Portable-Bin Keg Dispenser.

GFHomebrew

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I'm building a portable Bin keg chiller/draught system to serve mt Whitbier on Christmas day and thought I'd make a thread out of it as an idea for a cheap diy way of taking your hombrew to a celebration/party with the gear you've probably already got if your kegging and dispensing beer already at home!

I did a quick search online for last minute mobile keg dispensing/chilling setups and came to the conclusion that this route was gunna cost at least $100 bucks and then I'm only getting maybe 4-8lt of beer through the mini kegs available.

So quickly I allayed the missus fears of this and said hey hang on I've got everything I need right here right now to chill and dispense my beer away from home.

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Grab a bin one that will fit your entire keg would be great this one above the head of the keg sits proud but it should do.

My idea is one not new but done many times before stick the keg in a big bucket fill it with ice add a gas bottle regulator beer line and tap and hey presto you got 19lt of beer to share with friends and family!

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Here is where I'm up to tonight I grabbed a camper mattress to insulate the bin (will have to store some towels or something on the lid on the day)
I got some retchet straps and strapped that and the soda stream bottle to the side.

Drilled some 8mm holes for my beer line and gas line to poke out the top.
Using a picnic tap with an old bottle filler ridgid hose on the end to stop that lively whitbier from foaming.

I rolled out 4meters of gas line and this will be tucked into the ice with just what you see hanging out. Its gunna be at least 35c + on day.

That gas line nearest you In pic will push into my regulator just as it does on my keezer beauty about push fittings just triple check for gas leaks...

So there ya go.

I'm green when it comes to this sorta stuff but cant see why this wont do the job. The bin is 50lt i know itll start out as ice and melt but I'm planning on just topping up with ice on the day.
Either that or drink quicker lol.
Hey and you can store your other stubbies around it.

What's your thoughts fellow brewers?
Any tips?

I'll flick some picks of it in action.

Cheers!
 
Looks the goods! You will be surprised at how long the ice will last. I did similar for a wedding with 3 kegs, it wasn't as hot but there was ice on kegs for 48 hrs without adding. One thing I used that helped was one of those survival blankets, they look like aluminum foil but really hold the cold in and can be found for only a couple bucks. Sounds like happy homebrew holidays for all!
 
Looks the goods! You will be surprised at how long the ice will last. I did similar for a wedding with 3 kegs, it wasn't as hot but there was ice on kegs for 48 hrs without adding. One thing I used that helped was one of those survival blankets, they look like aluminum foil but really hold the cold in and can be found for only a couple bucks. Sounds like happy homebrew holidays for all!
Yeah thinking once I have the ice in and all will tuck it all in with a blanket on top :).
 
I use the 2.5 gallon (9.5 L) kegs. So when I travel with a keg, I drop it into a 5 gallon Igloo water that I also sometimes use as a mash tun. I fill it with ice and I'm good for about a day.

It's sturdy, cheap, well insulated, and has nice carry handles. For the 19 L kegs, a 10 gallon cooler might work if you're looking for a more permanent solution. If course, you'll have to check the dimensions.
 
I'll just put mine outside and try not to let it freeze.
Ha haa! Amen Brother nothing like sub zero temps outside to make for some quick chilling.
Heck your probably insulating your bevys to keep them from freezing as you said
 
I had a 12 pack freeze driving to a friends place last time.
 
That's how I handle the entire brewing process!
 
I want to move into electric brewing but I don't want to pay for 240V in my garage and trying with 120v takes for frigging every
 
The bin keg chiller thing went well yesterday for Christmas it worked like a treat. Hardly any ice melted too. I'll be using this again in the future when going to a party or such the novelty is always cool too.
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I want to move into electric brewing but I don't want to pay for 240V in my garage and trying with 120v takes for frigging every
Not to mention that 120 is also way more $$ to run, it's like washing your car with a water pistol from the dollar store. 220 is way more efficient.
 
Not to mention that 120 is also way more $$ to run, it's like washing your car with a water pistol from the dollar store. 220 is way more efficient.
I've been using a Gigawort electric vessel for the past year. Very easy and convenient. It runs on 120V. The vessel is pretty well insulated and has a total capacity of four gallons. It has a switch to select between 600 and 1600 watt operation.

In theory, you heat up using the 1600 watt setting and switch to 600 watts for the boil. In practice, I have to use the 1600 watt setting to maintain a vigorous boil. And this is for a 2.5 gallon batch.

I would estimate that 3000 watts would be needed for a useful 5 gallon system and 5000 watts for a 10 gallon system. This doesn't quite scale up linearly due to geometry considerations. Anyway, a 3000 watt system would need 25 amps at 120V. Most household circuits in the US are installed as 20 amp with 15 amp receptacles. If you decide to install a 240V system, a 30 amp circuit would easily handle a 3000 or 5000 watt load.

Sorry for the deviation of topic. But in summary, 120V electric systems work fine for small batches, but 240 is more practical for 5 gallon or larger.
 
Oh absolutely, I wish the guy who wired the garage would have at least ran the capacity for 240 out before they poured concrete between the house and garage.
 
Oh absolutely, I wish the guy who wired the garage would have at least ran the capacity for 240 out before they poured concrete between the house and garage.
Move to Aus its stock standard higher voltage more wattage more room for electrocution :eek:!

I'm no electricitan but I know the higher the voltage the smaller diameter the guage wire you can send it through. So on a government cost perspective 240v or higher I suppose would make for a cheaper utility power grid.
 
I think the US is one of the few, if not the only country that lives by a standard 110v. I think the same goes for gasoline engines too... the rest of the world uses diesel.
 
Not only do we use 120Vac, we also generate at 60 Hz in the U.S., while Europe uses 50 Hz. Houses in the US all have 240 supplied, but this is between the H1 and H2, which are 180 degrees out of phase. 120 is created by wiring one of the hots to the neutral. In Europe, 240 is obtained by wiring the 240 hot to neutral.

This is why many appliances that are rates for 240 in Europe won't work in the US even if you provide a 240 circuit.
 

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