Kegerator line cooling

[parottthead]

I am going to buy a Fridgidaire 4.4 cu. ft. fridge to convert into a kegerator. I've read the threads about modifying it, and have a question regarding the beer lines. I built an outdoor bar several years ago, and recently added a 2 tap tower. I have a 20 lb CO2 tank beneath the bar, but the depth is only 16", so I would rather not have the fridge directly beneath. I can put it at the end of the bar and run the lines out the top or back, then through the end of the bar and up the tower. The distance the lines would be outside the fridge is about 18". Would it be best to run them through 3/4" copper and insulate them to help keep them cool? If I go out the top I will have to use 2 90 degree elbows per line; is that OK? Has anyone put a line out the back of the fridge near the top rather than through the compressor box?

Thanks!

pH

 

[JRems]

You will need to do a forced air cooling, without it it will be a foamy mess. there is a good write up here http://www.micromatic.com/forum/us-...its-home/8186-my-new-draft-system-how-do.html

 

[dmcman73]

You can use a copper pipe and insulate the areas outside of the tower and fridge. Inside the fridge put a Tee at the end of the copper pipe and run the beer lines out the bottom. Then on the leg part of the Tee attach a vinyl hose to it and at the other end connect it to a fan source. If the fan is to powerful, your fridge is going to cycle like crazy since the fan will be sucking all the cold air out of it. Get a variable speed fan so you can dial it down to just enough where it's keeping the beer lines and the tower cold.

This is what I did on the cheap with a trip to home depot and an old PC fan: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/kegerator-keezer-fan-circulation-412148/

Not only does it keep the tower nice and cold but it also circulates air around the kegs in the fridge. The all weather electrical box I used has two ports on it. One port has the vinyl tube going to the copper pipe and the other is just opened into the fridge.

EDIT: To seal up the hole I made where the wires comes in for the fan, I used Plumbers putty (it's like clay). It doesn't harden, creates a nice air / water tight seal and in the even that I have to change the wire or want to add something else through the hole, it can come right out.

 

[pjj2ba]

I have a forced air cooled system. About 3 ft of beer line total outside of the fridge. I have a ceramic tower on my bar and a regular fridge at one end of that. I got some 2" flexible tubing and made a loop (two holes in the side of the fridge) that goes to the tower and back. The beer lines (2) are in that. I cut a tiny slit at the bend in the tower to pull the beer lines out. The tower is filled with flexible foam sheets and some packing peanuts. The tubing between the tower and the fridge is encased in 2" rigid foam. I have a small computer fan that sucks air through the tubing loop so the coldest air is flowing over the beer lines.

There are a few photos in my gallery

 

[parottthead]

I thought I'd update my progress. I have taken a few pics but they are so-so quality. And I forgot my photobucket pw. I used dmcman's build as my reference, but am using 3/4" copper instead of 1". I bought a 2 gang outdoor box w/2 ports, and blank plate for the fan box. I found that 1" tubing fits over the 3/4" elbows/tees fairly snugly, and to make it tighter I wrapped them with a couple of layers of electrical tape.

I cut two 7/8" holes in the back of the fridge right where the old freezer shelf was. First I cut through the plastic and insulation from the back (very carefully!) to make sure there were no heat sink lines where I wanted to drill. I position the precut copper pipe where I wanted it, then used great stuff to repack the insulation in the back.

The CO2 lines and wires for the fan come through a hole I cut in the compressor hump.

I also cut the door down and used silicone to attach a piece of whiteboard to cover the exposed foam.

I plan on getting an external temp controller, probably an stc1000, but want to see how well the stock thermo regulates before I do that.

I'll try to get some pics posted, although my build is very similar to many that have been posted here except for the fact that I took my beer lines out the back instead of the top or door.