Cold Plate In Freezer

[afromaiko]

I don't have much room left for an extra fridge and want to make a keg setup. We have an existing chest freezer that we use for our household food that I can't 'borrow' but I was wondering if I could rig something up with a cold plate inside it and pass the beer through that while keeping the kegs of the outside. Would the freezer temperatures cause a problem with beer freezing in the plate? Would I just leave it 'hang loose' in the freezer so to speak, or should I put it in a container or water (well, ice) or gycol.

 

[razz]

Typical freezer temps mean that any residual beer in the lines would quickly freeze. You may get away with the glycol bath, I don't use one so it's hard to say. In terms of cooling the beer quickly a miracle box with ice would do a much better job.

 

[afromaiko]

Typical freezer temps mean that any residual beer in the lines would quickly freeze. You may get away with the glycol bath, I don't use one so it's hard to say. In terms of cooling the beer quickly a miracle box with ice would do a much better job.

I wonder what is the lowest temperature I could safely use a cold plate without it freezing the beer?

The other thing on my mind is how warm an un-refrigerated keg could be when using a cold plate. It would only be used intermittently, so perhaps it's ok?

 

[razz]

Typical cold plates sit in ice so they won't get any colder than 0 degrees. The freeze temp of your beer may be dictated by its alc content. Keep your unrefridgerated kegs in doors somewhere so they don't cop big temp swings. It helps if a keg has been chilled down prior to going through a cold plate. You could try something like this on Evilbay.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Home-Brew-Beer-Esky...1QQcmdZViewItem

Sorry link not working, some one's about to tell me off/how to do it correctly.

 

[Sammus]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Home-Brew-Beer-Esky...emZ180205928051

fixed link, I'd look for a cold plate one though, ive heard the stainless coils dont work too well...

 

[afromaiko]

Thanks for that. They look great for parties, but I'm trying to find a solution for a permanent installation without getting a separate keg fridge.

Edit: Failing this plan.. does anyone know of a cheap bar fridge that is guaranteed to fit at least one 19L corny keg in it? I have the slightly taller style ones.

 

[fifteenbeerslater]

Afromaiko, I have tried coldplates many times over the years in different suituations. They work absolutely perfectly in a car fridge with ice, the best place i found in a fridge was immediately under the freezer. You may have to experiment how close depending the freezer or it can still freeze up.
Best of luck-let us know how you go.
Cheers,
15BL

 

[afromaiko]

Afromaiko, I have tried coldplates many times over the years in different suituations. They work absolutely perfectly in a car fridge with ice, the best place i found in a fridge was immediately under the freezer. You may have to experiment how close depending the freezer or it can still freeze up.
Best of luck-let us know how you go.
Cheers,
15BL

How about mounting it on the underside of the chest freezer lid... could be an option, but it would only have the air to chill it.

 

[fifteenbeerslater]

How about mounting it on the underside of the chest freezer lid... could be an option, but it would only have the air to chill it.

Set up a keg with water and connect to coldplate and tap and try it, you may however have problems with it freezing!
Cheers,
15BL

 

[Ross]

Sorry - You will not be able to use a family shared freezer - The temperature range goes far too low & will freeze the beer.
you will need to look for an alternative.

cheers Ross

 

[afromaiko]

Sorry - You will not be able to use a family shared freezer - The temperature range goes far too low & will freeze the beer.
you will need to look for an alternative.

cheers Ross

Thanks for your advice, I will keep looking!

 

[danbeer]

Sorry - You will not be able to use a family shared freezer - The temperature range goes far too low & will freeze the beer.
you will need to look for an alternative.

cheers Ross

How do you think one would go in the fridge section?

If you sat it in a bucket of water to give it a greater thermal mass, it should chill the beer down to ~ +2 deg of fridge temp?

 

[KGB]

Surely if a plate was in a fridge or freezer, it would need to be incontact with some sort of liquid if the beer was flowing regularly. I would like at least constant air movement over it (ie a fan) would be required.