Keg King kegerator series 4
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Grmblz
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately it's what happens when things are built to a price point and why a converted fridge/freezer is not only cheaper but also a much better unit overall. My converted 450Ltr 4 tap fridge was $2000 when new so runs silently, and sits outside keeping whatever temp I set it at to within 1 deg, I paid $80 for it, and about $220 for the taps,shanks etc all stainless, and if you're not bothered about quality you could use the cheap brass things from KK and save a further $100. Ok it may not be as pretty so if you value form over function it may not be for you, but if it's living outside or in a shed then who cares what it looks like. It's also a bit of faffing around but I did my 4 tapper in 2hrs so not that bad really. Almost nothing is designed for our conditions, I read the kegerator is designed for 35c max ambient, given the tendency for suppliers to be optimistic about such things plus is there anywhere in Australia that doesn't exceed 35c, and these devices become a hard sell imho.
Hey guys. It seems like many of you guys have got a Series 4 kegerator and we would like to know what it is that you would like to see change? What upgrades, what are the parts that annoy you that you want to see changed?
The kegerators are a large part of our business but it's also something that we would be happy to re-design. So give us some feedback and we will see if we can make it happen.
It sounds like you want:
1. More accurate temperature/more even temp in the fridge is that correct?
2. It seems like you want more cooling performance so you can still chill beer at temperatures above 35C? So would a fridge that is designed to still be able to cool beer in ambient temp of 40C be enough? 50C is really quite high and designing a fridge around the few days a year that it might not be a good way to go but if we get enough requests we can do it. We can keep upgrading the components but ultimately this may effect price. We could improve insulation as well if that is really want you guys want. It would only make the unit slightly larger but maybe this is a worthwhile compromise.
The kegerators are a large part of our business but it's also something that we would be happy to re-design. So give us some feedback and we will see if we can make it happen.
It sounds like you want:
1. More accurate temperature/more even temp in the fridge is that correct?
2. It seems like you want more cooling performance so you can still chill beer at temperatures above 35C? So would a fridge that is designed to still be able to cool beer in ambient temp of 40C be enough? 50C is really quite high and designing a fridge around the few days a year that it might not be a good way to go but if we get enough requests we can do it. We can keep upgrading the components but ultimately this may effect price. We could improve insulation as well if that is really want you guys want. It would only make the unit slightly larger but maybe this is a worthwhile compromise.
sp0rk
Mayor of Pooptown
You say 50C temps is a few days a year, but infact for a lot of people it's more like about a month a year if not longer
We had a full week at 48C the year before last and the few weeks around that it wasn't much lower
Hell, soon it'll be more and more of us experiencing those temps
Better insulation is probably a good start
Nullnvoid
Well-Known Member
My shed where my Series 4 is, is 50 degrees for most of summer I reckon
DrJez
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Yes, in the tropics it can sit above 35 for a few months and humidity makes it difficult too.
I like how you guys are keen to listen and it's a yes from me on your current suggestions. I actually assumed being series 4 all the bugs would be sorted so it's a bit dissapointing unfortunately. Personally I'd add
1. A better fan or something because my back kegs are colder than the front meaning carb issues
2. Frost free, in any sort of humidity it can ice up
3. Better cooling in hotter conditions
I initially thought it was noisy but this actually tamed down so no gurgling at all now after 6 months or so
I like how you guys are keen to listen and it's a yes from me on your current suggestions. I actually assumed being series 4 all the bugs would be sorted so it's a bit dissapointing unfortunately. Personally I'd add
1. A better fan or something because my back kegs are colder than the front meaning carb issues
2. Frost free, in any sort of humidity it can ice up
3. Better cooling in hotter conditions
I initially thought it was noisy but this actually tamed down so no gurgling at all now after 6 months or so
takai
Well-Known Member
Can anyone tell me what the difference between the control circuitry for the Series 3 and Series 4 is? Can the Series 3 run a Series 4 front control panel for thermostat control?
Yes we would agree with all these things. The gurgling is generally caused by oil migration into parts of the fridge where it's not supposed to be. So if the fridge was turned upside down in transport or was not left standing for 24 hrs before turning the power on. It's often the case that after months of running this gurgling sound goes away on it's own as you have noticed. I personally did not find the Series 4 particularly noisy.
Frost free is an interesting point. It's not really an issue in Victoria but do you guys in QLD have frost issues on the Series 4? Would be good to get your feedback. It can be solved by just turning the fridge off and letting the ice melt once every few months. Generally this is only an issue if:
a) you are running the fridge very low temps
b) you are in an area where the humidity is high
OK looks like we have to make the new model suitable for temperatures up to 50C.
devoutharpist
Well-Known Member
How is the performance? I am planning on moving mine out to the shed.
Yes we would agree with all these things. The gurgling is generally caused by oil migration into parts of the fridge where it's not supposed to be. So if the fridge was turned upside down in transport or was not left standing for 24 hrs before turning the power on. It's often the case that after months of running this gurgling sound goes away on it's own as you have noticed. I personally did not find the Series 4 particularly noisy.
Frost free is an interesting point. It's not really an issue in Victoria but do you guys in QLD have frost issues on the Series 4? Would be good to get your feedback. It can be solved by just turning the fridge off and letting the ice melt once every few months. Generally this is only an issue if:
a) you are running the fridge very low temps
b) you are in an area where the humidity is high
But would be keen to get your feedback on this guys.
