Nostalgia Electrics Kegerator really works

[edramshaw]

You'll be fine with the two different pieces of gas line. Five feet of beer line will help slow down the beer. You will find at two feet the beer comes out really fast which may cause a problem with foam so I would recommend it. As the regulator goes, I would back it out all the way and the work the other way. Good luck.

[DCullender]

Best to replace the regulator with a 2 guage set up. However, I always carry a digital tire gauge with me. The hole around the gauge fits a 1/4 hose barb and just put hose on the barb and hold to the gauge while you adust the pressures. Works like a champ!

Dennis

[BeerBob]

Thanks to all the info- The NE is now cold

I've got the Nostalgia Electrics unit down to 36 degrees from 45. I took John's advise and took apart the thermostat assembly on the back, lower left side of the unit and pulled off the control knob. Just above the control knob shaft is a small phillips head screw which is the adjustment screw. Turning it clockwise will start bringing down the temperature. I did this slowly over the course of a day and did it in 2 full (360 degree) turn increments. I probably made 3 or 4 adjustments and the temp now seems to be holding according to my digital thermometer. Although I did not change the regulator, I did modify the beer line by cutting out about 3 ft of the 1/4" line that came with the unit and splicing in 5 ft of 3/16" line.

[bulldawg1974]

How much to unscrew to adjust temp...

I bought the Nostalgia Kegerator last week and am so glad I found these posts. Otherwise I would have taken it back to the store. I have my temperature just right now because of adjusting the screw inside the thermostat housing. For those needing to know the screw on mine did not need backing off instead it needed to be turned further in (clockwise). I went balls out with 20 turns to begin with. After it settled in my cup of water with thermometer in it began freezing 31 degrees was my reading. I backed it off (counterclock wise) 5 turns and my temp went to 39. I went back in 2 turns (clockwise) and my temp settled at 36. I will probably leave it there for now and go to measuring the beer temp itself on my second pour to.

[DallasBeerBaron]

I came across this topic well before my kegerator arrived and I read it over multiple times and have a general idea of how to go about regulating the presure on the keg via the blue knob. My question would be where is the t-stat cover and screw located at?

[sexton311]

This is the back of the kegerator:


In the lower left corner is the regulator:

1. Remove the 2 black screws that hold the regulator to the fridge.
2. Pull off the black knob that adjusts the temp.
3. Remove the 2 zinc-plated (yellowish) screws to remove the regulator from the black housing.
4. When you have the regulator out of the housing, you will see a small phillips head screw on the top. This is what you need to adjust.

[Beer Dr]

When is the last time anyone remembers any post regarding a problem with a beverage air beer miester? Spend the extra money up front and solve the problems in advance!

[Jakedude]

Cheap/Quick Fix

Bought the Nostalgia a few months back - had the same problems. Here is what I did (works pretty good, not perfect).

The blue knob on the pressure regulator is turned to open/on as far as it can go and then some more - the problem with foam is to little pressure - you want more.

I turned the thermostate up (not all the way) and I did not take it apart - just took the intended knob and turned it up a little bit.

Pour my beer into a chilled glass

Results:
The first pour is still a little foamy - but subsequent pours are good - this can be solved by pouring into a pitcher.

Beer (current keg is shiner bock) is pretty good - keeps a head - crisp/cold.


So, basically, I got a decent result without hacking the thermostat, extending the beer line, and purchasing a new regulator.

BUT - I agree with the previous post - you get what you paid for (at least thats what my wife keeps telling me).

Prost.

[BEERviper]

Well I wish I found this thread a few weeks ago! I also bought the Nostalgia Electrics keg-o-rator from Walmart where it sold for $388 (DFW, TX area) and ran it for 2 weeks with the thermostat cranked at "max" the whole time. The coldest I could get the thing was 47F which was not acceptable for my keg of Shiner Bock.

