Kegerator Electric Usage

Kegging
1

So my three year old Danby Kegerator may be dead and I’ m debating whether to convert a full size refrigerator for my next unit. I can get a 15 year old refrigerator for free or purchase a brand new 18 cubic foot model for about 400.00. Does anyone know the cost savings concerning the electric usage?

2

Energystar.gov has a calculator:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fus ... calculator

Using a fridge from 1993-2000 vs. today, you’ll save about $40 / year on electricity according to their calculator.

3

This doesn’t answer your question, but I highly recommend a full-size fridge if you have room for it and don’t mind the look. You can usually fit 6 corneys inside and have as many taps as you want drilled through the door…I started with 2 taps and have since expanded to four, and have all 6 on gas. Other benefits over mini-fridge:

  1. Store bottles on the door
  2. Store yeast samples in the crisper drawers
  3. store hops, frosty mugs, wort, and empty bottles in the freezer
  4. The entire beer line stays cold, giving the perfect pour every time. If you serve from a tower, often the first few ounces of your first pour of the day is foam, since the beer warms up in the last foot of line that’s in the tower.
4

[quote=“nyakavt”]Energystar.gov has a calculator:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fus ... calculator

Using a fridge from 1993-2000 vs. today, you’ll save about $40 / year on electricity according to their calculator.[/quote]

Thanks for this info. Electric bill will not influence my decision since it would take 10 years to make a difference.

.[quote=“FriendsR2Thirsty”]This doesn’t answer your question, but I highly recommend a full-size fridge if you have room for it and don’t mind the look. You can usually fit 6 corneys inside and have as many taps as you want drilled through the door…I started with 2 taps and have since expanded to four, and have all 6 on gas. Other benefits over mini-fridge:

  1. Store bottles on the door
  2. Store yeast samples in the crisper drawers
  3. store hops, frosty mugs, wort, and empty bottles in the freezer
  4. The entire beer line stays cold, giving the perfect pour every time. If you serve from a tower, often the first few ounces of your first pour of the day is foam, since the beer warms up in the last foot of line that’s in the tower.[/quote]

Great points! Now I can’t wait to get the refrigerator. I will keep it in my garage next to my 2 chest freezers. One freezer is my fermentor box and the other for long term storage of corny kegs. I like to keep many of my Belgian brews chilled until ready to tap.