Taps Freezing

Discussions about brewing equipment / design.
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Gjoseph
Posts: 155
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:52 pm
Location: Hiawatha

Taps Freezing

Post by Gjoseph »

Anyone else have this issue - I have my fridge in the garage against the wall of the house but my tap lines keep freezing at the handle. The line itself is fine but the connection point to the handle freezes. Outside of heating my garage - any recomendations - running a hair drier for 5 minutes every time i want a beer sucks.
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daryl
Posts: 1621
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 11:07 pm
Location: Springville, IA

Re: Taps Freezing

Post by daryl »

If the beer is not freezing inside the fridge, then there is sufficient insulation to protect it - but I bet it is frosty cold.

Before the invention of a frost proof sillcocks (an outdoor faucet, on the outside of your house), we used a cover that had Styrofoam insulation, the would attach to and cover the faucet. The pipes, in the basement, would conduct a sufficient amount of heat to the faucet to keep it from freezing. Maybe, that would work. They sell for about $1, but I am not sure if they are large enough to fit over your tap (with out the handle).

Or, and what might be better, is to shut down the external taps in the winter time and convert the to a cobra tap that would stay inside the fridge. You'd have to open the door to get beer, but the cobra tap would not freeze, and there is no threat to warming your beer.

D
In the Fridge/On Tap: English Bitter, Schwarzbier, Cream Ale
In the keg: Wheat Beer, Russian Imperial Stout
In the bucket:
In the queue: Irish Red, American IPA
Gjoseph
Posts: 155
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:52 pm
Location: Hiawatha

Re: Taps Freezing

Post by Gjoseph »

daryl wrote: Or, and what might be better, is to shut down the external taps in the winter time and convert the to a cobra tap that would stay inside the fridge. You'd have to open the door to get beer, but the cobra tap would not freeze, and there is no threat to warming your beer.

D
Yeah I am thinking that is the route I am going to go.
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