Gutting/extending an under counter fridge

[zeptobrewer]

I have a spare under counter fridge. I've already stuck a tube heater in and arduino controlled it - it fits a 25l fermenter nicely. If I bend the freezer tray down I could get a 35l fermenter in there.

I'm thinking about extending it out though, either by rotating it 90°, removing the door and building an insulated cabinet around it, or by hacking it to bits and building a new cabinet for it. That way I could get a couple of buckets in there or even a fancy fermenter.

Any tips on doing this without knocking a hole in the ozone layer?

 

[Joust]

I have a spare under counter fridge. I've already stuck a tube heater in and arduino controlled it - it fits a 25l fermenter nicely. If I bend the freezer tray down I could get a 35l fermenter in there.

I'm thinking about extending it out though, either by rotating it 90°, removing the door and building an insulated cabinet around it, or by hacking it to bits and building a new cabinet for it. That way I could get a couple of buckets in there or even a fancy fermenter.

Any tips on doing this without knocking a hole in the ozone layer?

I don't know if the refrigeration part works when tipped over... Someone with a better understanding of them might be able to help.

However...
I recently completely dismantled an undercounted fridge with a freezer box.

I ended up with just the cooling elements, radiator, and compressor pump thing. (And a massive pile of metal, plastic, and foam.) It took me about 3 hours and 3 pints.

I've used them to make an insulated box and bar that fits my two corny kegs.

Tips:

• Go slow. Then even slower.
• On mine the cooling elements were all on the back, buried in the foam. But the radiator pipes were down the sides - but also had pipes joining the sides over the front and back edges of the top bit.
• The radiator pipes were near the surface and were glued on to the metal case really well. I had to do a bit and come back to it until it was done.
• I tore all the plastic liner out of it where possible. And then worked the metal case off. I used my hands and a pair of pliers to pull. I didn't stick anything in to it or under it.
• Spend plenty of time checking what your are grabbing with pliers. It's easy to accidentally grab a pipe.
• I took the foam off by snapping bits off. Small chunks. It became quite easy to feel which bits had pipes or wires in it.
• I used wood and gaffer tape to give it a bit of support structure as I removed the foam.
• I tried to limit bending pipes as much as possible.

It was time consuming. And I cut my fingers a bit. And my hands were tired. But it was ok.
I think I had three or four occasions where it felt like I was close to knackering it.


Here is my thread that I'm slowly updating.
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/corny-keg-fridge-from-scratch.87463/

 

[TheOsprey]

Yeah I always believed that fridges don't work on their sides too. Looking into it, the compressor contains oil, which is only held in place by gravity. So putting it on its side would move the oil, and stop the compressor working.

 

[zeptobrewer]

I meant 90° through the Z axis, so the chiller becomes the left/right wall rather than the back! I'm not going to flip it.

 

[TheOsprey]

I meant 90° through the Z axis, so the chiller becomes the left/right wall rather than the back! I'm not going to flip it.

Oh! Yeah, it'd probably survive that...