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GabbaDj
BTH



Registered: 04/08/01
Posts: 19,679
Loc: By The Lake
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DIY Kegerator
#15665758 - 01/14/12 03:00 PM (12 years, 17 days ago) |
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I want to make a kegerator out of a chest freezer. You can buy them cheep and they hold alot of beer but they also freeze the beer...
Soo, how do I convert a freezer into a refrigerator?
-------------------- GabbaDj FAMM.ORG
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Prisoner#1
Even Dumber ThanAdvertized!


Registered: 01/22/03
Posts: 193,665
Loc: Pvt. Pubfag NutSuck
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Re: DIY Kegerator [Re: GabbaDj]
#15667504 - 01/14/12 11:00 PM (12 years, 16 days ago) |
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Quote:
GabbaDj said: Soo, how do I convert a freezer into a refrigerator?
you dont, the compressor will crap out in a few weeks and what you'll spend on parts to make it work for that period will be as much as a used fridge
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golfin_ernie
¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪♥♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸


Registered: 11/13/10
Posts: 477
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If you get a freezer you'll need to convert it to a fridge. There are 2 ways to do this. First you can replace the thermostat with the thermostat from a fridge. The thermostat just shorts its 2 connections together when the unit needs to cool. It's a simple replacement. The other choice is an external thermostat. You plug your freezer into the external thermostat and plug the thermostat into the wall. This is slightly easier but you need to find a way to get the bulb for the thermostat inside the freezer. Refridgerator thermostats run about $30 and external thermostats are about $50.
Temperature controller unit..
Conversion instructions
-------------------- My name isn't Ernie and I have never played golf.
Edited by golfin_ernie (01/16/12 08:57 PM)
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PureHash



Registered: 08/16/11
Posts: 1,087
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 5 years, 4 months
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^ Im in the Refrigeration trade, And with a thermostat like that it will cause damage to the compressor windings over time. Most newer units, Cenral air conditioning, window shakers, ductless systems etc, all have a delay built into the the system to allow for pressures to equalize within the system before next start-up. If you use a thermostat that simple "unplugs your freezer" at the right time, You effectively removed this fail safe from the system.
Yes, It will work. And it will probably work for quite some time, But it will eventually burn out, I can assure that.. And it will be alot faster then if you used a fridge 
As for converting it, There is no way in hell. Its a completely different refrigerant with different boiling points. And if your thinking your can let gas out to make it warmer, Well your wrong its the other way around. If your AC in your house gets a leak, It will start to freeze up before it starts to not cool your house. Freezing = bad in central AC. You would have to add refrigerant to the system to properly raise the working temperaturs on the evaporation side. But that means the system is running at pressures it was not meant to, causing stress on the compressor. Let alone if you add to much, and liquid refrigerant gets to your compressor, Its trashed, right there and then.
Your BEST option is to get a fridge, Your next best option is to replace the thermostat in the freezer as to not remove delays from the system itself, as posted above. And your next next option is an external thermostat, But if used to much it can, And most likely will harm the winding's in your compressor.
--------------------
   TRADE LIST Pure's Cook Book<-- Under Construction Laboratory Organization Charts "Debating with a select few here is like playing chess with the pigeon, No matter how good you are the pigeon will knock over all the pieces, shit on the board and claim victory."
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golfin_ernie
¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪♥♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸


Registered: 11/13/10
Posts: 477
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Re: DIY Kegerator [Re: PureHash]
#15697129 - 01/21/12 11:45 AM (12 years, 10 days ago) |
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Mmmm cold beer!
-------------------- My name isn't Ernie and I have never played golf.
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Heffy
BrauMeister



Registered: 08/30/04
Posts: 3,262
Loc: International Traveller
Last seen: 5 years, 8 months
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Re: DIY Kegerator [Re: GabbaDj]
#15710937 - 01/24/12 10:00 AM (12 years, 7 days ago) |
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Quote:
Prisoner#1 said:
Quote:
GabbaDj said: Soo, how do I convert a freezer into a refrigerator?
you dont, the compressor will crap out in a few weeks and what you'll spend on parts to make it work for that period will be as much as a used fridge
Not true at all. People in the homebrew community have been making keezers for ages. They work great.
Keezer threads at HBT
-------------------- I am the king of Rome, and above grammar! - Emperor Sigismund
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero



Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
Loc: Caribbean
Last seen: 2 months, 20 days
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Re: DIY Kegerator [Re: Heffy]
#15714929 - 01/25/12 04:52 AM (12 years, 6 days ago) |
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>> the compressor will crap out in a few weeks > Not true at all. People in the homebrew community have been making keezers for ages.
Mostly true. It takes longer than a few weeks, but the modifications will shorten the life of the compressor.
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
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PureHash



Registered: 08/16/11
Posts: 1,087
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 5 years, 4 months
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Re: DIY Kegerator [Re: Seuss]
#15716088 - 01/25/12 12:38 PM (12 years, 6 days ago) |
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, what Prisoner#1 said, And what I said, lol I work with the shit every day. It will in time harm the unit. Get a fridge, If you plan on using it alot..
--------------------
   TRADE LIST Pure's Cook Book<-- Under Construction Laboratory Organization Charts "Debating with a select few here is like playing chess with the pigeon, No matter how good you are the pigeon will knock over all the pieces, shit on the board and claim victory."
Edited by PureHash (01/25/12 12:39 PM)
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Riboflavin


Registered: 03/05/05
Posts: 1,388
Loc: Midwestish
Last seen: 3 months, 9 days
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Re: DIY Kegerator [Re: Seuss]
#16127574 - 04/23/12 08:14 AM (11 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Seuss said: >> the compressor will crap out in a few weeks > Not true at all. People in the homebrew community have been making keezers for ages.
Mostly true. It takes longer than a few weeks, but the modifications will shorten the life of the compressor.
My dad's keezer has been running well for over a year, it is harder on the compressor, but you can change the settings on many external temperature controllers to keep it from cycling on quite as often. A couple of friends own a microbrewery and for years before they got a regular draught system they had a simple keezer system that seemed to work well.
I also like that it seems to look a little bit nicer than a fridge without much work.

One drawback is that if you have a bad back it could be a bit stressful lifting 5 gallon kegs of home brew up and over the top, but you didn't specify if this was for home brew or commercial, lifting 15 gallons up and over could be less than pleasant.
Edited by Riboflavin (04/23/12 08:33 AM)
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