Purchased A Kegerator

[camedmeades]

Hi guys,

I just bought a kegerator from Pinnacle Wholesalers for $550 inc GST

http://www.pinnaclewholesalers.com.au/prod...products_id=274

Comes with everything except the co2 gas bottle. Fits 3 cornie kegs, dual taps, and a gas regulator (inc all lines and connectors.


Hasn't been delivered yet. Has anyone bought one of these before and has good/bad things to say about it.
It's something to get me going now, didn't want to spend big.

Later,
SpeedMeades

 

[MarkBastard]

Looks like this one comes with two couplers? For full size kegs.

Bloody good deal and looks like the proper one to me, that one that can hold three kegs.

$550 plus $75 shipping to QLD and comes with the beer font, two taps, regulator, two couplers, castors.

that's a great deal.

 

[[email protected]]

Hi SpeedMeades,
I bought something very similar off ebay recently:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...em=280314459357

Mine was $600 plus $99 postage and didn't come with any disconnects however.... <_<

The components which came with mine look different to yours, so my guess is that the sellers import the fridges from the same factory and then add whatever bits and peices they want to complete the kit.

Anyway, I can't vouch for much except that the fridge itself is great and has a lot of chilling power.
I am still waiting for my first brews to finish so I can try it out properly. Thinking I should make some soda water to practice so I don't waste too much beer when the time comes though, haha.

My observations at this stage are that the regulator and taps which mine shipped with seem to be fairly cheap, which is to be expected. I am not too worried though as long as it works I can look at making gradual improvements later.

Adding a fan to cool the font sounds like an interesting modification. Hopefully it won't be necessary, but at least I know it is possible.

Cheers,
Joel

 

[chug!chug!]

I have the taps and reg. Luv the taps! They are great. Reg quality not great but features safety valve and switch are handy.
Great value! Had them for 6 months.

 

[Thunderlips]

Hasn't been delivered yet. Has anyone bought one of these before and has good/bad things to say about it.
It's something to get me going now, didn't want to spend big.

Got the exact same one, from the same dealer.

Works fine. It comes with two 50L keg couplers, one CUB and one Tooheys.

It does not come with corny keg disconnects.

If you use a Lancer Pacific or Andale font you'll lose some room and will only be able to fit two 19L kegs and probably not a 50L keg at all.

Here's a pic of mine with both a chrome Lancer Pacific font and a ceramic Andale font. I never did use the supplied font.





Edit: It took about 2 weeks for delivery to Melbourne.

 

[camedmeades]

cheers for the reply guys.

So it sounds like I need some disconnects. No issue, not overly expensive...

Also. What's definition of a cheap regulator... a reg has a purpose to regulate gas pressure at a specific rate, and if it does this it's a good one. What's the downside of having a cheap one that still achieves this purpose? Or by cheap do you mean that it doesn't keep the pressure constant --> issue..

can't wait to get it. Have a keg of LC pale ale close sitting at home that I need to carbonate and serve. Oooh, i can feel my tummy rumbling as I type.

 

[whitegoose]

So it sounds like I need some disconnects. No issue, not overly expensive...

Also. What's definition of a cheap regulator... a reg has a purpose to regulate gas pressure at a specific rate, and if it does this it's a good one. What's the downside of having a cheap one that still achieves this purpose? Or by cheap do you mean that it doesn't keep the pressure constant --> issue..

I''m curious as to the answers here as well? What's definition of a cheap regulator?

Also, if I were to buy this as is for $550 and I have no other keg related equipment... what more would I need to buy in order to pour a beer? 2 kegs, some disconnects, hire a gas cylinder... anything else? How much would you end up forking out in total?

 

[beerDingo]

Hey, I got one of these from grain & grape. My one cost about $800! And it didn't come with any couplers, regulator, and only had a single font! Jeez, I got ripped!!!

I really like this fridge! I'm able to get 3 cornies in it, but need to get a double or tripple font for it. Only problem is that you can only have 1 gas line going into the fridge, unless you drill more holes, but i spose I could split the line once it gets inside the fridge.

Anyway, i'm sure you'll enjoy your new purchase!

 

[beerDingo]

Yeah you'd still need a gas bottle. You can hire them for around $120 year, or buy one outright for around $300. You still have to pay for both of them to be re-filled, so I reckon the "Kegs on Legs" that you own is the better option.

Gas/Liquid disconnects, are around $15 each.

Corny kegs 2nd hand are around $70-$90.

As long as you get lines as well, you should be good to go.

 

[[email protected]]

By cheap, I simply mean that it looks and feels cheaply made and may not last as long as a more expensive one.
I have no problem with it as i am a firm believer in "you get what you pay for" and wasn't expecting the Rolls Royce of kegerators for $600. There's no reason why it won't work, but if it doesn't (or it breaks while under warranty) I'll return it.

Edit: +1 for MKOL cylinders as the way to go. Sure they are expensive, but they pay for themselves in 2-3 years of hiring costs and if you don't want to keep it for this long (for whatever reason) then you can sell it to someone and not lose out at all.

 

[Thunderlips]

but i spose I could split the line once it gets inside the fridge.

That's what I do.

I'm using a gas manifold but it's a bit big and akward so I'll probably just change it for one of these...

 

[Thunderlips]

I have no problem with it as i am a firm believer in "you get what you pay for" and wasn't expecting the Rolls Royce of kegerators for $600. There's no reason why it won't work, but if it doesn't (or it breaks while under warranty) I'll return it.

I wouldn't worry about the fridge itself.
It's the same as those that cost over $700 to $800 and the extra bits that come with it are a nice little bonus.

I don't need most of the extra bits, like the two 50L keg couplers, the regulator or the three tap font.

I could easily make a quick buck on Ebay if I wanted to.

 

[MarkBastard]

That's what I do.

I'm using a gas manifold but it's a bit big and akward so I'll probably just change it for one of these...
View attachment 25685

Get the john guest ones though.

 

[MVZOOM]

Get the john guest ones though.

Big time - bloody brilliant, very versitile.

 

[Thunderlips]

Get the john guest ones though.

I've got quite a bit of their stuff.

I've seen the gas splitter they have but they only seem to have them for for two lines, not three.

 

[MarkBastard]

I've got quite a bit of their stuff.

I've seen the gas splitter they have but they only seem to have them for for two lines, not three.

Yep but you can chain them together, so buy two double adapters.

 

[Franko]

I've got quite a bit of their stuff.

I've seen the gas splitter they have but they only seem to have them for for two lines, not three.

This is the part you want Thunderlips 3 way adapter


Franko

 

[Ross]

This is the part you want Thunderlips 3 way adapter


Franko

Franko, That part is only available as a 1/2" to 3 x 3/8", so you would need to do a bit of replumbing to use it in a homebrew setup.

Cheers Ross

Edit: That's from John Guest - If you have a supplier in 8mm, please let me know.

 

[MarkBastard]

I'd go for two doubles anyway, that way if you want to run the kegerator with only two kegs for a while you can unplug on and reconfig it. If it's a triple you'd need to keep the third disconnect in there.

 

[whitegoose]

Yeah you'd still need a gas bottle. You can hire them for around $120 year, or buy one outright for around $300. You still have to pay for both of them to be re-filled, so I reckon the "Kegs on Legs" that you own is the better option.

Gas/Liquid disconnects, are around $15 each.

Corny kegs 2nd hand are around $70-$90.

As long as you get lines as well, you should be good to go.

Is this the sort of disconnects I would need?

The eBay item says it is 1 x Ball lock product disconnect and 1 x Ball lock gas disconnect... For 2 kegs do I need 2 of each instead of 1?