For those who are not in the know a kegerator is a beer dispensing device. The keg is kept under refrigerated conditions to keep it chilled. The beer may remain fresh for many months to come despite refrigeration for extended periods. Before conversion of a refrigerator into a kegerator, it is advisable that you first list your needs and wants. What exactly do you expect from this device? After determining your needs and objectives, you may now go shopping around for an acceptable vessel.
The most common refrigerators for kegerator conversion are the stand-up refrigerator and the waist-high freezer.
There are a number of issues to consider before conversion. One of these considerations is space. You will have to ensure that adequate space is available for smooth conversion of the refrigerator. The process of conversion shall also be affected by your intended purpose. Do you intend to have it for beer storage only? How many beers shall you serve at a time?
The most likely candidates for conversion are the stand-up refrigerators. This is due to the ease of conversion. All you have to do is drill holes on the door and mount your beer shanks and trays on the door. Before you commence the drilling process, ensure that refrigerant lines are not mounted on the doors. This is very important. Should you make a mistake and drill into one of those pipes then your dream would be a flop even before you start. There are a number of ways of knowing if such pipes are present. Observe the door and see if there are pipes running into the door. Also observe the door hinges to see if they are unnecessarily bulky. This is a sure sign of their presence. However if you are still in doubt it is best to confirm. This you will do by removing the inner lining panel.
When using small sized refrigerators or freezers, you need to be sure that they will be able to accommodate the keg. It would be a disaster for example if you bought a fridge or freezer intending to convert it only to find out that it cannot accommodate your keg. It is therefore necessary that you do accurate measurements to ensure that the refrigerator or the freezer is big enough to accommodate the keg. It is also important to ensure that the bottom is flat. It may be necessary to build a false bottom into the device to prevent the kegs from falling every time the door is opened.
If your wish to have a kegerator with a bigger capacity, it is necessary to use a large storage freezer. This is the case where the kegerator has at least four taps. A lot more work needs to be done such devices. It will be necessary to install draft towers as this will provide extra room for cold storage and lagering of beers. In the case of a freezer based kegerator, it is necessary to modify the temperature controller. This requires some expertise in electronics. You may do it yourself if you have some level of proficiency. If not, it may be necessary to call in an electronics expert. If you observe carefully the above cited issues, you will be the proud owner of a fully functioning kegerator.
