OT Kegerator

H

huskermcdoogle

Stainless

Joined

Nov 11, 2005

Location

South Texas

• Nov 2, 2007

• #1

Anyone here know anything about modifying a freezer thermostat. My roommate and I just picked up a large upright freezer (free, thank you craigslist) that we are turning into a kegerator. Problem we are having is getting the temp above freezing. We know we need to do something about the thermostat, either modify or replace. Any suggestions? It's looking like this thing will be able to hold at least 2 1/4 kegs and one 1/2 keg at once.

Husker

 

M

megbers

Aluminum

Joined

Apr 19, 2007

Location

San Antonio

• Nov 2, 2007

• #2

a little below freezing should be ok for beer, as long as it doesnt sit for too long. if your freezer is 28-30 or so, the beer inside will be closer to 32-34.

 

V

VSMI

Hot Rolled

Joined

Dec 29, 2006

Location

Vermont

• Nov 2, 2007

• #3

32-34 degrees isn't an optimal funneling temperature .

 

WILLEO6709

Diamond

Joined

Nov 6, 2001

Location

WAPELLO, IA USA

• Nov 2, 2007

• #4

how about just cracking the door a bit? maybe a fan to keep the airflow to regulate temp?

 

P

PBMW

Titanium

Joined

Aug 13, 2005

Location

Bremerton, Wa

• Nov 2, 2007

• #5

You can buy a thermocouple na dtie that to the control. I know a bunch of guys that are using freezers to lager beer. Costs a few bucks but works well

 

H

huskermcdoogle

Stainless

Joined

Nov 11, 2005

Location

South Texas

• Nov 2, 2007

• #6

So two hours on the lowest setting the lines froze. Buddies are thawing it out with a hair dryer. I am going to do some research on the termocouple. Thanks for posting towards a good cause.

Husker

 

D

daze

Plastic

Joined

Sep 14, 2007

Location

Three Lakes, WI

• Nov 6, 2007

• #7

The easiest way would be to buy and rig up a thermostat that has a differential setting in it so when it starts cooling, you set it to only cool for x number of degrees, then it shuts off once x number of degrees is met. These can be more but its way easier than calculating the numbers by just using only a thermocouple.
Here is a perfect example of what you want.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/temp-control.html
The top one on the page is perfect with a 3.5 degree unchangeable differential. Once you find that perfect temperature you don't have to touch it again. There are some that you can select the differential, but they are more expensive and for refrigeration, a 3.5 differential will suffice.

 

K

keithg

Cast Iron

Joined

Mar 16, 2005

• Nov 6, 2007

• #8

insulate the lines

run it on a timer so it doesn't over cool[ no hamburger in there]

get a cheap temp control that you can wire to the power and has a higher temp range

 

I

i_r_machinist

Titanium

Joined

Apr 12, 2007

Location

Dublin Texas

• Nov 6, 2007

• #9

Been there, Done That.
I have some of the temp controls from northern brewers. Set it at whatever temp you want. 45-48 deg. for the keg. 33 deg. for the canned beer. Haven't seen more than a degree variation on the temps once I got them set.
have fun
i_r_

 

kustomizer

Diamond

Joined

Aug 17, 2007

Location

North Fork Idaho

• Nov 6, 2007

• #10

I keep 100 gal of wine at or near 55 deg in a chest freezer with a coffee pot timer and run it twice a day for 2 hrs each.

 

J

Joe788

Titanium

Joined

Apr 22, 2006

Location

Westside of America.

• Nov 7, 2007

• #11

i_r_machinist, why 45-48 for the keg?


I like my beer just on the verge of frozen! (But I don't have a kegerator, so I'm probably missing something).

 

U

Uniguy

Plastic

Joined

Oct 23, 2007

Location

Iowa

• Nov 7, 2007

• #12

Aahh, the kegerator. My first one was out of a 1950 IH. I have a big Kenmore now that has extra room for a couple of 30 packs. I too like my beer ice cold. I keep my kegerator right at 32 degrees. One bit colder and the line freezes, but at 32, it's just fine.

Sorry I couldn't help with your thermostat.

Damn, now I'm thirsty and still 3 hours to beer-thirty!

Good Luck
AG

 

I

i_r_machinist

Titanium

Joined

Apr 12, 2007

Location

Dublin Texas

• Nov 7, 2007

• #13

Kegging is a art form. Too cold will produce more head. Actually it is a fine balance between pressure and temperature that produces a perfect pour. It drives me insane to go to a bar and see them fill a 16 oz glass in 2 seconds and produce a massive amount of foam that goes down the drain. A 12 oz. glass should take about 8 seconds to fill with no beer lost to foam. The foam means your co2 has left the glass.
have fun
i_r_machinist
ps. I'm a homebrewer and keg my own, but keep some in cans for company and emergencys.

 

H

huskermcdoogle

Stainless

Joined

Nov 11, 2005

Location

South Texas

• Nov 9, 2007

• #14

I am going to pick up another keg this afternoon. We currently have no thermostat in the fridge. I think one of my buddies will be going to the school fridge graveyard to get us a refrigerator thermostat. If that fails I will buy one from the northerns brewers site. The biggest thing I would like is to get the keg to temp before tapping it, that way the lines won't freeze. Afterall, the keg doesn't last long around these places. The last one only lasted 36 hours..... Can say that we were partying that hard either


Husker