Using a kegerator outdoors

[bweatherly]

Anyone have any experience using a standard commercial kegerator outdoors? I just bought a Kegco and am now realizing for space issues it would be better on my covered, screened-in back porch... but not sure how well it will work given that the model is not specifically made for outdoors. And if I return it for a refund I'm out $300 :/ Any thoughts?

 

[Brew_Dude41]

I had one for years on ours before we got it framed out and added it as a 4-season room. I had it on the solid wall and out of the elements and it didn't get too much direct sun (but some).

Typically the first few ounces were foam from being in the tower that was chrome and not cooled, but after that it poured fine. Ended up moving to the basement during the renovation and using it for a fermentation chamber now.

 

[enkamania]

I keep one in my un-insulated garage and haven't had issues for the nine years I've had it.

 

[greywolf]

Mine was on the porch for several years. Until I convinced the wife that it wouldn't look like a some old freezer in the kitchen. It always worked fine outside. I added a 40 watt bulb as a heater via the inkbird. It was enough heat for our missouri winters. Keep the bulb away from the temp probe. I used a can of o'doulls in a can cozy and the probe tucked in. .

 

[DVCNick]

I'd just make sure to religiously use the little rubber faucet cover or you'd have bugs all up in it all summer, at least around here.

 

[bleme]

Mine is a converted side-by-side fridge, sitting on a covered, north-side porch. If I had to guess, I'd say it adds about $40/mo to my electricity bill all summer long. I bought a Kill-A-Watt to make sure but haven't taken the time yet to figure out how to read the thing.

 

[DVCNick]

All you really need to know is the instantaneous watts (or just watts) that the unit is pulling when running... the meter could tell you this, and also it is likely printed on the unit somewhere which will be close enough.
From there you can readily calculate all the other pertinent info you might want to know.
$40/month to run one 120V appliance is probably way high, but I guess it depends how much it is running and what your rates are.

 

[bleme]

All you really need to know is the instantaneous watts (or just watts) that the unit is pulling when running... the meter could tell you this, and also it is likely printed on the unit somewhere which will be close enough.
From there you can readily calculate all the other pertinent info you might want to know.
$40/month to run one 120V appliance is probably way high, but I guess it depends how much it is running and what your rates are.

It's a 30 year old fridge so I'm thinking it isn't nearly as efficient as it's plate says any more and is running longer than it should to keep things cold. The Kill-A-Watt should be able to tell me how many hours a day the compressor is running. Once I have that figured, I'll measure the little (newish) chest freezer right next to it. The last 2 summers I've seen a $120/mo spike in the bill. I run 4 fans, but no A/C, so I am pretty sure one or more of the refrigerators is mostly responsible and the kegerator is the oldest/most likely.