I don’t know how to make this a poll or I would have. How do you mount your tap handles if you use a refrigerator… on the door front or on the side of the fridge?
I mount mine on the side that way I can still use the shelving in the door, I don’t have to worry about any tubing moving around getting tangled when the door is opened and closed. I think a lot of people are afraid to drill into the sides because they don’t know where the gas lines or wiring is located. If that worries you, I can tell you this, I’ve never seen refrigeration lines in the sidewalls unless its a specialty unit, nor wiring. I used to work at the Hobart refrigeration department as a field engineer, manufacturers take the most effective route that also makes repair work accessible. Most refrigeration lines run up the back and through the back wall to the evaporator, commercial fridges sometimes don’t even penetrate the cabinet with the refrigeration lines. Wiring is another issue altogether, it can depend on whether the unit has mullion heaters etc. but they generally run up the corners or edges and yes they can be inside the expanded foam cabinet but still they are generally along an edge. So… in 99% of the time… you can drill as many holes in the side of your fridges as you have taps… just stay 4 inches or so away from any edges or corners.
Front door, I lost the butter and egg bins at the top of the door but all other shelves on the door are holding beer and/or yeast. There is another fridge to the left of it, and shelves to the right of it. Thus, the taps are on the front.
If I had a choice I would place the faucets on the side. I didn’t have a choice so they’re on the front…
I did run the CO2 line in the side at the bottom. The unit’s diagram was attached underneath & it showed a line running diagonally from the bottom/back to the top/front so I did the pilot hole on the inside, feel for lines technique. With my luck I would have hit it if I mounted the faucets on the side.
I have four faucets in the front door of my fridge. They’re evenly spaced, but all shifted to one side a bit. Doing it this way, I was able to keep the butter keeper, and the shanks are high enough that I can fit cans of soda on the top shelf under the shanks and tubing. I use a few of the reusable zip ties along the top shelf to keep the lines neat. I have four kegs and a 20-pound CO2 cylinder inside the fridge. Here’s a picture taken before I added the fourth faucet which is between the three pictured and the fridge handle.
I like the side mount but you can also connect the fridge and the freezer door. I like it that way because I build my own taps and I can make a nice tall tap and not worry about one to many pints making me open the freezer to grab hops and opening all my taps in the process.
