# Kegerator Pt. 3 (Final Chapter)



## k5yac

Well, the parts arrived today and the wife was nice enough to take my Co2 tank down to get filled before I got off work, so all I had to do was install and drink. The installation was pretty straightforward, especially since I read through the directions several times before the parts even arrived. Here is the finished product...

The shelf seems to be holding up just fine. I added a second support for GP, but I really dont think it needed it. Co2 is strapped to rack mounting rail, which gives me more space on my shelf. 







Tap and tray mounted on the side just fine. 






I've gotta show this off in a little more detail. I was so stoked to find this thing on ebay. HOOAH!






The end result... AHHHHH! Frotsy!






To anyone contemplating this type of project, go for it. It is a real simple project, and if you are patient you can probably find a suitable fridge for free somewhere. I need a refill... see you on the meat side <BURP>


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## abelman

Outstanding and nice work. I think I need a cold one.


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## glued2it

SWEET! You'll need to send me a map to your house. I need to come do a quality control test!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Where did she fill the bottle at? There's nitrogen of some type they have that will keep your beer colder longer. I haven't it tried it yet. I first heard of it about a year ago, but I'm still on the same bottle since I heard. 22kegs later.


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## morkdach

good job got to go im thirsty now


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## k5yac

Got the bottle filled at Victor Welding Supply in Tulsa.  They charged $8.00... Airgas wanted $10.50 and would have just swapped me bottles.


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## glued2it

I'll keep that in mind when this one goes empty.


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## cowgirl

K5YAC, that is a thing of beauty....well done!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I have a question....do kegs go bad or stale? How long do they keep fresh?

Thanks.


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## glued2it

I haven't had one long enough to know myself!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  some say a month some say 2mo.


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## k5yac

Actually, if kept at a proper temp, they are supposed to be good for 120-140 days.  Plenty long for even the casual drinker.


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## cowgirl

Thanks glued!
Someone showed up on my porch one night at 3 in the morning saying he needed help drinking a keg before it went bad.......
I got out of bed and drank beer until dawn to help the guy out....sheesh.


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## cowgirl

Now I really feel bad!! lol


I might have to make one of these if a keg will last that long...thank you K5YAC.


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## payson

Nitrogen is used (usually) in conjuncunction with CO2. It's main purpose is to create a creamier "Guinness style" head. Very thick with a very creamy mouthfeel. It's generally used with a nitro tap although a regular tap will work as well. It's commonly referred to as "Beer Gas". I've never heard anything about it keeping beer colder longer though.


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## goat

I hate that someone had to twist your arm that hard in order to get a little help from you.  As long as you keep a keg cold they will stay good for a while.  As for the bind that your friend was in, I would guess that the ice was melting fast.  Ha Ha!!


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## lcruzen

K5YAC,

Not sure how I missed this thread. Your kegerator looks great! Per the comments on how long draft beer will keep I think the length of times given are pretty accurate if you keep it cold and under pressure. Seems you get a vinegary taste when it starts to go south.

Great Job!


Lou


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## bard

Good job!  I broke down and got a dedicated kegerator unit a couple of years ago and I honestly can't see not having one.  I know this is a little late, but to anyone else contemplating drilling holes in the side of a fridge the suggested method is to just pierce the skin of the unit with a drill and to poke around in the insulation with the drill bit to check for refrigerant lines.  Once you know it's clear, then go to town with the hole saw.


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## tell you what bbq

THAT looks GOOD!!   MMM....BEER.


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## kookie

Nice job...............Great looking tap...............Great looking beer...........


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## flip

This is exactly why I stopped using frosty mugs; too much head! My beer is cold enough, I don't need a sweaty glass mucking things up!! Then again, I don't mind drinking lagers straight off the shelf. And I don't mean the shelf in the fridge...

Last time I filled my tank, it was CO2. I can't imagine trying to get a keg to work proper by pumping nitrogen into it. Call me old fashioned if you must ;)

Oh. My. Goodness.
My wife would hate you if you lived anywhere near me!

About this whole 'keg gone bad' mystery though. It's not so much that they have a short shelf life (they do to an extent, but I guess I drink too much as they never last that long). I suppose it's more the weekend warriors that pay the deposit for a tap when they get their keg. Those tap's are so dang leaky it's not even funny. Not to mention that there's a lack of CO2 going into the tank!

So here you have a cold keg of beer. Being kept in a plastic or aluminum tub with ice. And it's usually on the porch. With a leaky "tap".

By the time anyone is actually able to get a full mug of beer without all the foam the keg has heated to 50+ degrees which is way too warm for most swill that passes for beer lately. And by then, half the party is wasted off of the booze in the kitchen and the other half are designated drivers!

