What Is Happening To My Chest Freezers?

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Biggest is ease to remove and swap kegs, less awkward lifting. Second is no condensation woes as ive read this is common as you're holding the keezer around freezing point and above. Thirdly there is no STC required I just set normal fridge thermostat.

Bonuses are bottle/glass storage is better with shelves and door compartment and no cost of a font (although fonts are sexy) and taps are at a good height compared to collared keezers.

 

[Lodan]

Comparable keezers and pre- made kegerators are likely to be similar cost-wise once you add everything up.

Keg handling is the biggest difference (I second DJ about a fridge being easier than a Keezer).
The second I believe is font cooling requirements (only a minor cost and less likely to be a significant issue in tassie)

Condensation is manageable in a keezer. Glass storage is not often an option in a pre-made kegerator as the door is flat to provide maximum space for kegs (assume you were thinking of home made kegerator DJ)

 

[WitWonder]

Excellent thread blokes.

...which you've pretty much derailed

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

...which you've pretty much derailed

Maybe a little, but the original thrust of the thread was issues with keezer setups. I'm sort of asking "hey what's the advantages/disadvantages of a freezer/keezer, in light of these issues vs a kegerator".

If I send it much further away, I'll just create a new thread and transfer over the posts.

 

[Nibbo]

I recently bought a new 300 Litre Hisense chesty. Comes with castors, holds 6 ball locks easily plus whatever will fit onto the hump. The hinges are just a few screws to remove to add a collar if needed and is simple to undo if a warranty issue crops up.. Power consumption is around 0.2 kW and day and this was with only a keg and a half in there. Obviously I can't vouch for longevity yet as it's only 6 weeks into it's new role but it's by far the best setup I've had so far.

 

[Black n Tan]

Anyone have experience with the HiSense or Haier brand stuff brand new (only other chesties are F&P at a significant premium)?

Secondly - are the dimensions they give internal or external?

Thirdly - if anyone has experience with the above, is there a hump or anything else inside that would render the 34cm high Keg keg new kegs unable to be put in? (I'm going without a collar at this stage).

And finally - can anyone see a reason why paying up to $200 or more extra for a kegerator? Cost to run freezer? Compressor hating being used with STC-1000? Reliability of the limited range of cheap freezers available brand new to me here?

I have three Haier freezers running as fermenting fridge, lagering fridge and keezer. The fermenting freezer is the oldest and is going fine after 2 years. The Haiers are cheap and energy efficient. You will need the HCF264 or larger to fit gets in without a collar. The dimensions given are external. The HCF 324 fits in 6 kegs. You will need a collar to fit a keg on the compressor humps.

 

[pk.sax]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/331194888609

330 + 147 freight

You have to phone pinnacle, they are 380 from the shop plus freight.

Last time I bought a F&P chesty capable of 5 kegs it cost me 420 at a sale. + shanks, taps etc.

So, yeah just a little more for a kegerator.

Or keg king eBay seller:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121330044265

452 + 112 freight. Ring keg king directly and see what you get. You're gonna ditch the cheap font setup and get a different one anyway.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/331194888609
330 + 147 freight
You have to phone pinnacle, they are 380 from the shop plus freight.
Last time I bought a F&P chesty capable of 5 kegs it cost me 420 at a sale. + shanks, taps etc.
So, yeah just a little more for a kegerator.
Or keg king eBay seller:http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121330044265
452 + 112 freight. Ring keg king directly and see what you get. You're gonna ditch the cheap font setup and get a different one anyway.

So you've had both and prefer the kegerator?

At 452 plus 112, and buying a new font (which I'd factored in), it's starting to get significantly dearer than a chestie.

But, I might be able to, with buying extra kegging equipment (kegs, reg, gas bottle etc) get a discount for the lot from keg king.

 

[Wilkensone]

So you've had both and prefer the kegerator?

At 452 plus 112, and buying a new font (which I'd factored in), it's starting to get significantly dearer than a chestie.

But, I might be able to, with buying extra kegging equipment (kegs, reg, gas bottle etc) get a discount for the lot from keg king.

not sure about shipping etc but cheeky peak seem to be great and have competitive pricing.


Wilkens

 

[pk.sax]

Yep, cheaky's equipment is really good. They are though let down by shipping costs on large items. I still got everything from them but freight to me in adelaide was barely 14 bux difference factoring everything in. Their font and shanks and taps are rather good value though. 46 for a 3 tap heavy duty ss font, 25 per ss shank. Then taps. Couldn't find better.

Pinnacle would have worked cheaper for the fridge at 380 + ship but they were out of stock then.

