Building a Kegorator... Need your advice.

[BourbonDrinker]

Next weekend I'll be picking up a chest freezer that I plan to convert into a kegorator...

I'm looking for some advice on what equipment I'll need to make this work. I've honestly got no clue what I'm doing here so your help is appreciated.

For now I just plan to use picnic taps. I'll worry about getting something fancier later on.

I'm planning on buying a #20 CO2 tank from Jason.

Other than that I've got squat.

Do you have any recommendations or spare parts?

[Jdl973]

I use a Ranco Electronic temperature control ETC-111000-000 on both my walk-in and my fermentation box. they are about $40-50 New. Othesr use Johnson controllers...If you get a Renco, I can help you wire it and get it up and running not very hard at all.

When you install the prob, find the gas tub that goes into the main compartment (find the compressor and work from there). Most of them have a foam seal, I was able to take a coat hanger, push it through, tape the prob on it and yank it (gently) into the interior of the freezer without drilling holes. BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT DRILLING INTO THE FREEZER WALLS...some have gas lines embedded in them. Drill into a line and it is all over.

Depending on how many kegs you run, you may want to get a manifold. Make sure you get check valves (back-flow valves so beer will not flow into your regulator) for each of your manifold lines.

Use quality beer lines and keep them as short as possible.

Make sure the freezer has room around it to "breath" so the compressor does not over heat.

welcome to the world of kegging

Jason

[Matt]

If you're doing this right now, then that's cool. But if you could wait a month or so, and would be interested in a full-size refrigerator that you could have for next to nothing that's already configured for two taps through the door and holds up to six kegs, then we should talk.

The one I've used for several years now needs a new home. I'm keeping the hardware (taps, shanks, reg, kegs, etc), but the fridge has to find a new home, and is ready for a super-easy transformation back into a kegerator once it's got a new home.

I'm just going to get a new fridge to convert once I get moved.

Let me know. I'll be happy to help with planning and sorting out your parts list as well.

Matt

[Blktre]

Chest freezers will need to have a collar built that goes between the box and the lid if you plan on running shanks. The shanks would go thru the collar and the lid would fasten to the collar. If you plan on adding a tower, no collar is needed except possibly some support plywood on the bottom of the lid for the tower to bolt to. Problem with the tower is when you open the lid the tower will hit the back wall.
If you just want to run pigtails off your kegs, then just using the temp controller and damp rid inside the box to help out with condensation.
Here is a pick of a chest freezer converted with a collar to run shanks...and a link on how to build one...

http://www.mikebeer.net/chestfreezer.htm

[BourbonDrinker]

Anyone have spare regulators, or other misc. parts?

Question---Is it advisable to use a 5lb. CO2 tank, or a 20lb. I don't imagine I'll go through the CO2 very quickly. I'll probably only every have 1-3 kegs on hand. Will having the gas sit around for a long time have any adverse effects?

[Blktre]

It cost as much to fill a 20# tank as it does a 5# tank. My 50# tank costs as much to fill as a 20. Get the point? That and by the time you force carb and then serve kegs, it wont take long until you kicked yourself in the ass for not buying the 20# tank. Gas is gas. And its compressed into a vessel. The vessels are hyrdo tested every 5yrs. So the gas cannot go bad.

[Matt]

I'm very happy with my 20# tanks and recommend that route. Unlike larger tanks, they're easy to haul and last long enough that filling them isn't a frequent chore. That said, I'm lazy so I also have a second 20# that I keep on hand to double that time. After all, you don't want to run out of CO2 in mid-party.

They're not cheap, but it's a one-time purchase that you'll swap out whenever you buy gas, so don't spend any more than you need to. Just make sure it's been recently tested, and you're good to go.

I do have a regulator I could sell you cheap. I think I got it for like $20. It needs a little TLC, but I'm pretty sure it could be cleaned up and work just fine. That theory is yet untested though. I'd been meaning to clean it up and keep it as a spare, but never got around to it. If it doesn't work for you, then you won't be out anything more than the time it took to try it out. It should definitely be getting used, rather than sitting in my project drawer.

Matt

[BourbonDrinker]

I do have a regulator I could sell you cheap. I think I got it for like $20. It needs a little TLC, but I'm pretty sure it could be cleaned up and work just fine. That theory is yet untested though. I'd been meaning to clean it up and keep it as a spare, but never got around to it. If it doesn't work for you, then you won't be out anything more than the time it took to try it out. It should definitely be getting used, rather than sitting in my project drawer.

Matt

Sounds like a deal.

[BourbonDrinker]

@Matt: Quick question... Is it a single or a double regulator?

[Matt]

Single-serving pressure. Two gauges, one for the tank, one for the gas line.

[BourbonDrinker]

What do people recommend? Is 2 separate gauges adequate or should I wait for a dual gauge regulator?

[rushrich]

A few questions:

Devin- How much did you have to shell out for the chest? I think that I am many, many months away from getting a kegorator. . . but I wanted to get an idea of how much a chest vs a fridge costs.

Matt- Are you giving away your fridge or selling it and, if you are selling it, how much are you looking for?

[BourbonDrinker]

Devin- How much did you have to shell out for the chest? I think that I am many, many months away from getting a kegorator. . . but I wanted to get an idea of how much a chest vs a fridge costs.

Free from a relative. The best kind! If I didn't have this, I probably would have taken Matt up on his fridge, but I kind of like the idea of having a chest freezer to use as a kegorator.

My plan is to eventually put in on casters so I can wheel it out in my driveway random get togethers.

[rushrich]

Another somewhat strange question. . . .

Does anyone know if there would be an advantage to having an Energy Star freezer? I know it would be more efficient as a freezer, but when you turn it into a kegorator would it lose that effeciency or still have it?

[BourbonDrinker]

I would assume any freezer would be MORE energy efficient after a kegorator conversion, because your temperature controller only runs it part of the time to maintain a normal refrigeration temperature vs. sub-zero running all the time. Now a regular energy star fridge vs. an energy star freezer I'm not sure of. I figure it will be a wash.

Just my two cents. I'm sure there are other perspectives on my simple logic. Actually since I based my report above is based purely on speculation I'm sure there WILL be other opinions.