Kegerator/Keezer Temp COntrol Prob Placement

[BuffaloJohn]

What is the best placement in a keeezer for the temperature controller temp probe?

I built a Kegerator, or as I'm now learning a Keezer, some 5 years ago. Over the years I have always had a problem with first pour beers. I have a good understanding of how to fix this now, but I can't seem to get a good answer on where to actually locate my temperature controller temp probe.

I also want to set the differential to keep the system from turning on and off every five minutes, but not so long that the system has to run for an hour to get things back to the low set point.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[vlucchetti]

I put a hole in the top of a full plastic water bottle and put my probe in it. That way I measure liquid temperature. Works for me.

 

[BuffaloJohn]

Thanks for the suggestion. I did see someone else had used a White Labs yeast container. I thought that to be a good idea. WHat is the optimal cycle time for these freezers to cycle at?

 

[mmmooretx]

I went to a local hobby shop an bought a 12" thin wall brass tube that my sensor fit into . I cut a piece off long enough to fit the sensor probe, crimped the bottom edge, JB weld epoxied it to the jar, filled the quart jar with water and put the assembly in the bottom corner of my 25 CF freezer and it only cycles maybe once every couple of hours, if that. I am using a Johnson Controls digital controller with the idle time set to its max. value.

 

[brewprint]

I just bought the Ranco 111000 and was wondering the same thing. Would the probe be alright putting it directly into a glass of water?

 

[BuffaloJohn]

Well, thanks everyone for your input.

I've been thinking about this way too much. After installing the fan to cycle on with the compressor, I now wonder what the optimal cycle time is to keep the beer lines cold enough that the CO2 doesn't come out of solution. My Choices:

1. Tape the thermister to one of the kegs - Problem, the cycling of the freezer would be based on the changing temp in the keg, and would change based on the volume of beer in the keg. Not the prime solution.

2. Leave the thermister hang in the air - Problem is that now I have installed a fan, the cycles will be way too short and render my freezer useless before its time.

3. Submerse the thermister in a glass or some other container of water/StarSan solution. Problem is that if the container is too large, it will cycle too infrequently to keep the beer lines cold. Too small a container, and it will cycle too often, again killing my freezer.

4. Use a fairly small container for the water and adjust the set points to provide the best cycle. But what is the best cycle??

 

[brewprint]

I installed my ranco last night. I took the square plastic tubing that came with a thermometer I bought. I cut a slit in a Dasani bottle so I could slide the tube through the lid. Then I put some water in the bottle. Then put the probe in the tube. Seems to work good. I put some bottled beer in there because I'm still waiting for some beer to ferment. I'm going to worry about a fan later and see how this goes without it.