Gas bottle inside or outside a kegorator?

[mitch]

Hi all.
Almost completed my old fridge conversion. Plan to use a sodastream bottle. Got the reg and lines.
Question is.
Gas in or outside?
Any advantages or disadvantages to either.
I have a 19L and 9L keg. All new to me as i plan the first brew for kegging soon..
All advice appreciated.

 

[Duffmann]

The co2-tank inside the kegerator means that you don't need to drill a hole for the line into the wall. If you got the space inside I would put it in there

 

[hoppyscotty]

I've got a Sodastream bottle so just easy to put it in the fridge, but most fridges have a drain hole in the back so can route a gas line through there if you didn't want to drill a hole. I am planning on getting a bigger CO2 bottle though and having it outside with a manifold inside the fridge with small regulators so I could have two different beers carbonated to different levels. That means I an run another line from the CO2 tank for other things. Its a PITA to keep having to get the Sodastream bottle out of the fridge every time I want to use CO2 for something else, like purging the fermentor or something.

 

[Braufather]

Watch out the sodastream ref doesnt freeze if you put it inside your fridge.

 

[Alastair70]

I goosed the soda stream regulator after 3 weeks in the fridge carbonating a keg of lager, I presume due to condensation in the workings. It’s spent the recent hot spell in the conservatory, now works ok but 5psi has become the new zero.
Outside is the answer. The drain hole is an easy route in for gas line.

 

[Stu's Brews]

The co2-tank inside the kegerator means that you don't need to drill a hole for the line into the wall. If you got the space inside I would put it in there

When I built mine I fed a 3/8" gas line through the drainage pipe to get around the need to drill any additional holes. Admittedly I only have space for 2 kegs though so definitely couldn't afford to give any up for a CO2 tank.

 

[Thebiggestal]

How long should the gas lines be?

 

[Alastair70]

How long should the gas lines be?

Any length is fine, it’s not like beer line that needs to be balanced.

 

[Thebiggestal]

Any length is fine, it’s not like beer line that needs to be balanced.

Sorry I meant how long should a beer line be? Still have a foggy head

 

[Alastair70]

Depends on the diameter of your line so there isn’t a right answer. Start with 2m and see what the pour is like. As you shorten the beer line the pour gets faster but you get more foam. I’ve got 1.5m of 5/16 line and flow control taps to cut back the flow rate as required in the kegerator. In comparison the party tap needs 2m of 3/16 line.