Good Refrigerator Choices for Kegerator Conversions

There are basically two general kinds of refrigeration units that make for good kegerators: the stand-up fridge, and the waist high freezer. Makes and models are vagarious, whether Electrolux, Frigidaire, or another brand, so the most important aspect of your choice is one that fits well with your spatial considerations. You should also consider whether your kegerator conversion is going to be used for cold beer storage, lagering purposes, and also - just how many beers do you want to be able to serve at a time? All of these considerations will help you to make good refrigerator choices for your kegerator conversion.

Stand-up refrigerators are the most common type of conversion among kegerator aficionados. This is primarily because the conversion process for these types of refrigerators is the easiest. All you have to do to convert one of these is drill a few holes into the door and mount your beer shanks and spill tray (if you want one). If you are thinking about doing a kegerator conversion on one of these stand-up refrigerators, the one thing that you have to be careful of is that the make and model that you choose has no coolant lines in the door. Most units do not have refrigerant lines in the actual door, but it is always a good idea to investigate at the door seam and the hinges to be sure. If you see a tube running into the door or the hinges seem unnecessarily bulky, there may be refrigerant lines running through the door. It is always better to be safe than sorry, so, if you expect that refrigerant lines are running through the door, you should take off the inner lining panel and look before you drill. For more tips on locating refrigerant lines, see our article Locating Refrigerant Lines.

When looking at smaller refrigerators and freezers, make sure to bring your tape measure. It would be ill if you bought a nice, compact refrigerator only to find that it does not fit a regular sized keg! Or, if you are a home brewer, to find that it is not tall enough for a Cornelius keg. Make sure to look at the bottom of the refrigerator. Notice whether or not the bottom is flat. Some models will require that you build a false bottom into them as part of the kegerator conversion - otherwise the kegs may fall out every time you open the door. You will need to pay attention to this aspect of design when building into stand-up refrigerators, too.

If you are interested in converting a refrigerator into a kegerator with more than three taps, or if you are looking to have extra storage space for lagering or simply for cold beer storage, it is wise to go for the large storage freezer conversion. These conversions require more work than simply mounting beer shanks into the door, but they also allow you to install draft towers, give plenty of room for cold keg storage, and even room for lagering beer. Some of these units are large enough to mount six to eight taps (depending on how big your kegs are). If you choose one of these units for your kegerator conversion, you will need to use your carpentry skills as well as some electronics knowledge. Most people can learn to use a saw without cutting their legs off (MOST people, I said), but electronics are a little trickier.

Almost any freezer based kegerator conversion will require that you modify or change out the temperature controller entirely. You should attempt this only if you have a working knowledge of component electronics, and only attempt this when the unit is unplugged. These controllers can be found at appliance repair shops. If you lack the knowledge or tools to install a temperature controller for your freezer to kegerator conversion, remember that you can always have an electrician make a house call for you and install it that way.

Remember that choosing a good refrigerator for your kegerator conversion starts with making a list of you needs. Shop around, and see what units are available to fit your needs and wants. You will be immensely pleased once your homemade kegerator is flowing with perfect precision and providing perfect pints for you, your family, and friends.