I am looking for advice (I'm not Chef Jim). I am kicking around the idea of making a wine/Whiskey barrel kegerator. I have looked over a few online DIY projects on the subject but have some questions.
The basic structure is a wine barrel cut open and fitted with the remains of a small cube refrigerator (think of the dorm refrigerators). These fridges have 3 main components, the condenser, the coil on the back and the freezer compartment that chills the cube refrigerator.
In the examples I have seen, the 3 components are stripped away from the shell of the fridge and fitted into the barrel. As I understand it the 3 components are sealed and cannot be taken apart without having to have special refrigeration tools and skills to reassemble.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=285887
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=368443
The questions I have for the experts here are :
Can the cooling coil be mounted under the barrel? (I plan on a small platform to elevate the barrel on wheels for portability)
If the coil can be mounted underneath, how can I rotate it so as not to snap off or pinch the fine tubes that are connected to the condenser and chill plate?
If the coil cannot be mounted underneath and rotated, can it be placed inside the chilled barrel without ruining the efficiency of the system?
Will the condenser need extra ventilation if I were to enclose it in a false bottom inside the barrel?
A half keg is a tight fit, so I may have to go with ponies, can I get standard brands in those sizes or just craft beers?
With ponies, I can probably squeeze 2 in the space, should I get a double tap or stick with a single and just have the extra pony as a backup?
Any help is appreciated