Old model bev-air bm23 on craigslist: advice needed

Discussion in 'Home Bar' started by makisupapolice14, Dec 7, 2015.

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  1. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    An old model bev air bm-23 popped up on craigslist last night (see the link and pics below). According to the seller the unit is at least 20 years old and the data plate says it uses r12 refrigerant. It has been maintained by a Budweiser wholesaler and was recently serviced again with new hoses.

    Co2 tank, Dual gauge regulator and coupler are included. List price is $400.
    I'm a kegging newb and need some help...

    The seller has agreed to place a 5 gallon bucket of water in the unit and run it for a few days so that I can use my digital thermometer to see if it will hit 38f. At this time he cannot figure out the serial number, which I wanted to look up to determine age,etc.

    Any tips or things I should look for or research prior to looking at this unit? Given the age is $400 reasonable or should I offer less (how much?). Eventually looking to convert the tower to a two tap system and use one or both for homebrewing, so there will be some additional costs down the road.

    Here is the link to the add and additional pics the seller sent:

    https://rochester.craigslist.org/app/5347137155.html

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  2. Johntomk

    Johntomk Zealot (678) Jul 22, 2014 Tennessee
    Trader

    I would be hesitant to pay $400. I guess if it is in near mint condition, then I might consider that price. There are alternatives to R12, so that shouldn't be a problem. I would ask for more pictures (the interior, backside, etc.). Look for rust. Also, ask what brand regulator is included.
     
  3. billandsuz

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

    The cool thing about the BM 23 is that it has not changed much in forever. a new BM 23 is shiny but otherwise no different than and older one.

    there will be rust and dirt to clean. it might need a recharge. any experienced refrigeration tech will be able to service this thing. all of the parts are standard and easily replaced. this is why the BM 23 has a solid reputation.

    $400? I don't know. you won't get anything new worth buying for that money, that is certain. maybe $300 and budget $100 for the recharge. or have them set it to the lowest setting and report back the temp in can hold.

    be prepared for fake wood grain too.

    Cheers.
     
  4. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    Thanks bill it is definitely fake wood grain (see the craigslist post). I'm ok with that as it fits the look of my retro 70s bar haha. Maybe I can paint it too? So you think given the good reputation of the bm-23 and ability to service that $400 may not be too far off? Assuming the unit will hit 38f when I go look I was debating offering $300 due to the age, old refrigerant, potentially old regular and unknowns in general. You are correct that I'm not buying a comparable unit new for anywhere close to $400....but since the seller doesn't seem overly knowledgable I can maybe use the fact that I can buy a new (albeit inferior) unit from Home Depot for around $400 with a warrantee etc
     
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  5. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    To answer about the regulator brand: zooming in closely it looks like an old dual gauge taprite regulator. I know that is a solid brand but is there any way I can determine if it actually works once I go look at the unit? Pardon my ignorance doing a bunch of research and it appears a new one will run me at least $50
     
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  6. WertMaker

    WertMaker Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2009 Oregon

    Old refrigerant isn't a problem as long as there are no leaks. It is a sealed system. With a unit that old, if there were leaks, it wouldn't cool. Run it down as low as it will go and make your decision on performance and the condition of the door seals about the price.
     
  7. billandsuz

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

    I think I like that unit. Rochester, not far from Ithaca. Better go pick that up soon!

    Honestly, I have said it before. Nobody regrets getting a BM 23. So long as it gets cold (colder than 38, because that is the set point and if it runs 100%, it is worn out and needs service. ) These bastards never die. Hence the reputation.

    This is one draft professional that says buy it. Others may or may not concur.

    Cheers.
     
  8. PortLargo

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

    Probably not a deal breaker, but you should do some due diligence on the CO2 tank. It's probably steel, but take a magnet with you to confirm. If that's rust on the bottom (?) it will probably fail it's next hydro test. To check it's date, look on the upper part of the cylinder (yellow in your photo) and there should be a month/year stamp of it's last inspection. It will look something like 12 10 (Dec, 2010). The tank is current for five years past this date. Cost of a new hydro is $35'ish.

    That's a pretty old and rough looking regulator. You can crank it up and see if you can regulate the pressure (with shut off valve closed). But troubleshooting is iffy until you connect with a keg. I would mentally be prepared to spring for a new reg.

    Ask around about refilling the tank and see if it can be done locally, otherwise it's a major PITA. Your options are to buy into an exchange and swap out, or find a fire extinguisher outlet that services tanks. Prices are all over the board here.
     
  9. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    Thanks guys for all of the help. I agree the regulator and tank look old and I'll be very surprised if the tank has been tested within 5 years. Any good retailers online that you recommend for a solid regulator? Down the road I'm looking to convert to a two tap tower so I may end up taking this into account now rather than later.

