Kegerator. What heater and preferred position?

[jmc]

I want to be able to serve ale at 12c all year round, so last week I got an ebay fridge to turn into a keggerator.

Its an undercounter Hotpoint RLA30 fridge with inside like pic below


I was wondering what heaters people use and preferred position?
Would a 60w tubular heater be OK fitted onto the right-hand side wall at the back above the compressor-bulge?
I'm hoping no coolant pipes in side wall

I got the RLA fridge as this range have more floor-space as the back curves around the compressor.
Some people use this space for a cylinder, but I'm planning to feed CO2 from current external pub-cylinder to 2 corneys inside fridge.

I still want to keep my beer engine and pumps so at this stage I wont be adding taps to front of fridge.
I'm planning on placing fridge as close as possible to bar and to pipe/feed external beer engine and Franziskaner pump using insulated pipe.

[Morten]

Why do you want to have a heater?

Why not just use an external thermostat?

[jmc]

Why do you want to have a heater?

Why not just use an external thermostat?

I'm planning on fitting an STC-1000 to control temp.


True, most of the time it will just be cooling circuit kicking-in occasionally when temp raised above 12.5C
However its in the garage, where recently its been 2-8C for days on end so I need a heating element as well.

One of the reasons for getting it is I don't like my beers to be too cold.

[Morten]

Why do you want to have a heater?

Why not just use an external thermostat?

I'm planning on fitting an STC-1000 to control temp.


True, most of the time it will just be cooling circuit kicking-in occasionally when temp raised above 12.5C
However its in the garage, where recently its been 2-8C for days on end so I need a heating element as well.

One of the reasons for getting it is I don't like my beers to be too cold.

Aaaarh the penny has dropped.

Since I have a very understanding wife my kegerator is in the kitchen, hadn't considered that other might not be so lucky

In my fermentation fridge I have put a cheap heating fan hooked up to my STC-1000, works pretty well.

[alexlark]

jmc,

Have you drilled or planning on drilling the fridge for beer pipes etc? I've got the same fridge (in silver).

[JonA]

These are good little heaters - just screw it into a standard ES bulb socket, which you can get very cheaply online, or less cheaply from DIY stores.

I found the 50w was more than enough for my fridge, but they go up to 250w if you want some serious heat.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200851359924? ... K:MEWNX:IT

[jmc]

jmc,

Have you drilled or planning on drilling the fridge for beer pipes etc? I've got the same fridge (in silver).

Finally got all the bits and pieces I need so scheduled to set kegerator up over the weekend.

These are good little heaters - just screw it into a standard ES bulb socket, which you can get very cheaply online, or less cheaply from DIY stores.

I found the 50w was more than enough for my fridge, but they go up to 250w if you want some serious heat.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200851359924? ... K:MEWNX:IT

I started with a plain 60w bulb as heat source in my 1st fermenting fridge and they do work well. I replaced with tubular heater as wanted something more reliable and worried about light affecting beer.

Your suggestion of a 50W Ceramic Heat bulb sounds like a good solution. Compact and no problems with light.
Wish I'd seen it before buying my tube-heater.
How long do these ceramic heater bulbs last?

[Belter]

I have coolant lines in the side of my fridge. I missed one by millimetres

[alexlark]

Finally got all the bits and pieces I need so scheduled to set kegerator up over the weekend.

Hope it goes well. Let us know how it goes

[JonA]

Your suggestion of a 50W Ceramic Heat bulb sounds like a good solution. Compact and no problems with light.
Wish I'd seen it before buying my tube-heater.
How long do these ceramic heater bulbs last?

I've had mine for just over a year now. It was on quite a bit last winter keeping the beer at 12c - freezing cold in my garage.

I use my fridge sometimes for fermenting as well as storage and my old tubular heater died when it got smothered in yeast - not a pretty site

The bulbs are sealed and say they're ok for humid environments - I guess you could put a smear of silicone grease on the thread to prevent any corrosion.

[jmc]

I have coolant lines in the side of my fridge. I missed one by millimetres

I was planning on going in at the side to avoid pipes

What make is your fridge?
Is it a Hotpoint RLA30?

[Fil]

consider sticking a fan in too as a fan moves the air which is your heat transfer medium. so a small fan even a 12v pc jobby helps no end....

[jmc]

Updating this topic in case anyone else wants to turn a Hotpoint RLA 30 fridge into a kegerator.

I changed my mind and went with JonA's idea to use a 60w infra-red ceramic heater normally used in reptile cages.

I found out that tube-heater had to be fitted horizontally which took up a lot of space in fridge, so out went idea of tube-heater on back shelf.


The ceramic heaters are small and can direct heat, so I could position it to free-up the back-shelf/ compressor cover.
(jumping ahead to pic of ceramic heater in place)


I can use this 1/2 shelf to fit a small corny or a few bottles.
In fact by putting heater at top at front you can fit 2 full cornies + 1/2 corny + bottles in a few arrangements:




After cleaning fridge and looking for lines I decided to go through side.
Starting on plastic inside with awl. Puncture gently & feel around for pipes.
When checked OK punch awl a bit to mark on outside metal skin & drill 10mm hole on inside to just remove plastic.

Remove insulation for hole to check for pipes before drilling in from outside.
I did the same for heater and 2 gas-in pipes and 3 beer-out pipes.
(If I use 3 cornies inside I'll spilt 1 gas line with a tee.)
As heater nut needed to be tightened up I needed to drill a larger ~20mm hole on outside so I could hold it while tightening.
I made a pigs-ear of this.

Next time I'd drill 20mm hole on outside before, drilling 10mm hole as 20 hole saw had no central hole to stay in.

I took heater apart so I could fit bulb-holder from inside fridge, and wire in from outside.
Bit fiddly but not that difficult. Need to make sure woven thermal shielding is in correct position to protect wire.
While I was doing this a swapped door-hinge side for convenience.





Hooked up first corny to new temp STC-1000 based controller and revised gas system.



Its been working a couple of weeks now set at 12C


1 keg feeds beer engine and other a Becks tap.
Franziskaner is fed via a Maxi100 cooler I can use for parties if I want something really cold


For the summer I'll disconnect heating plug and take-out ceramic bulb to save it from knocks.

[alexlark]

You got a very nice set up there jmc.
Good job.

So far I've only put 1 hole through my RLA30 for gas, I was surprised how thick the sides of the fridge are! Im planning my taps so more holes to come

[jmc]

You got a very nice set up there jmc.
Good job.

So far I've only put 1 hole through my RLA30 for gas, I was surprised how thick the sides of the fridge are! Im planning my taps so more holes to come

Thanks Alex

I hope your build goes well. Take some pics if possible.

Really appreciating the kegerator in this hot weather.
Dispense is a lot easier with cooler beer, in fact I've turned it down a notch to 11C.