or even aluminum instead of wood. However it is MUCH more difficult to use metals to shape around.

Since we can't see the fridge, it is very difficult to imagine how to do this. But I had a freezer with a similar issue and I just built a small ramp. The freezer broke, so out it went. The new freezers don't have this issue.

 

[GTO_Guy]

Ive got 4. Co2 in door. I am gonna do a bit of moving stuff next week. I wish I could get the co2 outside the fridge.

 

[GLWIII]

I had (and still do) the same problem as you with a) being stuck with a fridge; and b) which has the hump in the back. My thinking was keep this simple. So, to get four kegs in there I just added a small shelf. All I did was rest the back of the shelf against the upper part of the hump with the front of the shelf being held with brass bookshelf clips on either side. No need for a base...just a small piece of wood and two bookshelf clips. If you can get past the mess (sprung a leak the other day which I have yet to clean up) you can see what I'm talking about. Fits four kegs nicely with room to get to fittings and such. So simple, even a caveman can do it.

 

[Dan]

Already a couple great ideas above. The shelf bracket idea is pretty cool.

Not sure of your exact frige setup but I believe most are similar. Usualy a hump in the back and a couple drawers in front of the hump. When I made mine I just took out the drawers, removed all shelves and cut a piece 1/2" plywood as a base, it sits over the hump for support and used 2"x4"s cut to size as legs on the front. One one each end and one in the center. It easily supported 3 full kegs and a 5lb CO2 bottle and can get a fourth keg in if the CO2 tank is placed outside.

The shelf gives you a little storage underneath. And I know you didn't ask but you can plum your drip pan with some tubing, drill a hole in the frige door a few inches under the drip pan and run the tube to a jug for a drain.. I just drilled a hole in top cap of a juice jug and ran the tube into it. Put a zip tie around the tubing inside the jug to keep the tube from pulling out. Then seal the cap of the jug with some black tape or silicone and stored it the jug under the shelf. It was kind of a pain everytime I opened the door though because the jug had to be lifted out. That kegerator is now dead, just got a new frige and there will be room on the bottom shelf of the door to do the same thing. The other frige didn't have that option.

Edit: Sorry, forgot you said two tiers. A platform wood platform will still work just don't make it as deep. I kind of like your idea of two tiers, it would make getting to the back kegs a little more accessible

 

[Dan]

Ive got 4. Co2 in door. I am gonna do a bit of moving stuff next week. I wish I could get the co2 outside the fridge.

View attachment 37624

Nice setup!

 

[beerman1957]

Here is a picture of my 4 banger manifold for secondary CO2. The tank is inside the Keezer. I plan to move it out and run a gas line through the top of the Keezer.

 

[beerman1957]

Here is a photo of the tap. Direct mount. If I were to do this again, I would get two with maximum of two outlets. Having 3 in one leaves NO ROOM to adjust and clean. This is actually a picture of a Keezer that finally failed. I then bought another chest freezer off Craigslist. The "new" one is about the same build. As you can see, I ran the gas through the top and my newer Keezer I have my CO2 inside the Keezer. However, I am going to move it out since it really loses pressure when cold.
The Keezer is in the garage and the garage is pretty well insulated. It still gets way too hot in there, so someday I need to move this inside... just convincing DW is the hard part.

 

[beerman1957]

Nice setup!

I love the tank in the door idea! If you move it outside, I see no easy way to route the gas... maybe through the back providing there are no coils in the back. Maybe through the bottom?

 

[Dan]

I love the tank in the door idea! If you move it outside, I see no easy way to route the gas... maybe through the back providing there are no coils in the back. Maybe through the bottom?

+1

That CO2 in the door setup looks great! I had never tought of that. On my first frige kegerator the plastic was so old and brittle I removed it, replaced the old green pepper permeated insulation and used used a piece of compressed board for the face. My new frige has a ton of door trays and plenty of room to put a CO2 bottle and drain bottle. Thanks for the idea GTO Guy!

 

[GLWIII]

I love the tank in the door idea! If you move it outside, I see no easy way to route the gas... maybe through the back providing there are no coils in the back. Maybe through the bottom?

Depends on the fridge. I routed mine out the side. Drilled two holes, hooked up the connections, done in 20 min.

 

[B-Dub]

I ran the Co2 line through the side of mine. Leaves more room for kegs.

The best piece of advice, at least from me, would be to run your beer line through the sides, not the door. Use some kind of ultra flexible line.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/16366/102240/SuperFlex_Beverage_Tubing_3_16_ID_-_By_the_Foot

In my cold storage fridge, where the beer sits if there is no room in the 5 keg upright freezer tap dispensing unit, I built a plywood shelf all one level. Your idea to go two level would be nice and easy to get the front kegs out. As mine is a bit tight on the top.

Cheers,

BW

Not posted from a mobile device.

 

[GTO_Guy]

with the recent addition of a root beer tap and a nitrogen tap I was forced to move the C02 and N20 outside. I just drilled a few holes in teh side near the back. Its cool though cause I can now use the 20lb tank that I had sitting around. I really did like the Gas in the door. kept everything clean inside.