Converted Chest Freezer Question

[goossey]

Hello everyone,

this is my first post but I have been virtually living on this site for a while now. I have found so much excellent information, recipes etc on this forum.

I have been all grain brewing since the middle of last year and have been very impressed with what we can achieve. I am now looking at getting into a keg set up. I am still deciding on whether to go the fridge or converted chest freezer path. ATM I prefer the converted chest freezer for the internal room they provide. My question is, can the taps be placed on the top (lid) of the freezer. And if so, is it difficult to then open the lid of the freezer.

Remember this is my first post, so please be gentle with me.

Thanks,
Goossey

 

[Ross]

Hello everyone,

this is my first post but I have been virtually living on this site for a while now. I have found so much excellent information, recipes etc on this forum.

I have been all grain brewing since the middle of last year and have been very impressed with what we can achieve. I am now looking at getting into a keg set up. I am still deciding on whether to go the fridge or converted chest freezer path. ATM I prefer the converted chest freezer for the internal room they provide. My question is, can the taps be placed on the top (lid) of the freezer. And if so, is it difficult to then open the lid of the freezer.

Remember this is my first post, so please be gentle with me.

Thanks,
Goossey

[post="103190"][/post]​

Welcome Goossey - yes they can be placed on the lid, but you really need to get a font for the best results - lots of pics on here if you search. Also opening the lid is no hassle at all -just fit enough line...

cheers Ross

 

[warrenlw63]

Goossey

You can mount them on the lid via a font as Ross stipulated. Mine were originally mounted this way. Only problem is unless you've got a glycol chilled font the beer in the lines warms up dramatically in the font.

This can usually result in some foaming for your first 250ml or so. I ended up putting my taps in a wooden collar on the lid. This keeps the lines completely refrigerated. Installing the computer fan (kudos to Ross) above the kegs has also introduced some uniformity to the vertical temps in the freezer.

Warren -

 

[goossey]

Thanks fellas for your responses. Is it difficult to pump glycol through the font? I should point out that I am no handyman.

Craig

 

[Ross]

Thanks fellas for your responses. Is it difficult to pump glycol through the font? I should point out that I am no handyman.

Craig

[post="103212"][/post]​

It's very easy, even to us tool challenged guys (maybe I should rephrase that :blink: ). All you need is a pond pump & a container to hold the glycol inside your fridge - Infact water is all that's really needed in your instance, as the fridge will be set to your serving temp, which is above freezing. Then just a case of connecting it to the in line of the font & returning the out line to the container...

cheers Ross

 

[goossey]

Thanks Ross, that sounds easy enough.

Craig

 

[paul]

Another thing to consider is putting the chest freezer on wheels so that you can wheel it away from the wall so you can get the lid fully open.

To get your freezer to operate as a fridge remove the thermostat and put a fridge one in its place.

If you get a flooded font wire it in with the compressor so that when the compressor cuts in it also cools the font.

Hope this helps

 

[Batz]

How do you people open your freezers with the font on the lid?

I mean the freezers against the wall

Batz

 

[warrenlw63]

Basically Batz you can't open them particularly well.

That's (as well as the reason lifted above) why I moved my taps onto the collar.

Got sick of opening the lid and having the wall push the tap handle forward.

You can guess the rest... Beer shampoo all over the freezer lid and floor. <_<

Warren -

 

[big d]

being remote i dont have the chance to check out the latest whitegoods retailer but is anyone aware if there is a barfridge height sized freezer on the market with front opening doors.would save some hassles.

cheers
big d

 

[normell]

Well you can hinge the bar top like I did

 

[recharge]

being remote i dont have the chance to check out the latest whitegoods retailer but is anyone aware if there is a barfridge height sized freezer on the market with front opening doors.would save some hassles.

cheers
big d

[post="108244"][/post]​

Well they do exist but the only ones i've seen have cooling shelves you cant move in them.

:beer:

 

[Ross]

being remote i dont have the chance to check out the latest whitegoods retailer but is anyone aware if there is a barfridge height sized freezer on the market with front opening doors.would save some hassles.

cheers
big d

[post="108244"][/post]​

A bar height fridge has less chance of plumbed in shelves - but yes, I have a bar height freezer with removeable shelves - You can see it in the pics of my bar...

cheers Ross

 

[PistolPatch]

Hi there Goossey!

I wrote one of my long-winded posts here (Post #9) the other day on this subject that may or may not be of some help. Even includes a pic!

I'm a real advocate of the converted upright freezer myself. I'm actually unsure as to what advantages there are to chest freezers in most situations. I'm sure valid advantages exist that I am totally unaware of and am probably going to be very quickly educated about in this thread!

Sure, when you open a chest freezer, it will not lose as much cold air but then again, I hardly ever need to open mine. Also I think being able to get 6 x 23 litre brews in one upright freezer isn't too bad and there's no need for a glycol bath either!

Cheers and good luck Goossey! :beer:

 

[Batz]

Well you can hinge the bar top like I did
View attachment 5927
View attachment 5928
View attachment 5929

[post="108258"][/post]​

Nice !

Thanks for that !

I'll be doing something similar

Cheers
Batz

 

[Darren]

Batz,
Just attach it to the back of the freezer via the screw holes that are already there. No need to drill holes. No need to remove lid.

cheers
Darren

 

[sluggerdog]

I'm about to pick up a chest freezer I just got on ebay and I was wondering about mounting a font to the top of the freezer.

IS there anything within the top that I need to worrry about drilling though or is the top pretty safe and only the sides where there could be gas lines and other bits and pieces?

 

[Ross]

I'm about to pick up a chest freezer I just got on ebay and I was wondering about mounting a font to the top of the freezer.

IS there anything within the top that I need to worrry about drilling though or is the top pretty safe and only the sides where there could be gas lines and other bits and pieces?

Safe as houses Slugger.... Nothing in the lid to worry about...

cheers Ross

 

[sluggerdog]

I'm about to pick up a chest freezer I just got on ebay and I was wondering about mounting a font to the top of the freezer.

IS there anything within the top that I need to worrry about drilling though or is the top pretty safe and only the sides where there could be gas lines and other bits and pieces?

Safe as houses Slugger.... Nothing in the lid to worry about...

cheers Ross

Thanks Ross, thought as much. Cannot wait to get it, 345 litre, finally can use my 4 tap font I got over a year ago.

:beer:

 

[bindi]

We want to see photos when it's done slugger

Edit: Like this one,it's good to show off sometimes.