Kegerator advice please

[Heshofcheese]

I recently bought a second hand Hotpoint fridge (£45 off Facebook marketplace- bargain!) for kegerator conversion. I am putting a faucet tower on the top, so need advice on how to avoid the interior light cable when I drill the holes. I'm pretty certain there's no coolant lines in the top or sides - the inside back panel is the only part that gets really cold when you turn it up to its coldest setting. Is it advisable to take out the light - it's not really needed is it? If so how do you go about this, I havent got a clue with electrics.

 

[Heshofcheese]

Bump. Anyone ?

 

[Clint]

Best I could find...drill a hole through the outer skin ONLY where you want to fit your tap. Now,carefully pick away at the insulation,any wires etc can be pushed to the side but I wouldn't know about any cooling pipes if any. When you get to the inner skin drill through.

 

[treebeard]

I haven't got a clue with electrics.

I agree with Clint's approach. It's unfortunate that the light is at the top and dead centre, there is a very good chance that a cable is lurking so just be careful when you break through the outer skin.

 

[Heshofcheese]

Thanks for the replies. If only the light was on the side, it'd be ideal, cos the fridge is the exact size for two cornies and is in excellent condition. When I bought it, I toyed with the idea of buying a matching freezer and using it as my main fridge as it's in better nick than my main one

 

[Clint]

Stop arsing about get it drilled...

 

[Heshofcheese]

Ha ha! Been too busy in the garden today, but think I'll have a go tomorrow. Wish me luck. And I'll unplug it before I drill owt, honest!

 

[Ghillie]

I recently bought a second hand Hotpoint fridge (£45 off Facebook marketplace- bargain!) for kegerator conversion. I am putting a faucet tower on the top, so need advice on how to avoid the interior light cable when I drill the holes. I'm pretty certain there's no coolant lines in the top or sides - the inside back panel is the only part that gets really cold when you turn it up to its coldest setting. Is it advisable to take out the light - View attachment 14432 it's not really needed is it? If so how do you go about this, I havent got a clue with electrics.

How did you get on with drilling the top?

I'm looking for a second hand fridge just now, for two cornies. What size of CO2 cylinder do you have?

 

[bairdy144]

Av done a few conversions but unfortunately not one with a light on top. Every fridge has been the exact same though. Take the 2 screws at the back holding the top on ,then slide it off. I've found the insulation is always on the top cut it out to what ever size you need the actual fridge is really just a plastic shell so if there are any cables you should be able to see them. I hope lol good luck. Ps you'll need to put a block of wood in where you've removed the insulation as the towers are heavy.

 

[AdamGriff]

Hi all, just thought I would piggyback on this thread with a slightly different fridge mod query...

I've got an old Beko ra 610 w under counter fridge which has a small freezer in the top. Do any of you have experience of cutting out the freezer sections of fridges? The freezer in this one is encased plastic, not a thin sheet of metal like some pictures I have seen. I have seen info online saying that the freezers in small fridges often contains coolant pipes so imagine it might be a no-go, but as the fridge cost me a fiver a few years ago and has served me well I might just give it a go! Anyone know how to tell if there are coolant lines on the interior sections of fridges / freezers? Can they maybe be traced from the back?

 

[Ghillie]

Hi all, just thought I would piggyback on this thread with a slightly different fridge mod query...

I've got an old Beko ra 610 w under counter fridge which has a small freezer in the top. Do any of you have experience of cutting out the freezer sections of fridges? The freezer in this one is encased plastic, not a thin sheet of metal like some pictures I have seen. I have seen info online saying that the freezers in small fridges often contains coolant pipes so imagine it might be a no-go, but as the fridge cost me a fiver a few years ago and has served me well I might just give it a go! Anyone know how to tell if there are coolant lines on the interior sections of fridges / freezers? Can they maybe be traced from the back?

There will almost definitely be coolant lines on the underside of the freezer shelf.

Is the freezer shelf plastics moulded to the interior sides of the fridge? If it isn't, just break it off. After that, you should get away with bending the whole shelf down so it's parallel with the back of the fridge.

