Fridge Project

[Ross]

Had to run 12 lines out of my storage fridge for the new bar - As you can't drill holes too easily without hitting pipes, I put in a timber frame.
With the increased height I can store 12 large kegs + 4 small kegs - all upright. Also allows me to store 2 cubes on top of each other, if I so desire. Lines need tidying up a bit but working great...



Frame constructed on pool table. Timber insert to butt against fridge lip.




Completed fridge (just needs paint) Inside fridge, with lines through hole.

 

[PhilS]

Looking goos there Ross. The gas manifold certainly cleans some of the lines up :lol: \\Can't wait to see your font mounted with the ventmatics.

 

[browndog]

Looks great Ross,
Thinking a little outside the box there mate, how good is the insulation properties of the timber though ? Give me the measurements and I'll bring some 1" thick polystyrene cut to size to line the inside mate.


cheers

Browndog

 

[Ross]

Looks great Ross,
Thinking a little outside the box there mate, how good is the insulation properties of the timber though ? Give me the measurements and I'll bring some 1" thick polystyrene cut to size to line the inside mate.


cheers

Browndog

[post="91885"][/post]​

Browndog,

i was thinking of lagging it with polystyrene, but the timber is not cold to the touch & being at the top, I don't think I'm losing any more through it than you would through the seal of the lid...

Come round and enjoy a few ales though, anytime...

 

[RobW]

Ross

Nice job. What kind of timber did you use? Is the collar fixed to the freezer or does it just sit inside the lip?

Rob

 

[Ross]

Ross

Nice job. What kind of timber did you use? Is the collar fixed to the freezer or does it just sit inside the lip?

Rob

[post="92036"][/post]​

i used 35 mm treated pine & just coated with polyeurothene varnish on the inside.
I ended up silicone sealing the collar, as being outside, I wanted maximum insulation. Could easily be done without though...

cheers Ross

 

[Ross]

Been having a lot of trouble with CO2 in the line, even with the system pretty well balanced - Investigated further & found that the temp of the freezer from where the timber insert is, upwards - sits at 10c higher ie 18c. This is not due to bad insulation, but the fact that all the cooling is below the insert & the hot air stays trapped at the top - hence my beer lines are sat at a temp where the CO2 just drops straight out.
I also checked the temp at the bottom of the freezer & this was at 4c.

I have rectified this with a cheap computer type fan from Jaycar, controlled by the same external thermostat as the freezer via a double adapter. As per the pic - the warm air is blown downwards, enabling it to be cooled - another bonus of this set up is, that the ice that was forming on the inside walls of the freezer as it cools, no longer happens & the air temp is at a constant 8c top/middle/bottom.



Hope this helps others who may be experiencing a similar problem - cheers Ross

 

[Batz]

Looks good Ross , hope it helps the foamimg of the end taps.

I'll be doing the same with my freezer when I find one !! :angry:

So the fan is moisture proof? Electrical wiring and stuff?


Batz

 

[muga]

I just added a similar type of fan to my fermenting fridge, it works great.
I'll be adding another one to my converted chest freezer soon.

 

[AndrewQLD]

I guess we will all have to come down and test your bar setup again Ross , just to be sure it will still work as expected under the strain of 20 odd blokes trying to drain the system dry :lol: . That was a big difference in temp from top to bottom hope it all works well now.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Ross]

I guess we will all have to come down and test your bar setup again Ross , just to be sure it will still work as expected under the strain of 20 odd blokes trying to drain the system dry :lol: . That was a big difference in temp from top to bottom hope it all works well now.

Cheers
Andrew

[post="97292"][/post]​

Any of you guys are welcome anytime...

So the fan is moisture proof? Electrical wiring and stuff?

Batz,
I'm hoping it will be fine - it's working at 8c from a 12v supply & no more humidty than a typical muggy day - but I guess time will tell...

Cheers Ross

 

[warrenlw63]

Ross.

My serving fridge is a converted freezer with wooden collar too. I've gotten exactly the same problems and just resided myself to the fact.

Thanks for a great idea. I might do the very same thing. I just took it for granted the freezer didn't have enough grunt to chill the extra height. h34r:

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

Update.

I've set up a computer fan on the external freezer thermostat to cycle on and off with the freezer. Already experiencing better and more even temperature distribution, particularly up around the wooden collar area.

Cheers again Ross. :beerbang: Seems to do the job. My only concerns will be for the longevity of the fan in a damp enviornment. h34r: Time will tell I guess. Not so much the expense of the fan as it was free. Moreso the PITA of the possibility of having to replace it at regular intervals. :unsure:

Warren -

 

[Ross]

Update.

I've set up a computer fan on the external freezer thermostat to cycle on and off with the freezer. Already experiencing better and more even temperature distribution, particularly up around the wooden collar area.

Cheers again Ross. :beerbang: Seems to do the job. My only concerns will be for the longevity of the fan in a damp enviornment. h34r: Time will tell I guess. Not so much the expense of the fan as it was free. Moreso the PITA of the possibility of having to replace it at regular intervals. :unsure:

Warren -

[post="97475"][/post]​

as you say, time will tell - but I can't see it being a problem - surely fridges remove moisture out the atmosphere, not add it? - have you seen what they do to a piece of cheese?...

cheers ross

 

[Jye]

Hey Ross and Warren

It sounds like you are getting good circulation now but would it be improved if the fan was attached to the top of a piece of pvc pipe and the other end went to the bottom of the freezer? Hence circulating air directly from the bottom to the top.

 

[Ross]

Hey Ross and Warren

It sounds like you are getting good circulation now but would it be improved if the fan was attached to the top of a piece of pvc pipe and the other end went to the bottom of the freezer? Hence circulating air directly from the bottom to the top.

[post="97481"][/post]​

Jye,

i was wondering the same, but coupled with the fact I didn't have a suitable tube, i reckoned the warm air would have more chance of being cooled by additionally blowing it down over the cooling sides & the cold kegs, than just letting it rise up past them - also I think the open fan creates better circulation over a larger area - but hey, I'm no refrigeration tech, so you could well be right...

 

[warrenlw63]

Not bloody likely Jye.

With 4 kegs in my freezer there's barely room to fit a pencil. :lol:

So Ross. If I put some cheddar in my fridge I'll most likely wind up with Stilton?

Warren -

 

[Ross]

So Ross. If I put some cheddar in my fridge I'll most likely wind up with Stilton?

Warren -

[post="97491"][/post]​

Not sure what sort of stilton you've eaten :blink:

but yes, it will dry out into a shriveled little hard lump, very quickly...

cheers Ross

 

[warrenlw63]

I think that the deflection of the kegs and the fridge walls is going to send the air all over the place anyway. My concern about it running down some PVC tube would be the lack of the grunt of the fan actually doing anything.

Easy way to tell is put your hand in front of the computer fan while it's running. The force of the air isn't that great at all.

Whoops my bad Ross. I thought you were talking about mould in regards to cheese not drying out. Something I know a lot about. SWMBO has rolling-pinned me a few times for not wrapping up the cheese when I put it back in the fridge. :lol:

Warren -