Kegerator. Build or buy?

[Braufather]

I went this route. If memory serves, BKT sell the whole kit to do all this. I am running the temp probe through the door on mine. I can't remember if that's because the drain hole wasn't big enough or the probe lead was too short.

The taps and shank sets MM recommend would come in at over 200 quid for 3. When you factor in manifold, regulator ( need a new one) and other stuff etc I guess looking at 3 to 400? Plus the fridge that could be used as a second fermenter chamber if I bought a kegerator. Something to think about?
Not sure what spec the MK kegerator is in terms of taps, regulator etc? Maybe a self build would be better quality?

 

[DocAnna]

Are you sure about that? It’s looks more complicated than I thought

Just been browsing @DocAnna thread here

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/another-kegerator-build.94829/page-5

To be fair, I think it turned out my fridge was just in a bit of a sulk after being turned off and back on again. I would though be v careful with holes in the side of fridge - use of a bradawl to probe a hole first is in my view a good move before drilling.

 

[Leon103]

The taps and shank sets MM recommend would come in at over 200 quid for 3. When you factor in manifold, regulator ( need a new one) and other stuff etc I guess looking at 3 to 400? Plus the fridge that could be used as a second fermenter chamber if I bought a kegerator. Something to think about?
Not sure what spec the MK kegerator is in terms of taps, regulator etc? Maybe a self build would be better quality?

Probe - what for?

Not sure what parts you are looking at on MM, I used BrewkegTap. Not sure what kit you need but two kegs with taps, reg and everything else needed is about £230.

 

[Braufather]

Just to clarify a bit. The Probe was for my ink bird temp controller.

3 flow control Ss taps with shafts, handles etc about £70 each so that’s 210. Add a manifold, regulator, drip tray, connections and tubing it al ads up! But I guess even if ot costs 350 that’s nearly half the price of the MJ one.

Currently I have my kegs in the larder fridge and use with 2 party taps and one newish flow control tap directly on the keg. Currently I tend to carbonate each keg at room temps and transfer to fridge to condition and serve. I top up after each session.

 

[Leon103]

Just to clarify a bit. The Probe was for my ink bird temp controller.

3 flow control Ss taps with shafts, handles etc about £70 each so that’s 210. Add a manifold, regulator, drip tray, connections and tubing it al ads up! But I guess even if ot costs 350 that’s nearly half the price of the MJ one.

Currently I have my kegs in the larder fridge and use with 2 party taps and one newish flow control tap directly on the keg. Currently I tend to carbonate each keg at room temps and transfer to fridge to condition and serve. I top up after each session.

I have never bothered with an inkbird in a kegerator.

I have also not bothered with flow control taps, I can manage the flow without.

If you want Nukataps flow controls - Nukatap Flow Control Tap £59.95 for everything

Save yourself £60 if you drop the flow control.

 

[Leon103]

Just to clarify a bit. The Probe was for my ink bird temp controller.

3 flow control Ss taps with shafts, handles etc about £70 each so that’s 210. Add a manifold, regulator, drip tray, connections and tubing it al ads up! But I guess even if ot costs 350 that’s nearly half the price of the MJ one.

Currently I have my kegs in the larder fridge and use with 2 party taps and one newish flow control tap directly on the keg. Currently I tend to carbonate each keg at room temps and transfer to fridge to condition and serve. I top up after each session.

 

[Rwilts]

May not be pretty but it's mine work in progress

 

[Mayor of Simpleton]

I have the standard Nukatap SS taps without flow control.You can manage pour perfectly well with management of line length/diameter irrespective of beer style. You can save yourself a £50 or so there.

 

[hop-a-long]

@hop-a-long Can I ask what gas lines and regulator come with the MJ regulator? Does it have a manifold? Is it the 2020 model?

It is the 2020 model. 4x8mm gasline.
One line from bottle to a 3-way splitter.
I did add extra valves betreden the splitter and the keg diconnect, as I had some issues with co2 leaks. It did come with a one dial regulator, which I exchanged for a two dial regulator. I find it makes it a little easier to check the bottlepressure.

 

[NotSure]

My first kegerator lasted about four years before the compressor went out. It was built from scratch and I originally used it as a Fermentation Chamber as well before I made a separate one. £65 for the fridge with delivery off of Gumtree. Two new corny kegs £85 each. Shanks, taps, tubing, John Guest fittings, pressure regulator, and clamps about £150. You'll also need to leave a deposit for your first CO2 cylinder and buy the CO2. I use Adams Gas. I also needed to buy a suitable drill bit and foam insulation (be careful with this stuff it gets everywhere and it's hard to remove.)