If it cost you a fiver, then you've nothing to loose. Worst case scenario is that you wreck it and need to spend £25 on a second hand fridge with no freezer compartment.

 

[AdamGriff]

Thanks Ghillie, the freezer shelf is moulded to the rest of the fridge interior... Maybe I'll try to carefully cut through the plastic of the shelf, remove the plastic and see if there are coolant lines inside. If so then I'll try to carefully bend them downwards!

Cheers.

 

[Ghillie]

Thanks Ghillie, the freezer shelf is moulded to the rest of the fridge interior... Maybe I'll try to carefully cut through the plastic of the shelf, remove the plastic and see if there are coolant lines inside. If so then I'll try to carefully bend them downwards!

Cheers.

Good luck Adam, I hope it works out! Some of that foil tape stuff will be good to put over the gaps where you cut the plastic. Should help stop any moisture and mould possibly getting in to the sides of the fridge.

 

[Heshofcheese]

How did you get on with drilling the top?

I'm looking for a second hand fridge just now, for two cornies. What size of CO2 cylinder do you have?

Still haven't drilled the top yet, been busy the last couple of days and working in a factory in this heat, I can't be arsed to do anything but lounge about when I get in! The CO2 I've been using up to now is a soda stream cylinder from Argos which works fine for a single corny, but now I've got two and am making a kegerator, I'll be upgrading to a bigger cylinder, I've got a local stockist at Tyne Dock who does them.

 

[Heshofcheese]

Av done a few conversions but unfortunately not one with a light on top. Every fridge has been the exact same though. Take the 2 screws at the back holding the top on ,then slide it off. I've found the insulation is always on the top cut it out to what ever size you need the actual fridge is really just a plastic shell so if there are any cables you should be able to see them. I hope lol good luck. Ps you'll need to put a block of wood in where you've removed the insulation as the towers are heavy.

I had a good look at doing this when I bought the fridge, but mine's different - there's no screws at the back holding the top on, just two under the front lip which are holding the thermostat gubbins in place. I think the top might prise off, but I'm a bit dubious of trying this, don't want to crack anything integral to the fridge. I'm going to go down the careful drilling path as Clint suggested earlier, and hope I don't nick a cable.

 

[bairdy144]

Adam don't do it lol. Keep the fridge for storing all those extra bottles of beer you can't get in the kegs m8.
Hesofcheese good luck you seem to have a good idea of what your doing.
As for co2 I use a 70/30 mix, just went down and asked my local if they had any they weren't using gave me one half full. When I'm finished they exchange for a full one for £12. Av never had an ale poured with just co2 so can't compare but my pints pour like there's a storm brewing n finish with a great head all the way down the glass mmmmmmm

 

[Heshofcheese]

Right, I've set aside tomorrow as D (drill) Day, so have been assembling the parts for the tower and I've realised I've either bought the wrong fittings or need some type of barb attachment. The disconnects came with these fittings which I presume you just push the beer line in to connect.

The beer lines attached to my tower, however are too wide in diameter (1/2 in) to push in

Have I bought the wrong fittings or is there some way of connecting this up?

 

[bairdy144]

Mines have all just been barbs on the end which I just push the tower beer lines in then twist a piece of copper wire round to tighten. I'm sure the john guest fitting will either twist off or pull off to reveal a barb or thread to put your beer line in. I've done my gas lines with the john guest fittings they fit fine. Good luck tomorrow you'll be fine.

 

[Heshofcheese]

Mines have all just been barbs on the end which I just push the tower beer lines in then twist a piece of copper wire round to tighten. I'm sure the john guest fitting will either twist off or pull off to reveal a barb or thread to put your beer line in. I've done my gas lines with the john guest fittings they fit fine. Good luck tomorrow you'll be fine.

Problem is mine are threaded

not barbed, so I presume need the adaptor to take the beer line, which is too wide in diameter to push in.

 

[bairdy144]

Does the beer line still not push in? If it does just clamp it or go the cheap way like me n twist some copper wire lol. These things are sent to try us but in the end it will all be worth it. First kegerator I built, the keg was hitting off the door so thought I'll put a piece of wood in the bottom to raise it above the door. Then drilled it to fix the wood. End of kegerator lol.