    Bill it sounds like you have a good kegerator in Ithaca already haha .

    ll let you know how it works out once I get a hands on look.
     
  10. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    Fwiw a moderator on another forum said he wouldn't pay more than $150 for a unit like this since the regulator and co2 tank will likely need to be replaced. Assuming the unit cools as it should I think it would probably be a stretch to get it for less than half of asking though.
     
  11. billandsuz

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

    well, if you buy a $400 Bed Bath and Beyond special, you will need to replace the regulator and the coupler. and add a tower fan.

    also, there are plenty of old regulators out there that work just fine. and there are times when a brand new brand X regulator fails right out of the box. that is a fact. the regulator looks old but that doesn't mean its shot. be prepared to replace it though, because they are precision instruments that don't like to be tossed around.
    Cheers.

    for the record, I have 5 in the house right now. yeah, 5. only two are mine. God Bless my wife. one goes out tonight. someday i'll post pics.
     
  12. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    I'm interested in seeing the pics for sure. Just out of curiosity what do you typically re-sell your bm-23s for?
     
  13. billandsuz

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

    We don't resell BM-23s. we do produce kegerators, mostly keezers, for sale though. We don't buy used equipment and resell it as a rule. warranty issues. occasionally we "harvest" a regulator. score big with a glycol chiller that needs minimal TLC. couplers, because they can be cleaned and last forever. otherwise used equipment is not worth the effort for us.

    I think the going price for a used BM 23 is whatever the market will tolerate. unfortunately there are a lot of awful sub standard kegerators out there. it is a struggle trying to convince people that $350 for a kegerators is a waste of money. caveat emptor and all that. this forum has dozens of people come and go trying to get an awful pos kegerators to work properly. maybe the guy in flooring can help you with that, huh?

    we get $750 and up for a custom keezer, maple, oak, lasts a lifetime. and that is a good deal imo.
    Cheers.
     
  14. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    I agree and would gladly pay $750 for a custom keezer. You ever sell to people from rochester?

    I sell the posts constantly with the Home Depot specials on here. Usually worth a laugh
     
  15. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    Hey guys thanks again for the advice. Getting ready to look at this unit soon and it appears that it is missing a blow hose for the air cooled tower. Any idea how much a replacement costs or if it is easy to install? I assume this part is necessary to keep the tower cold and prevent first beer foam. Thanks again
     
  16. billandsuz

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

    the hose is just a wire reinforced hose, and you can probably find something to replace at Lowes or HD. few dollars tops.

    the retainer is here
    http://www.partstown.com/beverage_air/bev401-193a

    but I do believe you could make something work if you have some DIY skill.
     
  17. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    Thanks again bill. My DIY is pretty non-existent but it's worth a shot. Looks pretty simple
     
  18. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    update: I finally got a chance to take a look at this unit this morning. The seller, who seems slightly clueless about the unit, says he has had the unit for a few years and hasn't used it since 2013. Apparently it was owned by Genesee and he claims the co2 tank and beverage lines were "new" when he used it in 2013. He didn't realize he had the thermostat set on 1 instead of 7 (coldest). As a result the bucket of water was only 45f. I turned the knob as far as it would go and the compressor kicked on. I hope to test the temp again tomorrow. Obviously a deal breaker if it doesn't cool lower.

    As for the rest of the unit, is in pretty solid shape structurally. The tower fan ran the entire time and wasn't super loud. It needs a good cleaning, is missing a thermometer, drip tray tube/collection vessel, and there isn't a functioning light, which I'm not positive these older models had to begin with.

    The door seal looked ok but slightly damaged at one of the corners. It may need to be replaced. The regulator is pretty knicked up and will almost certainly need to be replaced, as will the beverage line and likely the co2 tank.

    The seller has not ever done a refrigerant re-charge and doesn't know if one has been done.

    I also noticed that it did have a blow hose for the air cooled tower, but it looked pretty nasty/possibly moldy.

    If I go tomorrow and it is <<38f (I assume that 5 gallons of water should be somewhat frozen at the coldest setting), I plan to make an offer. In light of what I stated above, do you think a starting offer of $200 is offensive for a unit listed at $400? I will not spend more than $300 and I will likely need to pump a few hundred more dollars into it in the near future.
     
    #18 makisupapolice14, Dec 20, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2015
  19. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    He's absolutely firm on the $400 price all of the sudden even without me testing the temp tomorrow.
    Not going to happen unfortunately. Oh well
     
  20. billandsuz

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

    well, the price is what people will pay.

    so, wait until he is blue in the face. otherwise he isn't serious. but 350 splits the difference....
    Good luck
     
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