6 gallon bucket on refrigerator shelf?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Brew_Betty, Jan 17, 2015.

?

Will it hold?

  1. Yes, I've done it and it worked

    1 vote(s)
    12.5%
  2. Probably

    4 vote(s)
    50.0%
  3. I doubt it

    2 vote(s)
    25.0%
  4. No, I've done it and the shelf broke

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. You crazy

    2 vote(s)
    25.0%
Multiple votes are allowed.
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  1. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    My mini refrigerator bit the dust and I needed to cold crash a batch. I was too lazy to build a wood platform to hold the bucket and just said "what the heck" and placed the bucket on the shelf of the fridge that holds kegs.

    I used two pieces of wood under the bucket which removed the load from the glass part and distributed it to the metal sides of the shelf. It appears to be sturdy and has lasted one hour so far.

    Will it drop before my hops drop? If it drops, there is going to be a big mess and it will probably break my CO2 regulator.

    Place your votes please. Multiple choice allowed.
     
  2. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    If it's held for an hour then I think you're going to be okay. I've never tried to use a shelf, but I have brewed lagers and have removed the vegetable bin so that I could put the bucket on the floor of the fridge. I had no problem with that arrangement at all.
     
  3. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Each refrigerator model has differing shelf designs. Five gallons of liquid (beer) will weigh over 40 lbs. I personally would be concerned about placing 40 lbs. of weight on a shelf of my home refrigerator. Maybe the refrigerator that @Brew_Betty owns is of more durable construction?

    Cheers!
     
  4. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    The fridge has no bins. I removed them. Two kegs and a CO2 tank are on the bottom. The bucket is on a shelf a few inches above the kegs. It's a dedicated basement beer fridge. No food.

    I wouldn't call this a heavy duty fridge. It's about 10 years old. Typical home kitchen fridge. Side by side, so the shelves aren't much wider than the bucket.
     
  5. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    You know, rather than take a chance on having a mess, I'd find a way to give additional support to that shelf just to be sure.
     
  6. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    jury - rig: verb, transitive 1. To make an improvised rigging or assembly from whatever is available.
    2. To create a make-shift, ad hoc solution from resources at hand​
    synomom: jerry-rig, MacGyver
    So you're toying with putting the "crash" in cold-crash? I'm clueless to the outcome . . . but would be proud to drink a beer that cc'ed on the brink of disaster. If fortunes reversed, would offer unlimited sympathy to the poor swabbie assigned clean up duty.
     
  7. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    I have put almost 5 gallons of beer on the same shelf several times before. Filled the entire shelf with liter sized bottles of beer. Probably fit about 4 gallons.
     
  8. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    It's this type of shelf with the metal hangers. No weight is on the glass.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    As I said before in a different thread, I brew dangerously! It will make one hell of a mess if it drops. Painted cement floor in the basement, so the only thing that might get ruined is my regulator and the shelf. I might be able to move the tank to one of the door compartments.
     
  10. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I would be concerned about the stress on the four hanger points (two on each side). If a failure would occur it would be either the shelf hanger points or their corresponding mating points on the back of the refrigerator.

    There is no way that some BA can accurately assess the ability of that shelf and and its mate to support 40+ lbs. of load.

    Cheers!
     
  11. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin


    I was hoping there would be a mechanical engineer familiar with refrigerator shelf design here...
     
  12. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Even a mechanical engineer would have difficulty making an assessment based upon pictures. I work a lot with mechanical engineers and their preferred approach is to use automated tools (CAD software) and then run some stress analysis using those tools. They require detailed information from vendors to model the parts (materials of the shelf, materials of the rack in the back of the refrigerator, precise dimensions, etc.).

    It is indeed a solvable problem via analysis using the proper software tools and proper modeling of the parts.

    Cheers!
     
  13. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    I doubt it will hold. I am less concerned with the glass or the shelf than I am the brackets that the shelf hook into. They can stand some weight for sure, but the screws are tiny, maybe 1/4" long. Enough stress and they could bust loose of the plastic they are attached to (which is thin and not that difficult to break/crack - I've done it), or if the heads pop. I would think your garage would be nice and cold right now, just let it set there instead.
     
  14. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I don't feel comfortable making a prediction on whether it will hold or not but I think that @jbakajust1 has input that is worthwhile of: "...the brackets that the shelf hook into. They can stand some weight for sure, but the screws are tiny, maybe 1/4" long. Enough stress and they could bust loose of the plastic they are attached to (which is thin and not that difficult to break/crack - I've done it),..."

    Cheers!
     
  15. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    Three shelves in the same fridge have held two five gallon batches of beer in bottles many times. Putting the beer outside is only an option for the next 24 hours. After that, I'd be making an Eisbock.
     
  16. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    i don't think your 40 pounds of beer is any concern at all. not even a little.
    i would try to place the bucket at the back to decrease the leverage. the steel tabs are not going to fail with 40 pounds of stress. if some enginerd wants to figure the weight of 40 pounds three feet from the fulcrum then go for it.

    all that said, be sure you are dealing with steel and not plastic. modern appliances seem to have more and more plastic all the time. saving a nickel but breaks in two years instead 20 like the old stuff.

    that's my opinion anyway.
    Cheers.
     
  17. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    It's all the way in the back. The support rails and shelf hooks are steel. Seems to be holding fine for now. Fingers crossed.
     
  18. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Test with water first.
     
  19. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    I've had 2 full cornies + 5# CO2 bottle and regulator on 1 glass shelf for years (with 2x4 support underneath)...personally though, I'd just put it outside in the garage, etc...which is sometimes colder than the kegerator this time of year (here).
     
    JackHorzempa likes this.
  20. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    That's a lot more than I figured a glass shelf could tolerate. It is tempered glass designed to hold a load, but two cornies and a tank sounds pretty extreme.

    My bucket survived the night. I think the shelf will be fine.
     
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