I have had both and do prefer the kegerator. Fact that I can open the door and put in/out a keg is the clincher. No lifting. With a collar and all it does get annoying to put stuff into the keezer.

Alternatively, why don't you source a second hand fridge with freezer on the bottom and...

 

[stux]

I have always bought older secondhand freezers, I like 500lt models. I'm on my second keg freezer first one died at 3 years, present is still going after 6 years.
My fermenting chesty ( again 500lt) died after a couple of years.

I have never paid more than $100.00 for any of them, but it's a pain when one dies and your looking for another.
Oh it costs me $15.00 to dump the buggers now as well.

Batz

My F&P E442B upside down 5 keg fridge is still going super-strong, as good as the day I picked it up for free. 3 years as a keg fridge now... but its basically just a fridge.

Primary house fridge, which is a 520L Ice&Water model, coming on to 8 years I think, again, good as the day we got it.

My fermentation fridges, which are 20-30 years old... still going fine.

My parents F&P, again, its probably 15 years old now, and will be going to my sister when they switch to a larger Ice&Water model.

My brother in law just got the same ice/water model I have... because mine is so nice

Anyway, one day, the ice&water will be 'upgraded' into a keg fridge (assuming it lasts)

And my 30 year old chest freezer... still going strong too...

My personal experience is that fridges run at fridge temperatures go out of style before they die.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Anyway, one day, the ice&water will be 'upgraded' into a keg fridge (assuming it lasts)

A peverse part of me wonders if the "ice and water" components can be easily altered to be "beer and water"? Just to amuse guests.

Looks like I may be allowed to get the upright freezer only we got 2nd hand last year - basically because it's just filling with crap (and so I can move my hops in the main freezer out - which leaves the main freezer with enough room for the family) - you know, a dozen half eaten icecream containers and plastic chinese tupperware with pasta from 6 months ago.

 

[pk.sax]

A peverse part of me wonders if the "ice and water" components can be easily altered to be "beer and water"? Just to amuse guests.

Looks like I may be allowed to get the upright freezer only we got 2nd hand last year - basically because it's just filling with crap (and so I can move my hops in the main freezer out - which leaves the main freezer with enough room for the family) - you know, a dozen half eaten icecream containers and plastic chinese tupperware with pasta from 6 months ago.

Score

 

[stux]

A peverse part of me wonders if the "ice and water" components can be easily altered to be "beer and water"? Just to amuse guests.

Looks like I may be allowed to get the upright freezer only we got 2nd hand last year - basically because it's just filling with crap (and so I can move my hops in the main freezer out - which leaves the main freezer with enough room for the family) - you know, a dozen half eaten icecream containers and plastic chinese tupperware with pasta from 6 months ago.

It uses JG fittings

Seriously though, the water comes in through an inline filter, then fills a 3L reservoir at the top of the fridge... that chills it. This reservoir then empties to the front door dispense panel. Beer would get flat, and although there is a flush/cleaning command you wouldn't want to be cleaning beer out of it

Also, the ice maker (which is like a 8 cube flippy tray in the freezer) takes chilled water (or beer in this case) from the reservoir too.

I do fill my soda keg from the front door panel... just jam an eraser into the button and the water flows Manneken Pis style straight into the top portal

 

[pk.sax]

One day someone will have a play with them and figure out a way to bypass said reservoir and hook up a corny to it.

Pipe dreams I say.

 

[pedleyr]

I have three Haier freezers running as fermenting fridge, lagering fridge and keezer. The fermenting freezer is the oldest and is going fine after 2 years. The Haiers are cheap and energy efficient. You will need the HCF264 or larger to fit gets in without a collar. The dimensions given are external. The HCF 324 fits in 6 kegs. You will need a collar to fit a keg on the compressor humps.

Hey mate,

How many kegs do you reckon the HCF264 would fit on the floor without a collar?

I'm wanting to get a chesty and eventually mount a font to it, so want to avoid a collar if at all possible. Looking for at least 4 keg capacity. At the moment it's looking like either the F&P H215X (apparently gets 4 on the floor), the Haier HCF264 or the F&P H275X (apparently 5 on the floor, some have said they can get 6)...

 

[Goose]

Very enlightening thread. I guess I got lucky with my F&P chesty. Served me proud for 7 years before it finally croaked... and that was holding between 2-4 deg C, situated outside with ambient in tropical temperatures 24x7.

Switched to a Micromatic 'fridge' this time, built for this purpose. It arrives soon. The one problem with these things is that you delay paying your mortgage off for a long time as a result