Sanyo 4912 Kegerator Conversion

[jpetrocelli]

Well then, That was, unnecessary.

 

[Buford]

Eh, it's Cheese. He's just being silly.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Well then, That was, unnecessary.

Stay around here long enough and you'll realize that's a fairly tame post for Cheese.

 

[Evan!]

So, is there something "special" about the Sanyo 4912? I'm assuming there is. The wife and I discussed it at length last night, and she really is not keen on yet another chest freezer in our basement (2 is enough)...but she's cool on a fridge conversion like this. But I'm just curious as to what the unique properties of the 4912 are that make it optimal for kegerator conversion.

 

[Ol' Grog]

1. It has no freezer section.
2. The way it's designed, there is a molded back "shelf" that can hold a 5 pound CO2 tank without any additions.
3. If you take out the front door molding, very easy to do, make a little free standing lip shelf, it will hold two cornies plus a ten pound CO2 tank.
4. With the 5 pounder, you can still use two cornies and keep the molding on the front door which some folks use to store yeasts, bottles, hops, grains, etc etc.
5. The front doors are reversible.
6. It's cheap, works well, can adjust the temperature and looks good.

 

[drunkatuw]

There is no freezer section in the 4912 unlike most dorm fridges. The compressor hump in the back is also pretty small. I can fit 2 kegs in my 4912 and I didn't even remove the inside of the door (I keep my co2 tank outside the fridge though).

Edit: Doh, Ol' Grog beat me to it by mere seconds.

 

[Evan!]

Cool...looks like that's the way to go. So where's the best place to find one?

 

[TWilson]

Would someone care to post pics of the modifications needed so that you can fit a 10# CO2 and 2 cornies in there? I am considering this model, and have a 2 keg kit with 10# tank on the way from kegconnection.com. Thanks in advance.

 

[RoaringBrewer]

1. It has no freezer section.
2. The way it's designed, there is a molded back "shelf" that can hold a 5 pound CO2 tank without any additions.
3. If you take out the front door molding, very easy to do, make a little free standing lip shelf, it will hold two cornies plus a ten pound CO2 tank.
4. With the 5 pounder, you can still use two cornies and keep the molding on the front door which some folks use to store yeasts, bottles, hops, grains, etc etc.
5. The front doors are reversible.
6. It's cheap, works well, can adjust the temperature and looks good.

Good summary - I'll be doing my conversion in about a week when I receive my shipment from Kegconnection as well... I plan on leaving the door on, as you say, in order to store some vacuum packed hops, yeast, etc. and a few "vintage" bottles that I've been cellaring - an Otto's Imperial Stout, a 3 year vintage DFH WW Sout, a 1+ year old DFH 120 IPA, and a few belgians/lambics...

 

[thomcat333]

Best Buy carries them. They are running $209 on the website right now, but they go on sale at the store from time to time. I think I picked mine up for $169.

 

[Evan!]

Good summary - I'll be doing my conversion in about a week when I receive my shipment from Kegconnection as well... I plan on leaving the door on, as you say, in order to store some vacuum packed hops, yeast, etc. and a few "vintage" bottles that I've been cellaring - an Otto's Imperial Stout, a 3 year vintage DFH WW Sout, a 1+ year old DFH 120 IPA, and a few belgians/lambics...

Be careful!!! When you keep bottles that cold for extended periods of time, the cold temps can dry out and compromise the rubber seals on the bottle caps, leading to flat, oxidized beer. I don't know what temp you plan on keeping your kegerator at, but I'd be very careful about putting 'special' bottles in there for extended aging.

 

[RoaringBrewer]

Be careful!!! When you keep bottles that cold for extended periods of time, the cold temps can dry out and compromise the rubber seals on the bottle caps, leading to flat, oxidized beer. I don't know what temp you plan on keeping your kegerator at, but I'd be very careful about putting 'special' bottles in there for extended aging.

Evan - good point, hadn't thought about that. I do have a 'ground cellar' where they've been for now. I may just keep them there.

Would these seals dry out if I dipped the bottle-tops in brewers wax you think? The cellar will work fine, but just curious...

 

[HenryHill]

Would someone care to post pics of the modifications needed so that you can fit a 10# CO2 and 2 cornies in there? I am considering this model, and have a 2 keg kit with 10# tank on the way from kegconnection.com. Thanks in advance.

You just fish the gas line through the back, since the 10# tank doesn't fit into the 4912 with two cornies; it's the diameter of a corny itself.

