m1k3
Well-Known Member
Hi All-
Quick backstory: Keezer died, got a free fridge but only cools to 47-52F... wife won't approve purchase of new fridge/freezer and don't want to deal with any more old appliances (for now)... So I'm going to repurpose the Frem Chamber Fridge as new kegerator! The crappy fridge will have to do as a ferm chamber for now (seems to get cold enough... but won't cold crash or lager as well).
What I want to do: It gets hot in my California garage in the summer and the hot faucets pour foam on the first beer served (not an issue with tap lines, balancing etc.) So, I want to mount the five perlick faucets in the freezer (no not in the door... inside!)
The fermentation chamber has the freezer section open to the fridge from a previous hack (see photos)... so, I am thinking it won't get too cold in the freezer. Also, I plan to build a box for the tap lines and shanks and stuff it with a bunch of polyfill (think subwoofer box - 3/4" MDF, stuffed with poly fill). That should be pretty well insulated. The box can sit on 2x4s on their sides so that should give good airflow into the fridge.
So, this seems pretty well planned out (to me). Just running it by you HBT folks because this is ether a genius solution to my problems or I might be a complete idiot.
With my measurements, I should be able to use a standard pint glass and my "normal" height tap handles... no huge glassware or crazy tap handles.
The fridge can be temp controlled with one of my Johnson A419s or will probably work with the standard internal thermostat (37F has been a good temp for me in the past).
Questions:
1) Should the box be as small as possible to allow for airflow? Or pretty large for better insulation?
2) I have a bunch of polyfill and 3/4" MDF from speaker projects... any reason to go buy proper insulation or more moisture resistant wood? (maybe paint the box?) I live in low humidity area.
3) Do you expect the tap lines and perlick faucets to work without freezing up?
Photos in next post.
Quick backstory: Keezer died, got a free fridge but only cools to 47-52F... wife won't approve purchase of new fridge/freezer and don't want to deal with any more old appliances (for now)... So I'm going to repurpose the Frem Chamber Fridge as new kegerator! The crappy fridge will have to do as a ferm chamber for now (seems to get cold enough... but won't cold crash or lager as well).
What I want to do: It gets hot in my California garage in the summer and the hot faucets pour foam on the first beer served (not an issue with tap lines, balancing etc.) So, I want to mount the five perlick faucets in the freezer (no not in the door... inside!)
The fermentation chamber has the freezer section open to the fridge from a previous hack (see photos)... so, I am thinking it won't get too cold in the freezer. Also, I plan to build a box for the tap lines and shanks and stuff it with a bunch of polyfill (think subwoofer box - 3/4" MDF, stuffed with poly fill). That should be pretty well insulated. The box can sit on 2x4s on their sides so that should give good airflow into the fridge.
So, this seems pretty well planned out (to me). Just running it by you HBT folks because this is ether a genius solution to my problems or I might be a complete idiot.
With my measurements, I should be able to use a standard pint glass and my "normal" height tap handles... no huge glassware or crazy tap handles.
The fridge can be temp controlled with one of my Johnson A419s or will probably work with the standard internal thermostat (37F has been a good temp for me in the past).
Questions:
1) Should the box be as small as possible to allow for airflow? Or pretty large for better insulation?
2) I have a bunch of polyfill and 3/4" MDF from speaker projects... any reason to go buy proper insulation or more moisture resistant wood? (maybe paint the box?) I live in low humidity area.
3) Do you expect the tap lines and perlick faucets to work without freezing up?
Photos in next post.
They won't offer any insulation value and if anything prevents the warmer fridge air from circulating in the box. If you want to insulate the box from the cooler freezer air, you could glue closed cell elastomeric sheet foam (Armaflex) to either inside or outside of the box. This will offer a thermal barrier and theoretically if you have sufficient fridge air circulating in and out of your box should prevent the lines from freezing up. Failing the Armaflex, 1/2" styrofoam could also work. Actually as I'm writing this, why no construct your box out of styrofoam? You could have a fan blowing from the fridge in and a hole for return air going back into the fridge if not a fan blowing out. 
