# Garage Mods:  fridge to kegerator



## LoneJeeper (Jun 14, 2006)

has anyone found a decent write up or kit to convert my old college fridge to a garage kegerator?  

thanks!

lj


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## jeff1 (Jun 14, 2006)

Hi,

These may help....

http://blogs.foxsports.com/demonicume/2006/05/10/SPORTS_HACK_Build_a_Kegerator

http://www.creditideasonline1.info/101/beer-refrigerator.html

http://www.kegworks.com/home.php?cat=263

http://www.gt-refrigerators.info/beer-keg-refrigerators/

http://www.schwedhelm.net/brew/kegerator.html

jeff.


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## jwoody69 (Nov 1, 2008)

The kegerator kits from www.KegCowboy.Com or http://www.kegcowboy.com/digiSHOP/cart.php?m=product_list&c=1 are some of the easiest to install because they are already assembled.  To install these kits you either simply connect them to a keg inside a refrigerator and serve beer by opening the door or you drill a hole through the door for faucet access from the outside.  Either way it is a very simple install compared to other kits which are essentially just a box full of parts that you are left to figure out.  Additionally, considering these kits include a tank and only use double guage, high-pressure regulators, they are the least expensive kegerator (keg-o-rator) kit on the market.  Highly recommended.  The site also includes instructions for building kegerators from scratch as well as how to clean a kegerator.


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## whitetoad (Dec 28, 2009)

I purchased the Kegerator Kit form KegCowboy.Com because it was the cheapest and because I wanted one that had already been tested. Guess what, I called  on Xmas day to leave a message and they answered the phone!  Turns out you are supposed to leave the handle up on the tap until it is twisted on then you pull it out and down!  I guess no matter how easy they make it I'll still find a way to screw it up.  - Good Company.


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## rmcqueen78 (Feb 16, 2010)

I recently finished a small chest freezer conversion and wanted to post this for those of you with limited space.

I only had about 35 width inches to work with in the laundry room off of the kitchen, and this unit is 33 inches.

I used the Danby 5.5 cu ft. model # 199050 from HHGreg on sale for around $150 at the time I purchased it a couple months ago.

This unit will fit 2 sixtels or 1 tall quarter. 

I used a 2 x 6 collar, Perlick faucets, 12" double shank S/S drip tray, 3 1/2" shanks, primary double gauge, Johnson's temperature controller, and 8 ft. beer line. At the time of the picture I was using a small computer fan but I wasn't getting enough circulation so I picked up a 4" personal fan from Walmart for $4.00 and it is circulating very well.

Most of the parts above were from Micromatic and the magnetic cap catcher bottle opener was from XtremeBarware.com

Right now I have a sixtel of Killian's on tap and it is pouring great!

I will most likely run the drain hose out the wall and into the garage when I get a chance, right now I am just using a bucket underneath when in use.

Feel free to contact me if you are working on something similar, I would be happy to answer any questions the best I can or take measurements from the inside of the freezer etc.

Cheers!

Rich


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## frozenstar (Feb 22, 2010)

Wow! Very nice work rmcqueen78!!!   I love it! How long did it took you to build everything?


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## onedreambar (Mar 20, 2010)

hi I like this kegerator, if you are in canada , toronto, could you come to our bar to install it or email to me at [email protected]
Thank


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## onedreambar (Mar 20, 2010)

rmcqueen78 said:


> I recently finished a small chest freezer conversion and wanted to post this for those of you with limited space.
> 
> I only had about 35 width inches to work with in the laundry room off of the kitchen, and this unit is 33 inches.
> 
> ...


hi I like this kegerator, if you are in canada , toronto, could you come to our bar to install it or email to me at [email protected]
Thank


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Mar 20, 2010)

Onedreambar:

     I made my own beer fridge and it's not at all hard.

     First off, I don't think it's a good idea to use a chest freezer for a beer fridge unless you replace the thermostat.  Freezers simply get too cold, and they'll freeze your beer.  Also, chest freezers have their evaporator coils in the sidewalls of the freezer, and you can puncture the evaporator coil by drilling through the side wall of a chest freezer.  An evaporator coil is very expensive to replace on a fridge, but it's not even feasible to do on a chest freezer.  If you needed to replace one on a chest freezer, it would be cheaper to buy a new chest freezer.

You can get used 5 gallon stainless steel tanks from any soft drink bottler.  If you look in your Yellow Pages phone directory under "Beverages" you'll find your local soft drink bottlers, but you will probably also find some companies you've never heard of.  These companies will be the onces that repair and maintain the draft beer dispensers at all your local hotels and bars.  Those companies would know where you can get 5 gallon stainless steel soft drink or beer tanks, and they will also be able to provide you with all the necessary hoses, clamps and hardware for dispensing your beer.   (I bought two stainless Pepsi tanks for $40 each about 20 years ago for my beer fridge, but I had to pay another $40 for shipping cuz they came from Ontario.)

The cast steel CO2 tank can be rented from any place listed under "Gasses" in your yellow pages.  First off, you don't use pure CO2 to push your beer.  When CO2 dissolves in water, it actually forms a chemical called "carbonic acid" (CH2O3), which is what gives carbonated soft drinks (and beer) their "bite" or slightly acidic taste.  If you use pure CO2 to drive your beverage, so much CO2 will dissolve in it that it will taste VERY acidic.  Instead, you want to use a gas called "beer gas" which is a mixture of CO2 and nitrogen.  The nitrogen doesn't dissolve in the beverage; it only pushes the beverage through the dispenser.  The CO2 provides the carbonation.

When you go to some place that provides gasses to welders, hospitals and such, they will sell you a small 700 PSI bottle of beer gas for about $20.  The gas is yours, but the bottle remains theirs.  You can buy your own bottle, but it's better to use the gas company's.  The reason why is that by law, metal gas bottles have to be tested once every 5 years.  If you own the bottle, then it's your responsibility to pay for the testing.  So, if you take the bottle from the gas company and return it when it's empty, it's the gas company's responsibility to pay for the testing, and you can thereby avoid that expense.

The pressure regulator can be obtained from any welding supply store, and many welding supply stores also service the pressure regulator if and when it's needed.

Rmcqueen78 has a nice set up, but I think I'm seeing teflon tape on the nut connecting the pressure regulator to the CO2 bottle.  There shouldn't be teflon tape on these threads.  There should be a gasket inside the nut instead.

Finally, to make the necessary 3/4 inch or 1 inch holes to mount your beer tap, just drill a 1/4 inch hole in the metal door of your fridge and then take the door down to any electrician.  All of them will have a set of Greenlee punches that will cut a 3/4 or 1 inch hole wherever the 1/4 inch starter hole is.


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