 

[Ol' Grog]

I know I had a couple of Sam Adam's in another refrigerator for about a month and when I opened it, dang glass had cracked and cut my finger. Do a search on here, there is a picture of the "shelf" that one member made from plywood I think and fit it on the back. I did the same thing, but don't have a way to upload the pictures.

 

[Buford]

Do a search on here, there is a picture of the "shelf" that one member made from plywood I think and fit it on the back. I did the same thing, but don't have a way to upload the pictures.

Here's how I did it:

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Does anyone have a link to a source for railing on the top? I know I saw a link and a few pics a couple of months ago, but I can't seem to find either right now.

 

[Evan!]

Here's how I did it:

where exactly do the kegs go?

 

[Cookiebaggs]

Buford's 4912 conversion page.

 

[Buford]

The rails can be found here: http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=46331&cat=3,43520,43521,46758&ap=1

These are the ones I used:

one 01W8316 488mm SS Bar Handle (19-7/32")
two 01W8313 232mm SS Bar Handles (9-9/64")

As to where the kegs go:

The shelf in the bottom isn't very deep, it's just big enough for the CO2 tank. Another angle:

 

[Cookiebaggs]

Buford, I had bookmarked your conversion page a few months ago.

Not in the cards for me right now but someday!

 

[Evan!]

The rails can be found here: http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=46331&cat=3,43520,43521,46758&ap=1

These are the ones I used:

one 01W8316 488mm SS Bar Handle (19-7/32")
two 01W8313 232mm SS Bar Handles (9-9/64")

As to where the kegs go:

The shelf in the bottom isn't very deep, it's just big enough for the CO2 tank. Another angle:

you rock. hey, so, where did you get all your equipment from?

 

[Cookiebaggs]

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I saved a space for a kegerator unit on the far right. I would like to cut the hole in the top of the fridge and bring the lines up through the top of the bar to a brass tower with two taps. Again.......someday.

 

[Buford]

hey, so, where did you get all your equipment from?

Micromatic for the tower and regulator, Northern Brewer for most of everything else. Got a few odds and ends at Lowes and Radio Shack. Lee Valley for the rails. Kegs from Adventures in Homebrewing. The kegs were not rebuilt, just as-is old kegs, and they were a pain to get cleaned up. I'd recommend getting already rebuilt/refurbished kegs; it's actually cheaper considering you may need to replace parts on an as-is keg, and the cleanup work is already done for you.

 

[Hillbillie PHiL]

Where did you guys get the dry erase board to replace the door panel? Everywhere I've checked online has ridiculous prices for something the right size.

 

[Buford]

I got a bigass sheet of Mark-R-Board wainscot at Lowes and had them cut it in the store to the right dimensions. I think the sheets are around $12. I got two door panels out of it, so I have a backup if I need it.

You can find the stuff back where wall paneling is. Guy at the store said the only people who ever seem to buy it are teachers.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Orpheus or anyone else who's done this conversion already - what size are the machine screws and tee nuts that you used?

I've got the fridge, and kegging stuff will be here Friday, so I went to Lowe's at lunch to get everything that I needed. I left out the screws and tee nuts because I wasn't sure what size to get. I'd imagine that it depends on the size of the holes in the tower, too so I'll probably just have to wait.

Couldn't one just use self-tapping screws and cut off the excess rather than predrill and use tee nuts?

 

[Flyin' Lion]

Brewtus, I just used wood screws. I forget what size, maybe about an inch or inch and a half.

 

[HenryHill]

Depends on the size of the countersunk holes in the tower. My ACU stainless tower had smaller c'sunk holes, so I went with #10 stainless flatheads (countersunk design), and #10 stainless t-nuts, from West Marine. 1/4-20's would have stuck up in the c'sunk holes of the tower. They have a hardware section like a hardware store, with serve yourself single pieces. Was pretty cheap. I went long and cut them off flush with t-nut/board when assembled.

You don't need a lot of strength in the bolts- the pressure is minimal, but stainless is tough, too.

 

[Evan!]

I've got the fridge, and kegging stuff will be here Friday, so I went to Lowe's at lunch to get everything that I needed.

you beat me! I hate you!

 

[RoaringBrewer]

you beat me! I hate you!

My conversion kit from kegconnection is out for delivery as we speak!

Should be able to get the fridge converted next week or the following.

Can't wait to be in the 4912 club and tap some tasty homebrew out of my perlicks... mmm...