Have not been on the forum alot now that summer is here but when I do make it I see alot of issues about tower cooling. Here is one man’s solution just using parts I had laying around (except the blower) with pictures.
a_blowersetup.jpg The inside overview shows the blower mounted to a small piece of ¼” ply which is mounted to a 1 x 2 which is mounted to the cooling plate at 2 of the plates mounting holes. The screws have extra lenght to make up for the 1 x 2 thickness. The pipes are ¾” thin wall copper, 3 straight ,cut to fit and 2 elbows. No solder or glue.
b_blower.jpgIn the blower pic the pipe is fitted into a square piece of plastic, drilled out to hold the pipe, taped to the blower. The black ty wrap helps keep the pipe from falling into the blower. Note that more than half the blower output opening is open. Yes most of the air comes out of the open part but it still blows enough air up the pipe to cool the tower. The blower is a 24volt DC unit that I run from a 6 volt DC wall transformer. At 24 v the blower is rated about 30cfm but the 7.5 volts out of the transformer allows it to move enough air and is almost audiable. You don’t need to move alot of air in these small kegerators. My blower came from MPJA.com but any dc blower will work. I just wouldn’t run it at rated voltage if it puts out more than 15-20 cfm or more. Mouser.com or digikey.com also carry blowers. Radio Shack has dc wall transformers with variable outputs if needed to make it run good. Some from what I’ve read here some are trying to use fans. I’ve never been able to get a fan to blow up the pipe and I’ve tried several. Blowers move air. It runs constantly, and cool, no problems.
c_uppersection.jpgThe upper section pic shows the pipe wire tied to a wood shim split in half attached to the 1 x 2. Note the power leads coming in with the co2 line and wire nutted to the blower leads. If your blower runs backwards, reverse the leads.
d_upthetower.jpgNext pic is going up the tower. Pipe is held with a half clamp screwed into the opening plastic, carefully. Predrilled the holes, carefully. Is that opening big enough? I did not enlarge it. Pie times the radius squared says it more than big enough for what I’m running up there. I have a nice soft return flow that I can easily feel with my hand.
e_downtower.jpg Last pic is looking down the tower with the top removed. The pipe opening is about 2” below the top. Extra insulation over the existing foam is 2 layers of 1/8” foam floor underlayment. I also cut out 2 circle pieces of the foam to lay in the top above the beer line, but these are removed for the picture.
Not everyone may have most of this stuff laying around the house, but it’s not hard to obtain, it’s not hard to do, shouldn’t cost more than $50.00 to $75.00 and you may come up with a better solution after seeing this one. When it comes to beer drinking a cold tower is a good tower.
a_blowersetup.jpg The inside overview shows the blower mounted to a small piece of ¼” ply which is mounted to a 1 x 2 which is mounted to the cooling plate at 2 of the plates mounting holes. The screws have extra lenght to make up for the 1 x 2 thickness. The pipes are ¾” thin wall copper, 3 straight ,cut to fit and 2 elbows. No solder or glue.
b_blower.jpgIn the blower pic the pipe is fitted into a square piece of plastic, drilled out to hold the pipe, taped to the blower. The black ty wrap helps keep the pipe from falling into the blower. Note that more than half the blower output opening is open. Yes most of the air comes out of the open part but it still blows enough air up the pipe to cool the tower. The blower is a 24volt DC unit that I run from a 6 volt DC wall transformer. At 24 v the blower is rated about 30cfm but the 7.5 volts out of the transformer allows it to move enough air and is almost audiable. You don’t need to move alot of air in these small kegerators. My blower came from MPJA.com but any dc blower will work. I just wouldn’t run it at rated voltage if it puts out more than 15-20 cfm or more. Mouser.com or digikey.com also carry blowers. Radio Shack has dc wall transformers with variable outputs if needed to make it run good. Some from what I’ve read here some are trying to use fans. I’ve never been able to get a fan to blow up the pipe and I’ve tried several. Blowers move air. It runs constantly, and cool, no problems.
c_uppersection.jpgThe upper section pic shows the pipe wire tied to a wood shim split in half attached to the 1 x 2. Note the power leads coming in with the co2 line and wire nutted to the blower leads. If your blower runs backwards, reverse the leads.
d_upthetower.jpgNext pic is going up the tower. Pipe is held with a half clamp screwed into the opening plastic, carefully. Predrilled the holes, carefully. Is that opening big enough? I did not enlarge it. Pie times the radius squared says it more than big enough for what I’m running up there. I have a nice soft return flow that I can easily feel with my hand.
e_downtower.jpg Last pic is looking down the tower with the top removed. The pipe opening is about 2” below the top. Extra insulation over the existing foam is 2 layers of 1/8” foam floor underlayment. I also cut out 2 circle pieces of the foam to lay in the top above the beer line, but these are removed for the picture.
Not everyone may have most of this stuff laying around the house, but it’s not hard to obtain, it’s not hard to do, shouldn’t cost more than $50.00 to $75.00 and you may come up with a better solution after seeing this one. When it comes to beer drinking a cold tower is a good tower.
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