Kegerator Schematics

Here we will go over three different kegerator designs, using two different refrigeration units. One will be a full sized stand-up refrigerator, and two will be half-sized modified freezer units. These three designs should go over most concerns and problems that the D.I.Y. kegerator maker will run into. Still, the sense of intuition and of ingenuity are important when making a D.I.Y. kegerator - you never quite know what problems you are going to run into with the specific make and model of the unit you find. All of the kegerator schematics we will discuss here can be finished in a day to a day and a half of labor, once you have all the tools and hardware at hand.

The full sized D.I.Y. refrigerator to kegerator conversion is a simpler conversion to make than the half-sized schematic, but you will need some of the same tools and hardware to make either of these kegerators. First of all, the following hardware:

• beer faucet shank
• spill tray
• CO2 tank with regulator
• beer line tubing (surgical tubing)
• gas line tubing (same)
• Spill tray tubing (same)
• hose clamps
• a bottle or other container for spill tray run-off
• an appropriate tap for each kind of beer keg that you plan on serving through your kegerator. For home brewers, this simply a ball or pin lock fluid exit form the keg. For those that will be serving commercially produced kegs, you will need to buy your own tap. Oh yes, you will also need a keg of beer.
• If you are making a tower style dispenser, a conversion of the half-sized freezer unit, you will need a draft tower as well.
  

As for the tools, you will need the following for both schematics:

• power drill
• 1" hole saw bit for beer faucet shank
• regular drill bit for spill tray
• beer faucet wrench
• flat head screwdriver or appropriate socket for hose clamps.
• carpentry tools may pr may not be necessary (i.e. saw, plywood, measure, pencil, and a couple of 2 by 4s.)

D.I.Y. Kegerator Schematic #1: Full-sized kegerator conversion

1. Always check for coolant lines. See my article "Locating Refrigerant Lines" for more information on this. You should choose a refrigerator that has NO coolant lines in the door. You will be drilling holes through the door, so if you aren't sure, remove the inside panel of the door to check that there are no coolant lines there.
2. Take out all the racks trays, and drawers from the inside of the unit. If the bottom is un-even, you may have to get out those carpentry tools to fabricate an even bottom. But remember about those refrigerant lines - don't nail the bottom in, use liquid nails instead.
3. If you are sure there are no coolant lines in the door, or if you have located them and figured out where to drill to avoid them, mark the location of where your beer faucets are to be located, and where your spill tray will be mounted.
4. Drill the appropriate holes with the power drill.
5. Mount the beer faucet shank and spill tray.
6. Connect beer and CO2 gas lines to the keg, making sure to regulate pressure according to the type of beer as referenced in the "Handy-Dandy Slow-Forced Carbonation Table featuring Pressure vs. Temperature in Degrees Fahrenheit".
7. Chill the beer, let it settle, and enjoy.

D.I.Y. Kegerator Schematic #2: Half-sized Kegerator Conversion with Draft Tower

This design is more complicated. It requires the use of carpentry tools: a saw, pencil, measure, 2 x 6s, hammer and nails, etc... as well as confidence in your ability to locate and install a custom temperature controller. The main benefit of this design is that it saves space and gives the feeling of a "real bar". You will need a freezer or fridge with a swinging door coming off the front. Make sure that the unit is tall enough to stand your keg up in! To make the half-sized kegerator conversion with regular faucets, follow these steps:

1. Unplug the unit. Locate the current temperature controller on the unit. You will need to figure out how to rewire this with a custom temperature controller - find the wires leading to and from the current controller and splice in your custom unit. This will require taking the back off of the unit, most likely. If you are not familiar with component electronics, you may want to find a friend or hire an electrician to help with this.
2. Locate the refrigerant lines. See my article "Locating Refrigerant Lines" for more information on this. You will need to remove the plastic lining of the unit. Once this is done, find spots with ¼" clearance all around the holes you are going to drill. You will need to find spots where you can drill a 1" hole for mounting the beer faucet shank as well as a hole for your spill drain, depending on the model of spill tray / draft tower you are using.
3. Now, mark the location of where your beer faucets are to be located on the collar,
4. Drill the appropriate holes with the power drill through the top of the freezer unit, being careful not to damage refrigerant lines.
5. Mount the beer faucet shanks(s) and draft tower.
6. Connect beer and CO2 gas lines to the keg, making sure to regulate pressure according to the type of beer as referenced in the "Handy-Dandy Slow-Forced Carbonation Table featuring Pressure vs. Temperature in Degrees Fahrenheit".
7. Chill the beer, let it settle, and enjoy.

D.I.Y. Kegerator Schematic #3: Half-sized Kegerator Conversion with Regular Faucets

This design is the most complicated. It requires the use of carpentry tools: a saw, pencil, measure, 2 x 6s, hammer and nails, etc... as well as confidence in your ability to locate and install a custom temperature controller. The main benefit of this design is that it can hold many different kegs if you choose the right freezer unit. To make the half-sized kegerator conversion with regular faucets, follow these steps:

1. Always check for coolant lines. See my article "Locating Refrigerant Lines" for more information on this. You should choose a refrigerator that has NO coolant lines in the lid. You will be removing the lid and re-mounting the hinges on the collar you will build.
2. Unplug the unit. Locate the current temperature controller on the unit. You will need to figure out how to rewire this with a custom temperature controller - find the wires leading to and from the current controller and splice in your custom unit. This will require taking the back off of the unit, most likely. If you are not familiar with component electronics, you may want to find a friend or hire an electrician to help with this.
3. Remove the hinges from the unit. Be careful when doing this, because some hinges a spring loaded and will practically explode once they are unbolted. You must keep an eye on the hinge and how it comes apart, for you will have to put it back together in a similar way. Put all the parts aside on a safe place.
4. Now measure the dimensions of your freezer unit, and build a collar out of your 2 x 6s to match. You will want to plain and sand down the collar so that it will fit snugly and not cause any atmospheric leakages in your kegerator. This collar can be stained to give a nice appearance, or, you can use trim to give it a nice look.
5. Now, mark the location of where your beer faucets are to be located on the collar,
6. Drill the appropriate holes with the power drill through the collar.
7. Mount the beer faucet shanks(s) and faucets.
8. Connect beer and CO2 gas lines to the keg, making sure to regulate pressure according to the type of beer as referenced in the "Handy-Dandy Slow-Forced Carbonation Table featuring Pressure vs. Temperature in Degrees Fahrenheit".
9. Chill the beer, let it settle, and enjoy.