Sizing your Chest Freezer for Corny Kegs

[neumann]

Does anyone have a list of the internal measurements of any of these freezers? I'm trying to figure out which ones I would be able to fit two 5-gallon glass carboys in? I would like the smallest size possible... The GE 5.0 cu ft. looks promising... Would they both fit in the space below the compressor hump? What about the new model of Holiday from Lowe's . The one at my local store change from the corner compressor to the rectangle one...

I have the GE 5.0 CF but I don't have the measurements handy, however, I don't think you will get to glass carboys in there. Perhaps if you built a shelf inside at the height of the hump and collar... When I get home this afternoon, I will update with the inside dimensions.

 

[ODP]

I'm interested in getting a chest freezer much like the one Lowlife posted- one that can hold 4 cornys and CO2 tank without a collar-

My question is: If I'm not building a collar, what is the best way to mount the taps? Have them mounted on the front or use a 4 faucet tower?
Having them on the front would be quite cheaper, but I'm afraid the taps would be too low. What you you guys think?

 

[njnear76]

Just an FYI... I was going to pick up the Holiday 5 cu ft model from Lowes today cause they are $168 with a $20 mail in rebate. After measuring the inside, it's only 14 inches square (without the compressor hump). Which would only hold one keg without a collar. The hump goes all the way across now, so with a collar you could get 4 in there with a lot of wasted space. I guess Holiday has a new model line now, they aren't as deep as they once where. The 5 cu ft isn't square (outside), it's long and narrow. Even the 7 cu ft looked like it might only hold 3.

I was looking at that one too.

 

[CrawGator]

Any idea which one will hold 4 ball lock kegs and 2 carboys or 7.9 buckets?

 

[Llama]

Any suggestion as to which one will hold 2 corni kegs and a 6gal carboy?

Thanks!

 

[hnefatafl]

I have a good chance at a couple of Danby DCF709Ws, and since my last freezer dies I'm thinking about jumping.

Has anyone looked at these units yet? Although I've made some of the great cardboard disks, I can't look in the freezers because they're still in their strapped packaging.

Danby

 

[hnefatafl]

Well, I jumped. Bought two of these Danby DCF709s for $230 each at Home Depot, here in BC. It's a bit tight, but I can get 4 kegs in easily; 5 if I raise the collar high enough. They have a drain plug, and a manual thermostat on the front. With four kegs and at the lowest setting, it's been hovering at +1C (34F) for two days.

I have a thermo-controller ready if it drops too far, and might connect in anyway, since +1C is a little too cold for me.

 

[scopey]

Just carted home my black Frigidaire 7.2 cu. ft. freezer today from Lowes. (Had to have them order it for me; they don't stock the black ones.)

Item #: 279057 Model: FFC0723GB

Definitely a good deal for $228, and I found a 10% off coupon, so even better.

It'll hold 3 Corny kegs plus a 10 pound CO2 cylinder without a collar, 5 plus a 10 pound CO2 cylinder with a 2x8 collar.

I think I'm going to build the collar and use it for 4 kegs, and keep a little spare room for misc. stuff.

I've been planning to copy your kegerator since I saw it in the https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/show-us-your-kegerator-29053/index28.html thread. What first caught my eye was the attractive appearance, with the black exterior and the Polyshades Bombay Mahogany Gloss stained collar you've since added. The only thing holding me back was wondering if it could hold at least 4 corny kegs. Now the only thing holding me back is waiting for my Lowes 10% off coupon to arrive

Thanks a bunch Rick500!

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Get the Holiday 7.0 cubic foot from Home Depot for $198.00 regular price, it holds 4 5 gal corny kegs plus a 5# CO2 tank, no collar, no waiting for sales!

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

BTW Lowes has the same exact freezer with the GE label on it instead, 228$.

I wanted the GE until I realised the GE brand was the same chinese stuff as all the rest.

 

[doug1395]

Im new to brewing beer so this might be dumb but are you guys just turning the temp down in the freezers

 

[ODP]

Here's what I've (and most around here) use:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_366&products_id=1214

You install the sensor in the freezer, plug the freezer into the thermostat, plug the thermostat into the wall, set your temp and you're done! Hope this helps...

 

[RiverRat280]

I bought the Frigidaire 7cu ft freezer from lowes also. Will a 2x8 be a large enough collar then to fit cornys on the compressor hump? By the other post it sounds like thats all I need, does anyone know for sure that its true?

 

[doug1395]

Every one keeps talking about the size of these freezers, I dont understand why not buy a bigger one off creigs list and be done,also is there any models from hd or lowes that you do not need a senser for and you can just turn up to 35 degrees or so. Thanks for the help !

 

[ODP]

Every one keeps talking about the size of these freezers, I dont understand why not buy a bigger one off creigs list and be done

You've got to remember that alot of people don't have room for a 19 cu ft chest freezer- I myself live in a 1 bedroom 800sq ft house w/ no garage- my space constraints are pretty strict so I've got to fit the most I can in the smallest package, you know? I don't mind because I don't need 12 taps at once! 4 is cool with me...

 

[Patster]

Anybody have the 9 cubic ft from Frigidaire? It is currently $278 according to Lowes online, with free delivery (Item #: 90724 Model: LFFC09M5HW). At $70 more than the 7 cu.ft. ones from GE/Holiday, it looks like it would be worth the extra $.

