New Blackspash Install Planned - Questions

[gravymaker]

Hi all,

I'm planning on picking up the danby and performing the mods mentioned in this forum.

I plan to locate the kegerator itself in a backroom, and run the beer line through a shared wall with the pool room on the other side. The tap will be installed in the backsplash of the bar. The total beer line length will be less than 5'. I plan on cooling the beer line and shank with a blower (as so beautifully laid out in this forum!)

What size nipple shank assembly do I need with the DKC645BLS? I see two types on micromatic:

3/16" Bore:

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/jockey-boxes-pid-4331NA-3.html

1/4" Bore:

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/jockey-boxes-pid-4331NA.html

Does anyone know the inner diameter of the DKC645BLS beer line?

Thanks!
Scott

[gravymaker]

Ok, the equipment has started to roll in - I'll post pictures in this thread of how things progress and hopefully you guys can throw in any suggestions or answer some of what I'm sure will be 100's of questions.

10/18/2007 - The kegerator, nipple shank, Brewmaster Temperature Control, premium c02 gauge and tap have arrived. I'm heading out for the weekend but modifications will hopefully begin this week.

[happytappy]

either one will work, I like the 1/4" in a residential application because it slows the beer down just a touch before the faucet.

[gravymaker]

thanks Happy

Ah drat - the kegerator arrived with a series of lovely dents in the front.

That delays the project a bit while Costco makes amends, but at least I can install the backsplash tile and shank tonight.

[gravymaker]

OK, replacement Danby was received, and thanks to the forum, I was able to:

1. Install the blower



2. Install the Brewer's Edge temp kit

3. Install the new tower connection (missing from photo is the elbow which will take the pvc to the wall shank on the back of the backsplash)


Thanks all!

[gravymaker]

Tapped my first keg today - the air cooling is working well - no foam issues! Thanks to all on the forum for these super mods and ideas. (Thanks to micromatic for the parts, too!)

I'm enjoying my IPA at a perfect 38f with about 1/2" of head on the first beer pulled. Nice!

[lunkhead]

Sweet!! Doing any insulation inside or outside the pvc?

[gravymaker]

wow you can read minds, Lunk! lol

Tonight I am going to Home Depot to see what my options are for exterior insulation around the PVC - i hadn't really considered insulating inside the PVC pipe as I didn't want to restrict the cool air return any further.

I did a "flame test" and found that I have a nice gentle breeze returning down the PVC - i'd hate to muck that up.

Any concerns with just going with an nice thick external insulation wrap around theh PVC?

I'll post some (smaller) finished pictures, too.

[lunkhead]

External insulation should not be a problem. With the unit out of sight you could wrap insulation to a foot thick!! That'll keep the cool inside!.

[gravymaker]

Now thats a great idea! I bought a big bundle of wrap.. may as well use it!

Here's some finished pics - sorry for the quality - they were taken with my blackberry last night. Friggin digital camera battery died!

The back:




The Backsplash:




Now its time to find a nice replacement tap handle.

[gravymaker]

Micromatic Gear Ad:

[gravymaker]

Wow the extra insulation around the pipe really helped. It dropped the beer temperature in the glass by about 2 or 3 degrees. I had to turn the Brewer's Edge up a couple of degrees to compensate.. it was beginning to freeze my water bath for the probe!

Which poses a question - should I try using antifreeze in the covered water bath container (covered tupperware with a hole drilled for the probes to enter) for the Brewer's Edge and Danby built-in temperature probes?

[lunkhead]

How cold do you want the beer??

[gravymaker]

definitely not less than 38f, so i guess its a moot point? I was thinking that if somehow things went wrong I didn't want the probe to freeze into the middle of a solid mass of ice lol i guess answer if just "keep an eye on it"

[TheSlavik]

Very slick install! Good work! Once my new house is built I plan on doing something very similar.