'Superior Products' commercial kegerator

[BigJonM]

Hi all,
I've been lurking the board for a few months as I've been researching kegerators. I came across the following for sale locally and was wondering if anyone had any input (I searched here & on google but wasn't able to come up with a whole lot on this brand).

Superior products 6 tap kegerator. Owner says it was in a restaurant and he's used it at most for one keg and as a cooler. Asking $400 (seems cheap to me). Pics below.

Any thoughts would be helpful....is this a good buy for $400 even it requires a bit of cleaning up & maybe some new parts? What would I be looking for when I see it in person? It's currently unplugged but he says he plugged it in recently & it cooled no problem.

[THE ICEMAN]

From the pictures you provided, it looks like you might be the proud owner of a Beverage Air DD78. You should find a data plate on the inside left or right wall of the unit. This should tell you what you have.

The Superior tag on the front was put there by a restaurant supply company that initially sold it. They do this to most everything they sell.

If the thing works it looks like a smokin' deal. Check to make sure all the fan motors are working, inside & at the condensing unit (compressor). You more than likely would want to replace the beer lines if the thing has been sitting for a while.

Later, THE ICEMAN

[BigJonM]

Thanks very much for the detail. I figured it was an expensive piece but didn't figure that much

I'm going to take a look at it this weekend and will 99% pick it up (assuming it seems to run, all motors work, and it keeps a temperature).

Anything else I should be really concerned about on a unit like this? My guess is that these are made to last some time and the only real issue might be that it has been sitting outside for a bit.

[Zanpa]

i would jump on that!

[scottz5]

wow what a deal it looks like SS too.

[cubby_swans]

even if it didn't cool I'd jump on that for $400. I'd fork out extra dough to get it fixed by a refrigerator guy if needed.

[Scott Zuhse]

Check door seals as well. If purchased, you may want to strip all of the line and rebuild. Stop at the car wash on the way home and pressure clean it inside and out - including the condenser.

If the CO2 cylinder comes with your purchase, the gas vendor who fills it will check the *** hydro test date and if it has expired, you should be prepared for this additional charge. Or they may swap it with a similar size and your are in business.

[BigJonM]

So it looks like Iceman was correct about the model, DD78 (see below). Went and picked it up today. Total cost: $400 + $40 for gas for my brother's truck.

The seller told me it is about 6 or 7 years old, but it was plugged in and cold. All the fans work and aside from being kinda grimy, it's in good condition. The door seals probably need replacement but it's not urgent.

Pics (after my roommate cleaned it up with some 409).




Regulator on CO2 tank (not sure what this means but it was pointed at 10)

[BigJonM]

Pics & msg'd, cont'd




Accessories included:


It's too late to do anything tonight but here's what I have planned for the morning:

1) Pick up new beer lines (hasn't been used in over a year)
2) Pick up line cleaning kit (any suggestions on what to get?)
3) Check CO2 level, refill if necessary
4) Should I replace the line cooling tubing? It appears to have mold all inside of it...
5) Pick up a couple of kegs

I plan to take the couplers with me to the keg store tomorrow just to make sure they're in good shape.

Anything else I'm missing? I'm a total newb to this but anxious to learn. Thanks in advance for your help

[THE ICEMAN]

Looks like a sweet find but the seller fibbed a bit to you. I could see from your pic of the data plate that it takes R12 refrigerant. R12 was phased out in 1994, so your pride & joy is at least 14 years old. R12 is not a problem, it works very well. Even if you should have a refrigeration problem down the road, there are replacement refrigerants that work very well in older systems - like R409a. When it comes time to replace the door gaskets, don't be shocked when you hear the price of those things. They are proud of those little strips of plastic. Shop around before you buy.

Later, THE ICEMAN

[Zanpa]

total score! i am jealous

[BigJonM]

Originally Posted by THE ICEMAN

Looks like a sweet find but the seller fibbed a bit to you. I could see from your pic of the data plate that it takes R12 refrigerant. R12 was phased out in 1994, so your pride & joy is at least 14 years old. R12 is not a problem, it works very well. Even if you should have a refrigeration problem down the road, there are replacement refrigerants that work very well in older systems - like R409a. When it comes time to replace the door gaskets, don't be shocked when you hear the price of those things. They are proud of those little strips of plastic. Shop around before you buy.

Later, THE ICEMAN

Thanks for the info. How in the world did you figure that out from the data plate?

I don't think the seller was completely aware of the history, he was making his best assumption. The unit was in a brewery restaurant and he got it from a family member. In any case, thanks for the heads-up!

[THE ICEMAN]

It's pretty blurry but if you know what you're looking for you can see that that thing takes 11.1 oz of R12.

[TheSlavik]

Good score! I'd give it a good cleaning inside, outside, underside, backside... you'd be amazed what come crawling out of things after it has sat outside for a while.

I would also replace all the lines too, and soak all the faucets and couplers in a cleaning solution. Check the equipment store link at the top of the page for good cleaners.

[BigJonM]

Hi folks,

Bumping up an old thread here to get some advice. I've had the unit for about a year now, and other than the compressor being a bit loud, it works great and stays cold. The one issue is the condenser leaks. Fact is, it's leaked slightly since about when we picked it up, and it hasn't gotten any worse, I'm just now getting around to go about repairing it.

I've attached a picture highlighting where it leaks. It's a small drip, coming from the bottom corner of the condenser. The plating around the area is pretty brittle (either from moisture or age?) and not completely sealed, which allows the drip.

Before I get a refrigerator guy out to look at it, I was wondering if the pros here had any ideas. Is the leak caused by the plating separating, or by something else? And if it's simply the plating, can that be repaired/replaced? I'm not expert on this stuff just trying to get an idea of what's going on....

Thanks in advance!

[THE ICEMAN]

First of all, that is the evaporator. Next, about all you can do short of replacing the pan is try to seal it from the inside. Those pans are galvanized sheet metal & over time water will get to them. You would need to pull the pan loose, dry it completely, clean off the loose rust as much as possible (bare metal is best) & seal it with some type of sealer. Go to Home Depot or similar & pick up a small can or tube of waterproof sealer. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the stuff I last used but it came in a caulking tube, was white & was about the same as tooth paste. (I know thats not much help) Just make sure you get all the inside of the pan covered with no gaps or else you will end up with the same problem down the road.


THE ICEMAN

[BigJonM]

ICEMAN, thanks for the reply. That sounds like something I can accomplish myself I'll have a look in there and report back with my findings.

So far I have been thoroughly pleased with my purchase though!