[timdroz]

I'm thinking about building a bar in our house, and of course I want to incorporate a kegerator.  I've looked into converting a mini-fridge as well as just buying a ready-made kegerator.  The info I can't find about both of these approaches boils down to these questions:

DIY: What is the best make and model of fridge to accommodate 2 corny kegs?  The interior dimensions of most normal mini-fridges feature that ledge at the bottom to house the compressor which, as I understand it, makes for space problems unless you can find a fridge without that ledge.

Pre-built: They all seem to come with a tower built-in.  I would want to mount the tower on the bar top.  Is it possible to remove and relocate the tower?  What's involved in sealing up the opening?  How difficult is it to retrofit plumbing (say, if I wanted to install piping and run a blower hose up into the tower to keep the beer lines refrigerated?

I'm not afraid to do the work, but I hate to spend money on something without fully understanding all the implications of trying to jury-rig something.

[Matt B]

If you're ultimately going to re-locate the tower, I would go the DIY method.

Really, the only difference between a mini fridge and a kegerator is the tower (which may require relocating the cooling line), and having the extra crap that is part of a fridge just not built in, and then shipping the extra stuff.

All you'll need if you go the DIY method is a fridge, co2 tank, regulator, tee with shut off valves, some line for the gas, some line for the beer, ball locks and/or other taps for your beer, a tower and some faucets to go onto the tower. Quite often you can find this stuff as a 'conversion kit' on morebeer and other home brew stores. Drill a hole into the side of the fridge, run your beer lines to wherever you have your tower mounted and off you go. The only thing I might be concerned about is the length of the lines which will allow the beer in the lines to warm up.

As far as which model, no idea... I bought the prebuilt one. But unless the ledge is really that big, I can't see it being difficult to get two cornies in there, and you can set your co2 tank on top of the ledge, the thing's going to take up room anyway.

[mr_jeffers]

I found one at Best Buy that would work, but I don't remember the model #.  I think it was a Sanyo, with a faux stainless finish for around $200.  Your best bet is to put two corny kegs side by side, and pull some measurements.  Don't forget to add the height of your ball/pin locks.  Take all that down to a store that has floor demos, so you can actually see the fridge, open it and check your measurements against the inside of the fridge.  Your other option is to get a chest freezer.