Perlick Commercial Kegerator

[klb311]

I just picked up this VERY old Perlick double tower commercial kegerator. The compressor/condenser fan assembly is very loud. I had planned to put it outside on a porch, but then our housing situation got moved around and it will have to be inside. I can hear this thing in the next room. My question is: Is it possible to put this compressor/condenser fan assembly in a different location and run the refrigerant to the kegerator over a length of maybe 5-6 ft? I would like to place it outside if possible. I would make a housing for it to protect it from rain, and leave both the front and back open with a screen so that it can cool itself. The only thing attaching this assembly to the kegerator is the refrigerant pipe and the power line. I can take care of the power no problem. I've attached a few pics. The last picture shows where the refrigerant line hooks up to the compressor. The only problem I see is detaching the refrigerant pipe with the possibility of it leaking. Also, the pipe is pretty rigid. It's in a coil but I don't know how flexible it will be. This uses R12 so I know it's expensive and enviormentally smogtastic. Let me know what y'all think...

[psychodad]

I'd say in theory it is possible. You'll need to contact a person in your area that does refrigeration work. The system will have to be evacuated, tubing ran, dried out and recharged. If you ever want to move or even move the unit, you would have to go through all that again.

[BrewGuru]

For the money that it would cost to retrofit that R12 Perlick to remote you will be halfway to a new unit...and honestly, looking at all the rust on that condenser, it's a miracle it get cold and doesn't already leak.

If you're serious about changing over to a remote system, look into replacing the compressor / condenser completely with new units that use 134a - even then you're trusting that the evap is going to hold out...

[THE ICEMAN]

Remoting the condensing unit would be dicey at best. Those units are typically a capillary tube fed type of system & are a critical charge system, meaning it takes a finite amount of refrigerant.
It can be done but you had better find someone that is very familiar with those type of systems. You do not necessarily have to stick with R12. You can use a replacement refrigerant such as R409a.
Once again, find someone that is familiar, & willing, to play with remoting the condensing unit. It can take some time to get things dialed in. It may not be cheap even with the replacement refrigerants.


THE ICEMAN