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A kegerator can be built from a large refrigerator, small dorm refrigerator or a chest freezer. This article will be focusing on transforming a full size refrigerator in to a beer dispensing "bit-o-heaven".
Cheap refrigerators can be found relatively inexpensively at garage sales, in the newspaper, or at used appliance stores. Please note: Old refrigerators are not very energy efficient compared to their new counterparts. A good thing to think about, as this will have an impact on your PG&E bill.
You will need to get all the standard items for a kegging system. Gas tank, regulator, gas line, beer line, keg connectors, faucet and shank,drip tray and a spanner wrench.
Other items needed: A piece of showerboard (available at Home Depot), 3/4" plywood or melamine, 1" ID. PVC pipe, sheet metal screws.
Tools: Sabre saw, Electric drill and drills, Hole saw.
NOTE: When choosing a donor refrigerator, make sure it has adequate height inside for the keg and lines. Approx 27" should be enough. (measured from the new shelf to the top of the refrigerator compartment)
Refrigerator Prep: First, start by removing all the interior shelves and cleaning all the interior surfaces. You can skip cleaning the door panel as it will be replaced. Next remove the inside door panel, the screws can be found under the magnetic sealing strip around the perimeter. Be careful not to damage the panel, you will need it for a template later. (You can remove the door for this part if you want to)
Fabricating the new pieces: Most refrigerators don't have a flat bottom. The compressor usually sits under the lower back half-shelf. You will need to build a full shelf over this hump so that the kegs have a stable, flat surface to sit on. This can be made of 3/4" plywood cut to size, or for a more finished look, use melamine. The new shelf will be supported in the back by the refrigerator half shelf, but you will need some sort of support for the front of the new shelf. Shelf supports can be used for this, or just a couple of 2x4s cut to length for front legs.
Lay the old inner door panel on top of the new piece of shower board. Mark the perimeter as well as all the screw holes. Cut out the new panel with a sabre saw and drill all the screw holes.
Installing the new door panel: Replace the magnetic strip onto the new panel and screw into place on the refrigerator door. At this point I would only replace the screws on one side (left or right depending on your door) because you will need to gain access under the panel while installing the shanks in the next step.
Mounting the New Faucets: Mark the location of the faucets on the outside of the door. Care should be taken not to mount the faucets too close together or too high. Also, keep in mind the type/length of tap handle you will be using. If mounted too high (or having tap handles that are too tall), opening the top freezer compartment could catch the handles and spill a lot of beer! (don't ask how I found this out) Using the long drill bit, drill a hole trough both panels making sure to drill level and straight. Then use the holesaw to drill a 1" hole through both panels using the first hole as a guide. Repeat if installing multiple faucets. Now measure the inner panel distance through the holes. Use this measurement to cut a piece of PVC pipe. This will be used as a spacer between the panels and will greatly increase the stability of the shank and faucet. Now comes the tricky part. You need to push the shank through from the outside, while reaching under the inner panel to place the PVC spacer on the shank. Then push the shank through the inner panel. Repeat for the other faucets if you are installing them. Now place a shank washer and jam nut on each shank and tighten. Mount the drip tray to the front of the door using sheet metal screws.
Install the new faucets onto the newly installed shanks using the spanner wrench (don't use pliers on this no matter how tempting it may look). Add the beer lines to the nipple on the back end of the shanks using 3/16" vinyl tubing. Put keg connectors (black ball lock) on the other end of the beer lines.
Gas In: You will need to get gas to the kegs to push the beer. The easiest way is to put the keg, regulator, and lines inside the refrigerator along with the kegs. This is easier, but will take up space that could (and should) be used for beer. By simply drilling a hole through the side of the refrigerator, you can put the tank outside. Modern refrigerators don't have anything that can be damaged in the walls. So don't worry too much about the hole placement. Use vinyl gas line and a gray connector. If you are running more that one keg, just splitting the gas line by using a "Y" connector should be avoided. You really need to install check valves on the system. This will prevent cross-pollination from keg to keg. (you don't want your Wit to taste like the Cascade in your Pale Ale!) A good idea is to run a manifold with individual shut offs for each keg. These usually have the check valves already built in. Many of the ones on the market can be added to later if you need to add more capacity to the system.
Pre-cleaning: Before using the Kegerator for the first time, it is advisable to run BLC (beer line cleaner) through the system. This can be done by using a keg with ½ gal of solution in it and push it through with the CO2. Follow directions on the BLC label. Rinse thoroughly with ½ keg of very cold water. I like to follow this up with some "Star-San".
Some options to consider:
Double regulator: Two different pressures from the same tank
Larger dedicated CO2 tank: Gas is cheaper in the larger tank size, and you don't have to keep disconnecting it to do other things (filtering, purging carboys,etc)
Indoor/outdoor thermometer (radio shack): Mount it on the front door so you can see how cold it is inside as well as the ambient temperature.
Forward sealing faucets: Regular ones stick if not used regularly.
Stout faucet and N2 system; If you're a stout lover, there is just no other way.
Now, hook up your kegs, relax - and have a Homebrew.
Cheers,
Dr. Scott
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