Which Danby to Buy?..Other Recommendations

[Dennison17]

I'm new to the forum and actually still contemplating which kegerator to buy. Danby seems to be getting good reviews. I notice there are two different "reasonably priced" ones available... the 645 and the 646. The only difference I can see in the literature is that the 646 can be left outside and it also has a fan cooled condenser. Can anyone weigh-in on the choices....there's ~$200 difference. Would the fan cooled condenser help with some of the cooling issues I've read about in this forum... (e.g. help eliminate some foam on first pours, as well as ensure good, consistent temp control)?

Thanks all.... this seems like a terrific forum for newbees like myself!!!

[TD-Max]

I'm a newbie like you. i can make most anything work and seldom take the exact same route as others.

Iwanted somtheing that I could have up and running immediately so I went for teh Danby. Price is the real draw here. I went with the outdoor one just for the halibut I guess.

If I had time I would consider building my own.

If I were heavy into this stuff and wanted to buy something ready top go I would look at a better unit.

Overall though if Danby would make about 3 simple changes/upgrades to these units they would be hard to beat.

[psychodad]

A fan cooled condenser won't help any on the initial foamy pour of the day. That is going to be fixed by forced air cooling the tower.

[Dennison17]

Thanks.... I didn't think the cooled condenser would help much but wanted to ask. Any idea about just how important a "cooled condenser" is.... ??? Seems like there are a number of units without that type of cooling..... doing just fine....?

[pvs6]

Thanks.... I didn't think the cooled condenser would help much but wanted to ask. Any idea about just how important a "cooled condenser" is.... ??? Seems like there are a number of units without that type of cooling..... doing just fine....?

If the unit will be stationed up close tight to a wall ie: less than 4 inches away or in an enclosed space like under a counter with little back, side and top space for heat transfer then a fan can help. But if there is enough room for the heat generated to escape then a fan is not needed, well at least for the condenser. Psychodad advise as to first pour is valid, you may need a tower forced air cooling system and in addition sometimes another fan to circulate the air inside the keg box is required. That was my case, using PC fans to blow cold to the tower and to move air inside resulted in uniformed pours, first to the last. My PC fan can't be heard unless the door is opened and they are powered by an old answer machine transformer so doesn't cost much to run them 24/7. My cost to do this was nothing since I had all the pieces on hand. But it can be done buying the pieces for no more than $50. and should be less to give you perfect pours. So unless you are going to be positioned in really tight quarters save yourself the extra $150.00 for your first keg.

[TD-Max]

My outdoor version has an internal fan that runs when the unit is operating. I believe this is what you are referring to?

FYI my tower runs at 70°f static and 48°f with my poorly plumbed crude fan setup. Now that I see that I can have an impact I'll be replumbing.

Temps may not ne 100% accurate, but relative nonetheless...

P.S. These new little fridges run a lot. Not that they take a lot of energy, they just cycle frequently. They aren't loud, but you know when they are running. I am considering moving mine to the basement as it's louder than my top compressor commercial Thermador.

[Dennison17]

Thanks all.... I plan on placing the kegerator in my basement here in Seattle. Temp stays pretty cool throughout the year. I have good space so the external air circulation shouldn't be a problem.

Think I'll try the resister idea (Cubby's pictures are terrific), and then see what I can do about an internal fan. I'm hoping I can just score some sort of mini / micro fan off the internet or at some local Radio Shack, etc.
Any other thoughts, comments, recommendations are certainly welcome!!!

[cubby_swans]

Think I'll try the resister idea (Cubby's pictures are terrific), and then see what I can do about an internal fan. I'm hoping I can just score some sort of mini / micro fan off the internet or at some local Radio Shack, etc.
Any other thoughts, comments, recommendations are certainly welcome!!!

Thanks!

If you or anyone else you know has an old PC laying around, you can salvage a DC fan out of it. There would be one fan cooling the CPU, and another inside the power supply, and possibly a third that draws air out of the casing. That's where I got my fan from, for running my tower cooler.

[TD-Max]

I'm just pulling mine down to temp now and so far the tower/line temp is following the display temp within a degree or two alternating.

The Gryphon fan is being run by a 5v transformer so it is running VERY slow and lots of room for increased air flow if necessary. I haven't priced any of these teeny fans because they were sent to me as sample, but I can't imagine they are expensive. Best of all they pretty much matche the OD of a 1-1/4" coupling and can glue directly to the pipe.

I'll try to post some pics in the thread that I started.

[Dennison17]

Thanks TD... pic's would very much be appreciated! I'm still so new that I'm trying to envision how I'd do all this on a new unit.!!