Coolest Boat Mod Ever ... literally and figuratively

Edit - This is now done and installed in the boat. More details below.

I started with a top loading water cooler and first turned it into this ....

Then I turned it into this ...

Original post here with new details and photos below - Not in the boat yet but it works. Still need to work out a sheild for the compressor because that thing gets hot and a cover for the beverage coller to keep the collant in (water right now to tranfer the coil temp to the keg). In about an hour at 80 degrees in my garge and a starting temp of 55 degrees for the beer and collant I had 1 gallon of COLD beer and the keg was frozen into the cooler. May need to use rv anti freeze for the collant and adjust the thermostat. Will look less like a mad science project and more like a finished product once in the boat. This has been my favorite project to test I will update once I get it in the boat so if intrested stay tuned.

First the updated photos ...

I started by building a vented case out of HDPE for the compressor. I installed a stabilizing ring in the sport cooler vessel about half way down and spray foamed the top end for better insulation and keg support which also ensure the cooling water stays at the bottom with the cooling coil to conduct the thermal energy to the 1 gallon stainless keg. I had to fiberglass in mounting boards into the hull for the pure sine wave inverter with auto switch over when connected to shore power and the compressor radiator. I used a fire extinguisher mount for the 24 oz paintball co2 tank with is good for dispensing about 36 gallons of beer and keeping it carbonated. I have a pump cleaning system for the beer line to keep it from getting nasty with stale beer sitting in it with the heat. Unfortunately the speaker had already been mounted so I had to angle the tap over the cupholder which now doubles as a drip tray that tees into other drain lines in the bilge exiting the hull and has a 1 way ballast valve install for all the drain lines. I have a second pressurized keg on standby as well.

At the end of the day I spent an immense amount of time and effort solving a problem that really did not need solved but this is very fitting for a boat that I had already named Liquid Therapy.

Mainah said:

View attachment 69049
Not in the boat yet but it works. Still need to work out a sheild for the compressor because that thing gets hot and a cover for the beverage coller to keep the collant in (water right now to tranfer the coil temp to the keg). In about an hour at 80 degrees in my garge and a starting temp of 55 degrees for the beer and collant I had 1 gallon of COLD beer and the keg was frozen into the cooler. May need to use rv anti freeze for the collant and adjust the thermostat. Will look less like a mad science project and more like a finished product once in the boat. This has been my favorite project to test I will update once I get it in the boat so if intrested stay tuned.

Click to expand...

Very cool! Are you going to install a tap somewhere?

Right now the black hose you can barely see is a picnic tap. I plan on installing in helm. The issue with a tap is I would have to flush it after docking the boat to avoid getting sick from the funky beer left in the line at high temps. I may have to work out a smaller co2 powered disinfectant tank tonflush the line or be hapoy with being able to clean the quick connect picnic tap easily. Something I will be pondering over the next week. If someone has ideas I would love to have a tap behind the Captains chair. Just don’t follow me on the way to Bimini if I get that working

Aren't you afraid of having the keg be nearly undrinkable for hours after you stop the boat? Even a car ride, most kegs need to sit around awhile before they stop foaming.

seanmclean said:

Aren't you afraid of having the keg be nearly undrinkable for hours after you stop the boat? Even a car ride, most kegs need to sit around awhile before they stop foaming.

Click to expand...

I will have to dial in the co2 pressure to reduce foam. That is why I went with a traditional pressure regulator hooked up to a large paintball cylinder as opposed to the the tiny pressure fixed regulated co2 cartridges. These tanks have an open top pressure and a hose pickup from the bottom for the outlet. Sankey kegs for sure would not work. On the plus side I should be able to dispense 50 gallons of beer off of one cylinder. On the minus side I am boating around with possible pressure bomb so I had better mount that thing well. Not much different than boating with a scuba tank though.

This sir is outstanding!

I just use this. It's 1 gallon and keeps beer cold all day, even when it gets into the 90's. Drink Tank with the keg top so you never have to open it

Mainah said:

View attachment 69049
Not in the boat yet but it works. Still need to work out a sheild for the compressor because that thing gets hot and a cover for the beverage coller to keep the collant in (water right now to tranfer the coil temp to the keg). In about an hour at 80 degrees in my garge and a starting temp of 55 degrees for the beer and collant I had 1 gallon of COLD beer and the keg was frozen into the cooler. May need to use rv anti freeze for the collant and adjust the thermostat. Will look less like a mad science project and more like a finished product once in the boat. This has been my favorite project to test I will update once I get it in the boat so if intrested stay tuned.

Click to expand...

You never cease to amaze me! Always love keeping up with your mods.

John Mcpartland said:

View attachment 69051
I just use this. It's 1 gallon and keeps beer cold all day, even when it gets into the 90's. Drink Tank with the keg top so you never have to open it

Click to expand...

Nice. Mine is a 128 oz Mancan and same idea. I have two Mancans and shore power. If I buy one more Mancan I will might able to get through Bimini without taking up any cooler space. Wait it might take four more. Ha.