Mmmmmmmmmm, beer


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## flip

Just for the record, my kegerator has been filled with water and Gatorade since my son was born. Daddy could sure go for a good pint   ;-)


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## pops6927

Key to keeping the foam down is temp, and to monitor it you can go to RadioShack and get a wireless indoor / outdoor thermometer and put the remote sensor inside, the main unit outside and keep track of your temps.  My son's got a kegerator for his Shiner Boch (from Shiner, Tx.) and we did that, he keeps it right at 39 deg. and it works fine. Gets up over 41, 42 deg he starts getting too much head.  Without the thermometer you don't know how much to turn it down; one time he froze a keg and had to throw it out, it went flat as could be.  We spent one whole Sunday monitoring, testing, playing pool, monitoring, testing, BBQing, testing, swimming, teshting, sthitting, layin' downnn, thethtinggg,.... until we gothit juththththththss righhtt... *thud*.


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## sbv32

I know this is an old thread, but this is the first time I have looked at it.  Congrats, it looks great.  I made my own out of an old deep freezer and love it.  I did however spend a little too much time with it in the beginning and put on a couple of pounds.  When it was completed I just felt it was only right to have at least one each night.

Pops6927, you are correct with the temp being a factor of foam.  Other factors include the length of the beer line, and CO2 pressure.  It take a little time to get it all set up, but it's not that bad.  

I got into brewing my own and haven't put a store bought keg in it yet.  Brewing is a blast and I would suggest it to everyone that likes quality beer.


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## chef_boy812

They lastythat long with the CO2, but if your buddy had a pumper dumper party tap, he did have to finish the show that night. points for being a good neighbor.


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## chef_boy812

be careful with that, I tried it that way, and the tip of the drill made my fridge into a paperweight.


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## chef_boy812

I am sorry that this is my third post on this, but I just get so darn excited about beer, amost as much about que!

I killed one fridge with a drill, so I chickened out and cut a notch in the top door seal and ran it through the wall to the goody area you see here.

1 tap for home brew and one is for regular swill.

but anyways, great job, and welcome to the kegger club.
cheers


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## dburgette

I know I am grave digging, but I have to add my $.02.  Owning a kegerator and smoking meat are very similar, you have to monitor them closely the first few w/ lots of trial and error, then you can set and forget when it is all dialed in.

And just an added note on the life of keg beer, truthfully beer doesn't go bad it just loses that clean crisp flavor.  I had one keg last 8 months...I know, WOW!  It wasn't the freshest thing, but still tasted good enough to drink.


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## tn_bbq

8 months????
You need more friends.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






I don't think I've had one make it more than about 8 weeks.


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## bigtrain74

I like the idea of the side mount rather then the front mount... You don't have the problem with the lines getting a lot of movement when opening and closing the refridgerator. I like this a lot!

Nice job!


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## blue

Looks great!!! I want one!

I hope it wasn't a friend...a true friend would have asked before you went to bed the night before.


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## dburgette

Yeah, it kind of got forgotten in the winter months, so I played catch up.  A new baby will do that to a keg...and yes my friends didn't come over much during that time.


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## gnubee

What a trooper! You probably saved the guys life. How lucky to have friends like that. 

If you should ever need that kind of help yourself give me a call.


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## the iceman

Nice job with the conversion K5YAC. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I put one together from an old fridge I had sitting out back. 
Here is a link to my build if you're interested... KILLER KEGERATOR


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## k5yac

This thread is almost 2 years old... kind of funny that someone resurrected it.  

Might as well add a quick follow up.  I've pushed 8 or 9 kegs of Shiner and I'm still running on the original CO2 fill.  Actually, I can barely tell that I've used any according to the tank pressure gauge.  I think another guy said that he pushed 20+ kegs on his first 5lb fill.  A pretty decent little project.  I keep all my BBQ stuff in the kegerator (sauces, rubs, cider, etc.), which makes the wife happier since I'm not hogging the kitchen fridge.  The top is still primarily used for frosty mugs.  

As for keg life on CO2... I've drank from a 4+ month old keg that still tasted good.  Sometimes they go slow in the winter months.


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## jaynik

Are you brewing your own beer, or buying kegs?  Doesn't look like a corny, I figure you are buying your favorite brew in a keg at the liquor store.  So, what's in the keg!?  I have a beer fridge, but haven't made the change to kegging yet.

Sorry, just read the other posts and see that you're pouring shiner.


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## dburgette

It may be 2 years old, but since I just joined I am looking at it through fresh eyes. Well Done!

I agree with still tasting good...and it is hard to let beer go to waste, imo!

Thanks for the update.


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