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Mold in beer cooler

Beer_Tigger

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Grandmaster Brewer
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I have a chest  freezer that I use for my keggerator.  I have 4 kegs & taps and a CO2 tank in it.  It seems to get way too much moisture in it to the point that I'm seeing mold on the CO2 lines and on some beer bottles I keep in there.

Any suggestions as to how to address this before it gets out of hand?

Thanks ???
 
You must be getting air leaks to have that much mold? make sure your seals are good and then remove all your beer from the freezer. Wash out the whole area with some disinfectant normally used for showers. Then do it again with bleach and then again. replace the beer (after the containers are disinfected). If you get mold after all this work. Give up and send all your beer to me for (disposal?)
 
I will suggest a product called Damp Rid. It is sold at Ace Hardware and I have to think other places as well. But I will tell you it solved my problem 100%, and not all that expensive.
 
+1 Damp Rid.  I change it out 'bout every three beers in my ferm freezer. 
 
@Bob: I don't know about sending it all to you, but you're welcome to come over and help drain the 4 kegs down (I'm in Glendale, near Milwaukee).

I'll look carefully for leaks and look into the Damp Rid.

Thanks
 
Beer_Tigger.
                I'll Keep you on my list for places to stay if SWMBO kicks me out!
 
I use a big PBW container filled with silica gel packets.  This does a great job keeping the moisture down.  I rarely get mold.  I do clean it every 8 weeks or so.  I also have an old computer fan wired to an old 12v power supply that runs constantly.  This helps move the air which seems to help with both moisture and keeping things an even temp.  Plus it cools the kegs quicker... I think.
 
And for what it's worth regarding the use of bleach (as noted above)......

Unless significant rinsing and followup with another agent  (ie; vinegar) bleach has been proven to be a CAUSE for molds to form.

Perhaps not the same molds you might find in a fridge, but in the construction industry this has become a big NO-NO in the treatment of mold.  It seems it leaves behind a perfect medium for mold growth. I am finding a TSP wash and rinse (again- in the construction industry) works very well.

Bleach never has worked.
 
jomebrew said:
I also have an old computer fan wired to an old 12v power supply that runs constantly.  This helps move the air which seems to help with both moisture and keeping things an even temp.  Plus it cools the kegs quicker... I think.

Me too.  Definitely more evenly.  With relatively little in a chest freezer, the sides are cold and the cold air falls/fills from the bottom.
 
p+50 Damp rid!!!!! it works it is the shit ... first to rid your self of the stupid shit pull out every thing . bleach. re seal it all .... then add a bucket of damp rid ... bleach all that equipment as well 
 
My old Whirlpool 10 cuft not only had a mold issue, but was really starting to show rust where seams come together. I cleaned it well with Clorox Clean-up, rinsed it well, and let it dry for several days. I resealed all seam areas with an indoor/outdoor DAP paintable caulk sealant, spray painted an epoxy appliance moisture resistant enamel http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=101, and put a portable Eva Dry http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-EDV-Renewable-Wireless-Dehumidifer/dp/B000H0XFD2 dehumidifier in to keep down the moisture.
Although I get an occasional frost ring when I open the lid, it always goes away. So far so good and unlike Damp Rid, the Eva Dry is renewable.
 

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I reuse silica packets that seem to come in everything.  During the summer, I spread them on top of my black BBQ in direct sun to evaporate out the moisture.  I can put them in an oven for 16 hours at 160f but the direct sun seems to keep them doing their thing and I don't have to run my oven for a day.
 
ghwren said:
My old Whirlpool 10 cuft not only had a mold issue, but was really starting to show rust where seams come together. I cleaned it well with Clorox Clean-up, rinsed it well, and let it dry for several days. I resealed all seam areas with an indoor/outdoor DAP paintable caulk sealant, spray painted an epoxy appliance moisture resistant enamel http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=101, and put a portable Eva Dry http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-EDV-Renewable-Wireless-Dehumidifer/dp/B000H0XFD2 dehumidifier in to keep down the moisture.
Although I get an occasional frost ring when I open the lid, it always goes away. So far so good and unlike Damp Rid, the Eva Dry is renewable.

Based on Amazon reveiws, and your testimonial, I bought this mini-dehumidifier.  Can't wait for it to arrive.

Thanks all for ideas.
 
In our experience, mold and rust are always going to be an issue when using a freezer. It just wasn't built for the higher temps. We have had success controlling or slowing the problem. We wipe down the inside every week or two using the Clorox brand spray cleaner with bleach in it. This takes the mold away and slows it's return. We don't use Damp Rid because of cost. The operative chemical in Damp-Rid calcium chloride. So we matched a small plastic bucket with a stainless mesh collander. We fit the collander in the bucket, we fill it with inexpensive driveway ice melter ( also calcium chloride) and cover it with a small towel. Works just like Damp-Rid but at a much lower refill cost.  We learned this trick to hold down moisture and mildew in the sailboat during the Brewing & Drinking season. ;D

Preston
 
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