Mainah said:

Nice. Mine is a 128 oz Mancan and same idea. I have two Mancans and shore power. If I buy one more Mancan I will might able to get through Bimini without taking up any cooler space. Wait it might take four more. Ha.

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Yes, I like those also. Growler works u keg is a really nice one, the co2 is inside the top

John Mcpartland said:

Yes, I like those also. Growler works u keg is a really nice one, the co2 is inside the top

Click to expand...

I was not aware the co2 was inside the top. That is really cool. Perhaps I will find a vessel large enough to hold this. Problem would be it would suck down a lot of power to keep it cold ( 2.6 gallons). Guess I could always force fill the mancans from it but that thing could wreck some havoc bouncing around and home brewing takes way too much time. I will have to check out those drink tanks. How well do they hold pressure over numerous days? Is there a way to connect external co2? Is there a pcikup tube at the bottom?

A bit squirrel here but my go to is amber. What is yours?

Edit forgot to add photo so here it is.

Mainah said:

I was not aware the co2 was inside the top. That is really cool. Perhaps I will find a vessel large enough to hold this. Problem would be it would suck down a lot of power to keep it cold ( 2.6 gallons). Guess I could always force fill the mancans from it but that thing could wreck some havoc bouncing around and home brewing takes way too much time. I will have to check out those drink tanks. How well do they hold pressure over numerous days? Is there a way to connect external co2? Is there a pcikup tube at the bottom?

A bit squirrel here but my go to is amber. What is yours?

Click to expand...

The drink tank uses a mini co2 cartridge with a little screw on connector. You just put it on the intake nipple and push down real quick, it doesn't take much. So I just fill it to the very top so there isnt any air so it will stay for a few days.
Usually a IPA for me

John Mcpartland said:

View attachment 69051
I just use this. It's 1 gallon and keeps beer cold all day, even when it gets into the 90's. Drink Tank with the keg top so you never have to open it

Click to expand...

You could just mount that bad boy on a hat and that would awesome.

Im thinking mount it to the tower!! gravity feed!

A buddy of mine brought up a question that I don’t know the answer to. Do I need to worry about chop affecting the compressor? It is just a normal home small appliance compressor. I have always head to let a fridge settle beofre plugging it to avoid damaging the compressor. Are the ones in RVs and boats desinged any different? @Bruce any thoughts on this where you installed a fridge drawer designed for a boat?

I also am curious how well that compressor will work. The 12v compressor on my Waeco/Dometic fridge is an expensive and low consumption unit. I have read many complaints about the high cost of 12v compressor units and could not find any inexpensive options when I considered converting the built in ice chest to a fridge.

My fridge has bounced to Bimini and back four times will running. It also has 10,000+ road miles of operation. So I am not concerned about shaking it up.

I am uncertain if they are designed differently but I am very happy with the performance.

A lot of RV refrigerators are absorption cycle coolers, and don't have a compressor at all (I cheated and looked it up on Wikepedia). Maybe a small RV fridge can cool the keg?

I think that absorption cycle cooling is when running off of propane but may need to dive deeper. The compressor coil and other parts I used started off as a top loading water cooler/heater. Actually bought it new knowing what I was going to do to it and laughed when I was offered the extended warranty. Guess I will just install the darn thing and see what happens. I had everything on hand except the parts from the top loading water cooler so I am not out much if I burn up the compressor but would like to know if that is an issue before I install in the boat. I would have loved to find a cheap 12v compressor but they don't sell those things cheap not to mention the hassle and cost of brazing fittings and charging the system. Obviously anyone can buy a kegerator and throw it in a boat on a inverter or generator. the issue is how much space and power that takes up. Guess I am just going to have to see how it works and go from there.

I THINK you stand up a normal refrigerator prior to running only when you transport it laying down to let the compressor oil drain back down into the motor/reservoir, so the shaking and bouncing shouldn't be a problem.

Made a slight bit of progress on this. Found a 1200w pure sine wave inverter that also has automatic switching built in and is conformal coated for moisture protection. Pure sine wave is the only way to go for a inverter IMO and given the heat the compressor is already putting off I did not need it getting hotter running off a cheap modified sine wave inverter close to something I am trying to keep cold. I will mount it in the battery compartment keeping the dc runs short, run ac power cord to the helm from the inverter and attach the inverter to the same through hull plug for my battery charger. Just plug in shore power and instead of the batteries getting drawn while charging which decreases their life span it will just pull power directly for the shore power with the automatic built in switch over. Unplug shore power and it will switch back to the batteries automatically.

I am going to test just a pre chilled keg with the co2 tank and regulator in the boat with the picnic tap first (probably should have done that before embarking on this project). If I can in fact keep it from getting to foamy then I will install the inverter, a tap, and use a 64 oz keg filled with line cleaner to clean out the tap with a three way ball valve (Beer, Off, Clean). If something does not work than I guess I will have to put the whole system into an old whiskey barrel in my house.