Aldi Freezer

[stew.w]

Saw this at my local aldi store today, they still have one left.

http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/58_11298.htm

anyone else got one?

Will this be big enough for 4 kegs going to 2 fonts through the lid?
never really paid much attention to the inside of a chest freezer, how big is the compressor hump usually?
i havnt seen inside of it yet as its in the box in the store

already have made a keg fridge but it only has one tap and i want to have more diff. types of beer at once.
have all the other stuff to do it already (taps, fonts and kegs etc.)

Cheers,

Stewart

 

[mxd]

I think you'll have to put a collar on it to get a bit more height over the hump.

 

[stew.w]

you reckon its still worth getting?
its pretty cheap and has a 2 year warranty

 

[Slightly]

Wow this seems like a great buy. Good ol'Aldi.

 

[scotteth]

Yep, picked one up and am using it as a fermenting fridge at the moment. I'm using it with this http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mini-Digital...Electrical_Test_Equipment?hash=item414c31ec6etempmate clone controller $35 so its working out cheaper than I'd anticipated.

The freezer was missing an inconsequential screw. Otherwise the quality seems pretty good. There's a switch for fast freeze which seems to get the temp down really quick and would probably work well with getting the beer temp down.

The area without the hump is about 35cmx 57cm, fits a fermenter perfectly. If I find my tape measure I can give you some more accurate measurements. So far I'm pretty happy. I'm sure if it dies aldi will be happy to refund (used to work there at one point).

 

[stew.w]

Yep, picked one up and am using it as a fermenting fridge at the moment. I'm using it with this tempmate clone controller $35 so its working out cheaper than I'd anticipated.

The freezer was missing an inconsequential screw. Otherwise the quality seems pretty good. There's a switch for fast freeze which seems to get the temp down really quick and would probably work well with getting the beer temp down.

The area without the hump is about 35cmx 57cm, fits a fermenter perfectly. If I find my tape measure I can give you some more accurate measurements. So far I'm pretty happy. I'm sure if it dies aldi will be happy to refund (used to work there at one point).

if you could measure yours up that would be great.
thanks mate

Stewart

 

[scotteth]

Hi Stew,

The inside dimensions are:

Total = 53cm (w) x 44 (d) x 64 cm (h),
Hump (right side) = 18cm (w) x 44 (d) x 20 (h)


Cheers,

 

[pokolbinguy]

Yep, picked one up and am using it as a fermenting fridge at the moment. I'm using it with this http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mini-Digital...Electrical_Test_Equipment?hash=item414c31ec6etempmate clone controller $35 so its working out cheaper than I'd anticipated.

They look the goods to me...might even get one myself. Not that I "need" it ...or have a ferment fridge for it to go on at the moment...but could be handy to have "laying around"

 

[stew.w]

gona be a tight fit for 4 kegs.
just sketched it in cad, definatelly will need to make a collar.

View attachment chest_freezer.pdf

 

[stew.w]

Hi Stew,

The inside dimensions are:

Total = 53cm (w) x 44 (d) x 64 cm (h),
Hump (right side) = 18cm (w) x 44 (d) x 20 (h)


Cheers,

thanks for the dimensions too

 

[husky]

Yep, picked one up and am using it as a fermenting fridge at the moment. I'm using it with this http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mini-Digital...Electrical_Test_Equipment?hash=item414c31ec6etempmate clone controller $35 so its working out cheaper than I'd anticipated.

The freezer was missing an inconsequential screw. Otherwise the quality seems pretty good. There's a switch for fast freeze which seems to get the temp down really quick and would probably work well with getting the beer temp down.

The area without the hump is about 35cmx 57cm, fits a fermenter perfectly. If I find my tape measure I can give you some more accurate measurements. So far I'm pretty happy. I'm sure if it dies aldi will be happy to refund (used to work there at one point).

How did you find the temp controller? At half the price of the typical ones used here it might be worth considering for my set-up.

 

[stew.w]

got my new freezer today, looks the goods.





will have to make a collar for it but you cant beat $250 for a brand new freezer with 2 years warranty.
not the best efficiency but you can guaratee its better than this ones:



what do you guys usually make the collar out of?
i'd imagine chipboard not being great with the moisture

Cheers,

Stewart

 

[samhighley]

That's going to need a massively tall collar, especially once you factor in the depression under the lid, and the height required over the kegs to allow for the disconnects and line.

 

[stew.w]

That's going to need a massively tall collar, especially once you factor in the depression under the lid, and the height required over the kegs to allow for the disconnects and line.

about 180mm, but i dont really see this as an issue if i use materials with half decent insulation properties.
may also be able to get some coolroom panel offcuts from a mate.
either way i dont think itll matter

 

[Bribie G]

Without the collar it would make a great 2 keg setup with mobs of space to keep bottled beer, yeast packets and yeast culture bottles, etc etc .

 

[gregs]

Stew, the cost of a collar that size may surprise you, but if you can sauce material cheap then go ahead. I built mine 180 mm high. And although it is a 500 litre freezer, the price of the timber was more than the cost of your freezer. But then again its all for brewing so have a go I say.

Some pics of my jobbie. Hope it helps.

 

[shawnheiderich]

Before you spring for a collar I have a freezer the about the same size with two kegs on the floor. I found that if I bought a new 23L keg it would fit on the hump, which suits me fine with two kegs dispensing and one conditioning. Keg cost was $190 new. I guess it depends on how many taps you want.

Shawn

 

[scotteth]

How did you find the temp controller? At half the price of the typical ones used here it might be worth considering for my set-up.

Seems pretty good so far. I'm only using the cooling side, not the heating side but the heating relay light does comes on when the temp drops past the preset. Operates exactly the same as my fridgemate in terms of features etc.


Stew,
Being cheap- I'd be using some pine thats been painted appropriately with some added foam from clark rubber for insulation. I did this to replace the lids of my old freezer and it works a treat. Don't forget that most of the cooler air will sink to the bottom where the kegs are anyway.

 

[stew.w]

i'm pretty determined to have 4 taps as ive come across 2 x 2 tap fonts that were going to get chucked.
i dont mind spending a bit of money to do it properly as it is my hobby, i could do what half my mates do and just piss my money every weekend out on the town.
but on the other hand youre probably right scotteth as it wont make a real lot of difference as the cool air will sink anyway.
still might try get cool room panel off cuts though.
where do you put your temp controller probe?
in my fridge ive got mine on top of the keg as the thermostats buggered and it freezes the lines.

Cheers,

Stewart

 

[gap]

I had to make a collar about that high for my freezer. I used 19mm pine and
glued it together so it was 38mm thick. It was then pained with white gloss paint.

Works vry well and was not expensive at all, nowhere near the cost of the freezer, actually less than
$50.

Regards

Graeme