By the way, how do you folks get those big freezers home when you find them on CL? Do you all just happen to have pick-up trucks? Free delivery on a new freezer sounds pretty appealing to me for that reason, but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[springer]

Im new to brewing beer so this might be dumb but are you guys just turning the temp down in the freezers

I use a love controller I like that I can see the temp inside . not done yet I plane to paint it black and add Stainless sheeting to the collar

 

[springer]

Every one keeps talking about the size of these freezers, I dont understand why not buy a bigger one off creigs list and be done,also is there any models from hd or lowes that you do not need a senser for and you can just turn up to 35 degrees or so. Thanks for the help !

I have room for a large one but I prefer to have several smaller ones. My reasoning is if I am doing a Lager I can just take out the kegs and turn it up to 58° . Then I can even do the rest in it by just turning it off and opening it up and then lager at 36° until its ready to serve. All the while still having 3 or 4 beers on tap .

 

[Whut]

Anybody have the 9 cubic ft from Frigidaire? It is currently $278 according to Lowes online, with free delivery (Item #: 90724 Model: LFFC09M5HW). At $70 more than the 7 cu.ft. ones from GE/Holiday, it looks like it would be worth the extra $.

By the way, how do you folks get those big freezers home when you find them on CL? Do you all just happen to have pick-up trucks? Free delivery on a new freezer sounds pretty appealing to me for that reason, but maybe I'm missing something.

Yup, I've got two of them and they fit in the back of my Tahoe (one at a time of course). Also they're not that heavy - just a little bulky but I was able to unload both of them myself. Once you get them out of the box they're very easy to move around.

I went with two so I can ferment in one and condition / cold storage in the other (amoung other things).

 

[doug1395]

The last to posts makes good sense to me thanks

 

[ODP]

I have room for a large one but I prefer to have several smaller ones. My reasoning is if I am doing a Lager I can just take out the kegs and turn it up to 58° . Then I can even do the rest in it by just turning it off and opening it up and then lager at 36° until its ready to serve. All the while still having 3 or 4 beers on tap .

I did forget to mention that while I have a smaller chest freezer for kegging in the house, I do have a fridge for fermentation only in the store room- so having a chest freezer large enough to keg AND ferment in would just be too much

 

[Patster]

Well, I pulled the trigger on the 9 foot Frigidaire from Lowes. They'll drop it off tonight.

I also have an old, small chest freezer (~5 foot) that serves as my fermenter. I am hoping I can fit two cornies in there, but worried that it'll only fit one without a collar. I'm an ex Mr Beer guy, and I could easily fit 4 batches in there, two in the minikegs and two in bottles. I finally upgraded this weekend and bought a 5 gal kit. Now I just need the keg system and I'll be all set!

 

[ODP]

Nice! Congrats on the purchase...you need to post pics in the kegerator thread when you get it up and running!

 

[BillKlineVT]

Get the Holiday 7.0 cubic foot from Home Depot for $198.00 regular price, it holds 4 5 gal corny kegs plus a 5# CO2 tank, no collar, no waiting for sales!

Did you actually fit 4 kegs into it? I just went to look at Lowes and brought along some cardboard circles at 8.5" diameter. I could only get 3 to fit, and 4 with like a 1/8" overlap. Any pics of them fitting the Holiday 7.0? I'm considering this or the Frigidaire 9.0 that is also at Lowes for $278

 

[Snausages01]

Craigslist is nice, but you can get some pretty good deals at the stores when they run sales. Keep any eye out at Lowes, they had a pretty good sales on energy star stuff a few weeks ago. I got the 14.8 cubic foot Frigidaire for $340 with tax included. ( http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=8899-2251-LFFN15M5HW&lpage=none ) I wasn't really planning on buying one at the time, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.

Currently I am using a Ranco controller and using it for fermentation.

 

[springer]

Well, I pulled the trigger on the 9 foot Frigidaire from Lowes. They'll drop it off tonight.

I also have an old, small chest freezer (~5 foot) that serves as my fermenter. I am hoping I can fit two cornies in there, but worried that it'll only fit one without a collar. I'm an ex Mr Beer guy, and I could easily fit 4 batches in there, two in the minikegs and two in bottles. I finally upgraded this weekend and bought a 5 gal kit. Now I just need the keg system and I'll be all set!

If its like the one I have then two will fit in it I put the collar on to fit one on the hump. I bought it at Home depot its a 5 cf whirlpool but I think they just rebadge them. See post 77 in this thread.

 

[elmetal]

the holiday 7 cu ft does fit 4 kegs.

only the taller thinner ball locks though, I tried 3 ball locks and a pin, no luck. has to be 4 ball locks

 

[lowlife]

Anybody have the 9 cubic ft from Frigidaire? It is currently $278 according to Lowes online, with free delivery (Item #: 90724 Model: LFFC09M5HW). At $70 more than the 7 cu.ft. ones from GE/Holiday, it looks like it would be worth the extra $.

By the way, how do you folks get those big freezers home when you find them on CL? Do you all just happen to have pick-up trucks? Free delivery on a new freezer sounds pretty appealing to me for that reason, but maybe I'm missing something.

I have it. It fits 4 corny kegs with no collar. Put a collar on it and you can put some on the hump as well. Also it fits 3 better bottles (barely) if you dont put airlocks (I use foil).

 

[scopey]

the holiday 7 cu ft does fit 4 kegs.

only the taller thinner ball locks though, I tried 3 ball locks and a pin, no luck. has to be 4 ball locks

Is that "fit 4 kegs" in the main area, without anything on the compressor hump? Just curious...

 

[elmetal]

yes sir. 4 ball locks. ver yvery very tight fit. not on the compressor. with the compressor hump and a collar I'd say 5.