How to build your own HOMEMADE KEGERATOR chest freezer with a collar to mount the taps through. One reason you might want to build a collar around the top of the freezer for the taps is so we do not have to drill holes through the freezer and worry about drilling through any freezer lines, another reason is in case you ever want to convert it back to a chest freezer, you will not have any extra holes to deal with.
List of Materials:
Chest freezer
CO2 tank
CO2 Regulator
5/16″ CO2 line assembly
Sankey coupler of preferred style
3/16″ Beer line assembly
4″ Shank assembly
Faucet with lever
Temperature Controller
Drip tray (optional)
Tools Needed:
Electric Drill
Faucet Wrench
Crescent Wrench
7/8″ Hole Saw
Tape Measure
Drill
1/4″ Drill Bit
Faucet Wrench
To get started:
1} You will want to use a 2″x4″ or a 2″x6″ pine or your choice of wood to build the collar.
You may want to hold the wood together with miter clamps and use two 2.5 inch screws on each joint to hold everything together, you may also want to add some wood glue just to help make sure your frame is secure.
2} After you have let the glue dry and your frame is ready, put it on top of the freezer to make sure it is square. Once this was done, you will want to add a thick bead of silicone all the way around the freezer and put the collar on top of it and put something with a little bit of weight on top of it to ensure a tight seal and good insulation, also you need to use the silicone to seal up all the seams around your collar and also where the collar meets the freezer. You may also want to put some silicone around the bottom of the freezer, just to help prevent any rust that might want to start forming.
3} Once the silicone had dried overnight, you can position the lid on the collar and screw in the hinges using 1″ wood screws. Next you can drill your holes towards the top of the 2×6. Then use a 7/8″ drill bit to make the holes through the collar that provide a very snug fit against the shanks.
4} Next drill a 5/16 inch hole in the back of the collar. This hole is for the gas line. You want to make sure it is a snug fit.
5} Slide your hose clamp over the thin end of your beer hose. Push the thin end of your beer line over the nipple end of the shank (maybe try soaking the hose in some hot water, heard it may help). This might take a while but make sure to slide it on the whole way.
6} Slide the clamp over the end of the hose and shank, squeeze firmly and tighten.
7} Insert a washer into the nut end of your beer line, then crew the nut end down onto the coupler and tighten with a wrench.
8} Slide a hose clamp over the end of the air hose that is inside the freezer, then put that end of the air line over the nipple end of the coupler. Slide the clamp over the hose and coupler, then squeeze firmly to tighten.
9} Slide a hose clamp over the other end of the air hose, then put that end of the air hose over the nipple end of the CO2 regulator, then slide the clamp over the regulator and hose. Squeeze firmly to tighten.
10} Attach the regulator to the CO2 tank and tighten firmly with a wrench. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN.
11) Insert the coupler into the keg, with handle in the up position. Rotate the coupler clockwise until it stops, pull out the handle and push down until it clicks.
12} Turn the regulator valve to the On position.
13} Turn the tank valve to the On position (counter clockwise). Adjust the regulator to read 10 to 12 psi by turning the handle clockwise. This will vary by the type of beer and the length of the beer hose. The gauge on the left of the regulator indicates the total tank pressure. This will drop as the tank empties.
14} Next install the temperature controller. Hang the thermometer inside the freezer and do not let it touch anything. Make sure the thermometer is placed someplace towards the top of the freezer, if placed at the bottom you will not get a true reading. Temperature at the bottom is colder than the top. You can slide it under the collar which will still have a tight seal. Next plug the freezer into the controller, and the controller into the electrical outlet. Adjust the controller to have a temperature around 34 degrees. The controller will run the freezer until it hits 34 degrees. It will turn the freezer back on once the temperature reaches 38 degrees.
Now you are finished with your Homemade Kegerator, beer should be kept around 38 degrees.
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