CO2 tank recommendations

[FCSquid]

Hello folks, noob here - I'm just putting the finishing touches on a new single-door fridge that I'm converting to a kegerator. After some quick math I came to the conclusion that a 1/2 barrel and 5 lb. CO2 tank wont both fit upright in the fridge. (The footprint is 18" x 19") So, height isn't an issue, but area is.

I'm faced with a choice of setting the CO2 tank over the keg on a shelf laying on its side (which seems inherently unsafe), or mounting the gas to the outside of the fridge. If I go with an 'outside' setup, I've found a secure canister mount, but will have to drill through the side of the fridge.

So, I'm trying to decide whether the added safety of a secure, upright canister is worth drilling multiple holes through the fridge (for screws and the gas line). I'd also lose the 'temperature control' factor by having my tank subject to varying garage temps. Would you guys recommend leaving the tank in the fridge on its side, or setting up a more permanent 'external' arrangement?

[cubby_swans]

DO NOT lay the co2 tank on it's side!!!! There's liquid co2 in there, that could potentially freeze and damage the regulator creating a potentially lethal rocket. Seriously.... don't do it. You HAVE to keep the co2 tank upright.

You don't need temperature control of the co2. Only the beer.

If you're drilling through the fridge, you need to be very careful not to hit a cooling line. If you do, you'll be the proud new owner of an insulated box.

[FCSquid]

DO NOT lay the co2 tank on it's side!!!! There's liquid co2 in there, that could potentially freeze and damage the regulator creating a potentially lethal rocket. Seriously.... don't do it. You HAVE to keep the co2 tank upright.

You don't need temperature control of the co2. Only the beer.

If you're drilling through the fridge, you need to be very careful not to hit a cooling line. If you do, you'll be the proud new owner of an insulated box.

Cool - thanks for the advice. I'll have to watch out for the cooling line, but the exterior-mount seems to be the way to go. Honestly, I hadn't even considered using a 'shelf-mount' arrangement until I stumbled across a pseudo-professional arrangement on the web with a very similar fridge.



(I won't tell you where I found this photo ... and pretend you can't read the watermark). But, suffice to say - there's people doing this very thing and selling these units.

Any way to trace out the cooling lines to prevent accidental puncture?

[panthermark]

Well, you can try a 2.5lb tank in the corner.

Or, you can see if you have a shelf big enough to hold a 5lb tank.

If you want to drill, you can try mixing cornstarch and alochol (50/50) into a paste and "painting" that on the side of a the fridge. The heat from any cooling line will make the alcohol evaporate, which will leave a blob of cornstarch. So where ever this is a big blob, don't drill.