The Series 4 and Series 3 was quite different. The parts are not compatible at all.
The keypad on the Series 3 was quite unreliable and used membrane buttons that were easy to damage. The Series 4 used micro switches that were more reliable.
The digital signal sent from the control board is quite different in the Series 3 when compared with the Series 4. It's not going to be easy to make this compatible. It would be easier to change over both boards.
So you would swap out the main power and relay board with this one:
https://www.kegland.com.au/series-4-replacement-main-circuit-board.html
Then you could swap out the temp control board with this one:
https://www.kegland.com.au/series-4...control-circuit-board-with-plastic-frame.html
You would really have to butcher up the fridge to make these parts fit. It would take a lot of work and effort and quite frankly I dont think it's worthwhile use of time.
Why did you want to change the boards over? What issue are you having with the Series 3?
takai
Well-Known Member
The thermostat varies randomly compared to set point. At times it is sub zero, while others in the mid teens, all with a 5C setpoint.
Had a chat with the guys in the KL warehouse today (actually at exactly the same time as you posted this reply) and on reflection I think I will just hard wire the compressor on and run it off an Inkbird.
devoutharpist
Well-Known Member
How does everyone go changing their lines? Do you basically have to disassemble the font? Or... is there a nice, easy and obvious method that i am missing here?
Kicked my first keg a couple of weeks back and just left it hooked up. Now i see there is a bunch of crap sitting in there from the end of the keg, as well as what i assume are pockets of CO2, so ideally i would like to give it a good clean. My next keg is about two/three weeks ago still and i don't really want to leave starsan in there in case it goes all gummy. So at the moment i am thinking i'll just PBW for a day, starsan for a bit and then pull the line out until the next keg is ready.
Kicked my first keg a couple of weeks back and just left it hooked up. Now i see there is a bunch of crap sitting in there from the end of the keg, as well as what i assume are pockets of CO2, so ideally i would like to give it a good clean. My next keg is about two/three weeks ago still and i don't really want to leave starsan in there in case it goes all gummy. So at the moment i am thinking i'll just PBW for a day, starsan for a bit and then pull the line out until the next keg is ready.
I don’t change/remove the lines every time. There are a couple of suggestions I’ve come across.
One is to buy one of those carb caps that screws onto an ordinary soft drink bottle. It adds a beer/gas post to the top of the bottle. Fill a bottle with hot tap water and some napisan or perc or whatever your cleaner of choice is, remove the beer line from the empty keg and attach to the bottle. Open the tap, squeeze the bottle and you can push a fair bit of cleaner through. You squeeze the bottle a lot to get the liquid out, then remove the beer line, briefly pop the gas line on to reinflate the plastic bottle, back to beer line, and so on. Once your happy with the clean line, empty the bottle, fill with Starsan, and repeat. Gives the lines a pretty good clean without having to disassemble. Every 6-12 months (depending how often you are changing kegs) go for a full disassemble and clean.
The other option is similar but you use one of those small gardening spray bottles from the hardware store. They come in 1 or 2 litre versions. You may have to do some creative tinkering to connect to the beer line but if you’re lucky, you may just be able to screw one of the quick connect adaptors onto the end of the spray bottle. Then just disconnect your beer line from the coupler thingy, slot the line into the adaptor on the spray bottle and run through cleaner and then sanitizer.
The advantage of the first method is your not having to disconnect lines or fiddle with stuff like that. Just pop off the keg, pop onto the bottle. Plus 2 litre soft drink bottles are easy to acquire.
The advantage of the second method is you can pump/prime air into the spray bottle so you just keep pumping and spraying without having to swap over lines and reinflate the bottle.
I currently use the first method but I’m planning to migrate to the second shortly.
There’s plenty of YouTube videos online for both methods.
I just rinse out my kegs when they run dry, fill with sodium perc and about 2-3L hot water, shake the hell out of it for a few mins then connect back to beer and gas lines and run through the tap. Rinse keg with tap water a few time to remove perc, then repeat the first operation with starsan. No need for extra tools.
...Yeah. That's probably even easier still. LOL
Your washing the kegs and Starsanning them anyways so you might as well use them to clean the hoses and taps. Sometimes simpler really is better!
I'll probably just do that next time.
I will say the bottle and carb cap is a quick and easy clean when you're simply swapping over kegs and don't want to go to the effort of cleaning the dirty keg right then.
Changing lines is a royal PITA and a significant reason why I started looking to move to a keezer once I had more room for a home bar. Pulling the whole font off doesn't really help, it was still a nightmare as my brass shank retaining nuts had been badly installed (2/3 were cross-threaded) and getting new lines onto the barbs was agonising (my wit and fingers were decimated after that).
Many years later I still have the kegerator (keezer finally in build at new place) and would never consider putting anything with potential hop or fruit sediment through it. I just clean the lines with PBW followed by warm water rinse and cold starsan between every 2-3 kegs, or after strong flavour/colour beers.
devoutharpist
Well-Known Member
so by the sounds of all this i should just try and clean it before use, i'll let all the yeasty crap sit in the lines until then. I reckon i will hot perc it for a bit and then flush with sanitise and serve
Nullnvoid
Well-Known Member
Doesn't seem to miss a beat. It's a little garden shed too, so heats up quick. Hasn't affected the temperature of the beer.
Only had it since January, in Summer it was costing about $1.60 a week and in winter, $0.40 a week to run. YMMV.