If I had only found this thread before returning it I may have been satisfied with the unit. I returned it to Walmart and then went over to Sam's Club and purchased the Danby kegerator for $499. It is definitely a much nicer and far better constructed unit. It has a digital thermostat gauge on the front with settings down to 36F. Unfortunately the temp reading on the front of this unit is not reading accurately and my liquid temp is still showing about 42 - 44F.

I am still having the foam problem I had with the Nostalgia machine. I am noticing air pockets in the beer line just as it comes out of the keg. I have been searching everywhere for answers and ran across this thread because of my search for (Shiner Bock) and keg. I still don't know if my foam problem is because the beer temp is too warm or because of too little or too much pressure. The Danby unit comes with a very nice dual-gauge regulator (similar to the one I bought to replace the one that comes with the Nostalgia Electrics unit) so I can monitor the line pressure.

[Jakedude]

Too Bad

Its unfortunate that you returned the Nostalgia - its pretty good for over $100 less than the Danby - although the Danby looks better. I was in your shoes - I was days away from getting the Danby at a Sams Club when I ran across the Nostalgia - either way - I may be able to help.

With foamy beer - the oddity is that youre not getting enough pressure.

Disclaimer - if you accidentially kill yourself with this advice - I assume no responsbility! Please sign here.

Now, you have to get the unit as cold as you can and then its to the pressure. Those nice dual gauge units are nice.

You want to vent the keg - turn the pressure all the way down (not from the bottle, but from the gauge adjustment. Then slowly turn it up, until you get to 12 pounds (psi). Then let er sit for a while - but keep an eye on the pressure - you can imagine a ruptured keg - (Ive blown up a 5 gal homebrew keg before - nasty).

If she dont pour good after this - then you may want to go back to wal-world and get the nostalgia - or you could try lengthening the line or something.

Good news - though - Shiner is a moody beer - When I get Natty Light for a beer pong tournament or something - I never have any problems (bseides drinking natty light).

Prots.

[jrg42]

BeerViper,

If you cannot get the Danby to work for you you might try to find one of these.
http://www.frigidaire.com/press_fact...er_7-19-05.pdf



from Frigidiare. I saw that you are in the Dal-FW area. Frigidaire has a distribution center near the Ranger's baseball park. I ordered one of these from an out of state online reseller for $615. No tax and no shipping since I picked it up myself from the warehouse. I will say that this is a discontinued item, though so it may be hard to find.

It is a little more expensive, but it has been rock solid so far and the extra storage is nice. I only do homebrew but I can fit 3 5gal kegs, the Co2 tank and about a case of beer on the top shelf. Could also fit another 5 gal keg in there. It comes with all micromatic stuff (hoses, dual gauge reg, fittings).

[bulldawg1974]

For everybody on this thread, if you have problems, verify that the regulator is actually giving you the pressure that the gauge reads. A good tire gauge works well for this. Even if the regulator is a Micromatic, the pressure can be off 2-3 psi. That means your gauge reads 14 PSI, however you are getting 11 or worse yet, 17.

[Jakedude]

Any luck???

Have not seen a new post for a few days now - wondering if anyone had any luck with the suggestions. I put a beating on the Shiner Bock keg last weekend for OU - Missouri (hell of a game). I found that a pour into a pitcher and dispensing from the pitcher to the token red cups damn near eliminates the foam problem - as the foam that I was getting was just on the first pour. When you up the pour to a full sized pitcher its not really a factor, as I was getting more than 3/4 beer - with some foam. Again, though, it was a glass, chilled, pitcher. That seems to help.

Good luck.

[beerkaz]

Great Fix!!

Thanks for the great information. I turned the screw and after 2 days of fine tuning it, I now have 36 degree beer with no foam instead of foamy 46 degree beer.

THANK YOU

[bulldawg1974]

Coors Kegs

Can anyone give me direct confirmation that the Nostalgia Kegerator will hold Coors product bulge sided kegs? I hate to spend 70 bucks on a keg of Coors and be unable to close the door...