Proud owner of two (used) new kegerators!

[steveInebriated]

I live in St. Louis and recently purchased two used kegerators from a friend whose sister worked for Anheuser-Busch, just right up the road from my house. I ran into quite a bargain -- I got the pair for $100 total.

The Kegerators have some mileage on them (originally used for catering at A-B), but both seem to cool just fine when plugged in. The motors and refrigeration units aren't a big concern at all...

What I am curious about is a complete replacement of hoses, etc. I would ideally like to install my own hoses to run from the faucets to the couplers before running beer though the existing line (the kegerators have been dormant for a good 3 years) - nothing quite like that dusty taste of beer, right?

Is this a difficult process? What kind of tools will I need to get the faucet apart and the existing hose removed? Also, would it be advantageous of me to replace both couplers? One looks okay, and the other looks, well, rusty.

Thanks for answering my barrage of questions!

[diet069]

I'd just soak the beer lines. Then again, replacing them isn't that difficult or expensive.

To remove the hoses: It all depends on if the hoses are clamped onto the coupler. If so, You'll need to loosen the clamp. Once the clamp is removed, you might still need to soak the hose and coupler in some hot water so that it will slip off (you could also use a knife).

To take the faucet apart, you might need a faucet wrench and some pliers.

A new keg tap coupler runs about $30 or so and the hoses, fittings, clamps, etc. are very inexpensive.

[topgun3208]

If it was moi, and I got the deal u did, I would spend some $$ and replace all hoses and regulators if they havent been used for 3 years. give the inside and outside a good cleaning. if the outside of the unit is steel, a good coat of car wax, (keeps spills and crap at bay). makes outside much easier to clean in future.

"If I had to live my life over, I'd live over a saloon"

[USMC - Retired]

I have to agree with Mark on this, change it all out, small investment for having known good system components and not wasting a keg.

Semper Fi,
The Gunns

"Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

[steveInebriated]

The goal is to have this all ready for a Super Bowl party - which shouldn't be too difficult. I've found everything I need from Micromatic, and I'm sure with the help of y'all (if necessary), I should have no problems getting things changed out and operational.

[USMC - Retired]

Just make sure not to trim your lines, you need at least 5 foot of beer line to get the proper resistance to slow the flow of your beer and prevent foam.

Semper Fi,
The Gunns

"Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

[Scott Zuhse]

Check the condensor on the units to be certain they are free of dust and grime. This is where the heat is dispelled and if it is clogged, the units will work harder and possible die prematurely.

Fire up the units with a bucket of water in each box. Let run a couple of days and then measure temp. with calibrated thermometer. Adjust to desired temperature. Preferably 38 F. Keep us informed on your progress.

Scott Zuhse, Instructor Micro Matic Dispense Institute