Roughly £450 all-in. The advantage of this over a custom made kegerator is that my better half can use the extra space when doing a lot of cooking, which is useful especially during the holidays. The disadvantage was that having taps on the door led to a loosening of the beer line connection once. Lesson learned.

Good luck!

 

[Leon103]

My first kegerator lasted about four years before the compressor went out. It was built from scratch and I originally used it as a Fermentation Chamber as well before I made a separate one. £65 for the fridge with delivery off of Gumtree. Two new corny kegs £85 each. Shanks, taps, tubing, John Guest fittings, pressure regulator, and clamps about £150. You'll also need to leave a deposit for your first CO2 cylinder and buy the CO2. I use Adams Gas. I also needed to buy a suitable drill bit and foam insulation (be careful with this stuff it gets everywhere and it's hard to remove.)

Roughly £450 all-in. The advantage of this over a custom made kegerator is that my better half can use the extra space when doing a lot of cooking, which is useful especially during the holidays. The disadvantage was that having taps on the door led to a loosening of the beer line connection once. Lesson learned.

Good luck!


View attachment 74989View attachment 74988View attachment 74991

What do you use the foam for?

Some places don't charge deposits. I am lucky no deposit and I text the guy this weeks and gas is still £20 plus vat.

 

[NotSure]

What do you use the foam for?

Some places don't charge deposits. I am lucky no deposit and I text the guy this weeks and gas is still £20 plus vat.

Good job finding a place with no deposit on a cylinder.

The spray foam was to fill and insulate the space around the shanks in the fridge door. Messy, but it works.

 

[Braufather]

Cheers, that’s pretty much all I need.

given I’ve got a couple of those party taps with reducers, I could use those for beer line and not worry about a flow control tap. Just thought it would be neater as less tubing heated To go the flow control route. Very happy with the tap I now have directly on my half keg.

 

[Braufather]

Does anyone use a reducer to put the gas through the drain whole? Wouldn’t that compromise the presure levels? if you were carboa ting at 15 to 20psi for example? or purging via the spare outlet on the manifold at 40 psi or something?

 

[Mayor of Simpleton]

I use a reducer through the drain. The pressure on the regulator is the pressure of your system.

 

[gavp1979]

I also use a reducer through the drain hole and it works fine, in fact I managed to fit two gas pipes through it (one for co2 and one for nitrogen).

Have you thought about getting your manifold/tubing/fittings etc on AliExpress? You could save quite a bit there and shipping is reasonable and small items like that, not sure about tape and manifolds as I bought mine from BKT but generally use AliExpress for small items

 

[Leon103]

Cheapest for tubing and connectors us ebay.

 

[Leon103]

Good job finding a place with no deposit on a cylinder.

The spray foam was to fill and insulate the space around the shanks in the fridge door. Messy, but it works.

View attachment 74999

Never needed to do this. My shanks are 22mm and I use a 22mm cutter. Perfect fit. Just thread it through

 

[AnimatedGIF]

Cheers, that’s pretty much all I need.

given I’ve got a couple of those party taps with reducers, I could use those for beer line and not worry about a flow control tap. Just thought it would be neater as less tubing heated To go the flow control route. Very happy with the tap I now have directly on my half keg.

To be honest, regarding neatness, you'll need some length to the tubing just to get it from shanks to the keg while still having enough give in it to be able to open the door.

Does anyone use a reducer to put the gas through the drain whole? Wouldn’t that compromise the presure levels? if you were carboa ting at 15 to 20psi for example? or purging via the spare outlet on the manifold at 40 psi or something?

I pretty much exclusively have 3/16 line in my keezer and kegerator. In total I think I have about 30cm of 3/8 line from regulator to check valve and the rest is all 3/16 (even for gas). You won't affect the pressure. The main reason I do this is I find 3/8 line a pain to move about and get round corners etc. I have a lot of 3/8 stem to 3/16 push fit reducers, which bumps cost a little, but for me it is worth it.
Regardless of whether you go for 3/8 or 3/16 out of the tap shank, I'd recommend using a 90° elbow out of the shank. Mostly for neatness but also means the line doesn't hit stuff on the shelf when the door is closed. I use 3/8stem to 3/16 elbow for this then it's 3/16 line all the way to the disconnect, which has a 3/16 to 3/8 stem in to the 1/4 threaded bit that goes on to the disconnect.

 

[Braufather]

@AnimatedGIF. Cheers hadn’t thought about the elbow, will look into one of those.