Purchased A Kegerator

[whitegoose]

I had mine set to 4 degrees and put a glass of water with a thermometer in it in there - when I took it out it read 3 degrees!

 

[benno1973]

I guess, because it's not a flooded font, the first pour is always a little warm due to warm beer in the lines. I'll have to measure it before I criticise...

 

[Thunderlips]

I guess, because it's not a flooded font, the first pour is always a little warm due to warm beer in the lines. I'll have to measure it before I criticise...

I've had a thermometer in there and I'm sure it only got down to about 4 degrees.

The beer itself may be cooler since it's in a big stainless steel keg.

 

[claymen]

Hmm well mine has seen negative temps when its working hard. But when it was at 1c (according to the front) my temp gauge said it was about 1.2c and 2c about 2.1~ so its pretty good.

It's actually a really nice fridge

Other than the crap related to shipping i'm pretty happy with it. Greg seemed pretty quick to help out and respond which is good. Can't wait to pickup my co2 tank and get this baby really cranking.

 

[claymen]

Just a quick extra reply, I noticed my font had tubing already attached and also had some thick insulation to help seal up the hole as it passes through into the fridge.

So I guess, what was the problem people were having with the hoses into the 90degree bend? Mine was already done so not quite sure..

 

[whitegoose]

Just a quick extra reply, I noticed my font had tubing already attached and also had some thick insulation to help seal up the hole as it passes through into the fridge.

So I guess, what was the problem people were having with the hoses into the 90degree bend? Mine was already done so not quite sure...

The problem was if you wanted to use 5mmID line the barb on the 90 degree bend was too fat... The line it comes with is 8mmID. Apparantly with the flow control valve thingo on the taps it's okay to use 8mm ID line though so I wouldn't worry about it - but without the flow control you would need about 18m of 8mmID beer line to balance the system! Ross from Craft Brewer got me some replacement elbow barbs anyway which I'm testing out this arvo.

What do you mean the tubing was already attached to the font? Do you mean to the elbow barb?

 

[claymen]

The elbow barbs were fitted and the hose also. All I had to do was mount the font with the 4 screws provided (not the long ones) and that's it font connected. Attached the two taps and bobs ya uncle!

 

[Guest Lurker]

The elbow barbs were fitted and the hose also. All I had to do was mount the font with the 4 screws provided (not the long ones) and that's it font connected. Attached the two taps and bobs ya uncle!

Have you put beer through them? Although the tap shanks are installed in the font, they are probably not done up tight, and beer will spray around inside the font until they are pulled up tight.

 

[claymen]

Nah havent run any beer through but it did seem pretty tightly done up already.

 

[benno1973]

Mine wasn't assembled, had to assemble myself. And assembling with the 8mm line, meant that there was very little room (due to the thickness of line) to get the barbs close together, which they need to be because of the angle of the taps. Anyway, it's all together now. No beer leaking, so that's great.

 

[camedmeades]

Hi guys,

Well, had the gas going at 15psi for the past two days (didn't force carbonate it) and thought I'd give it a try. hooked up the beer line and poured myself a long one. Head was good, and though the beer was still a bit flat (how long will it take to get the beer carbonated to 15psi without force carbonating?), it was excellent. A LCPA clone that tasted very nice indeed. Had a cloudy look buy I think that may have been because it included the first beer coming through the lines - I didn't have a secondary fermentor so there would be a bit of sediment down the bottom there.

Can't wait to get the second one going and try some new recipes!

Excited!
Cam

 

[benno1973]

...(how long will it take to get the beer carbonated to 15psi without force carbonating?)...

About a week I'd say. I crank mine up to 200kpa (30psi) and let it sit for about 3 days, then drop it down to serving pressure and it's pretty much right.

 

[camedmeades]

I did notice that the first time I switched on the gas I dialled it up to 15, and the next morning it was about 10, dialled it back up to 15 then next morning was at about 12. have just put it back up to 15. this normal?

 

[Pennywise]

Hi guys,

Well, had the gas going at 15psi for the past two days (didn't force carbonate it) and thought I'd give it a try. hooked up the beer line and poured myself a long one. Head was good, and though the beer was still a bit flat (how long will it take to get the beer carbonated to 15psi without force carbonating?), it was excellent. A LCPA clone that tasted very nice indeed. Had a cloudy look buy I think that may have been because it included the first beer coming through the lines - I didn't have a secondary fermentor so there would be a bit of sediment down the bottom there.

Can't wait to get the second one going and try some new recipes!

Excited!
Cam

just be carefull leaving it at 15 psi, I had mine at that for a week and a half and my beer was a little overcarbed with the fridge set to 6 deg. Looking at Beersmith and thanks to Adamt's advice it should have been at 12 psi. Now I'll be burping the mofo when i get home tonight and it can take a day or so to come back down.

 

[Pollux]

The more I read this thread, the more I am persuaded to not buy one of these units....

Starting to think an upside-down fridge freezer and simply buying the kegging components from Ross sounds like a good idea.

 

[claymen]

I dunno. I looked at doing that and even after the shipping issues i'd still go this route.

Greg is willing to fix things and pretty fast to contact you unlike some places.

I ordered mine had everything ready so looks like any other issues are sorted now, no messing around fitting the hoses over the barbs etc. Pretty much just fit the font, rails and setup and go.

 

[claymen]

Actually one quick question, the lines that came with the kit. There was the clear ones which went to the taps but the other line I am assuming is the gas line?

 

[Pollux]

Still need to order actual kegs, disconnects etc.

I have actually priced it up, assuming one could get a fridge for $100 or less, it actually worked out being 40c cheaper to do it myself, and I would have actual celli taps mounted to the door of said fridge......


Decisions decisions..


NOTE: Not trying to rubbish this product, simply noticing alot of people are having issues with screws that don't line up, or burn marks near the compressor and am considering alternatives.

 

[benno1973]

Actually one quick question, the lines that came with the kit. There was the clear ones which went to the taps but the other line I am assuming is the gas line?

I only got 2 lengths of identical clear line. No gas line I assume? My original assumption was that they only supplied one beer line and one gas line...

 

[claymen]

Still need to order actual kegs, disconnects etc.

I have actually priced it up, assuming one could get a fridge for $100 or less, it actually worked out being 40c cheaper to do it myself, and I would have actual celli taps mounted to the door of said fridge......


Decisions decisions..


NOTE: Not trying to rubbish this product, simply noticing alot of people are having issues with screws that don't line up, or burn marks near the compressor and am considering alternatives.

Depends if you can get the fridge that cheap, second hand yes brand new no. Also depends what gear you already have.

I'm guessing you already have a reg and taps? Cause that's where the biggest cost came in for me, I needed a reg, taps and basically everything. Going this route I got most of it in one go. Originally I was looking at about $300 just to do one keg with a beer gun and use my existing fridge. Sure it was about $650 delivered for this but now I get a fridge just for it with a decent looking font with 2 taps.