Kegerator build

[Erik The Anglophile]

If you are worried you should be able to use the model number to find some schematics for the fridge you intend to use, never hurts to double and triple-check...

 

[Twostage]

I can honestly say I've never encountered a fridge with tubing in the sidewalls and/or the door, freezers are a bit different though.
Perhaps standards for UK fridges are different than our Swedish ones, but the main reason kegerators are recommended over keezers here are that you can put holes through the side of a fridge without worry but not a freezer. You should however never drill through the back wall of a fridge though.

I've got pipes in side walls in my brew fridge. Thankfully I drilled just the outer skin then made it bigger and poked about. A pipe was about 1/2 cm above where I'd drilled.

 

[Erik The Anglophile]

Are you guys using over-under fridge/freezer combos or dedicated fridges?

 

[MashBag]

Dedicated fridges.

Eric this is a thing. Really. Honestly.

"Refrigerators generate heat during the process of making cold air. In order to cool this heat down, heat dissipation pipes are installed on both outer walls of the refrigerator, so when the product is operated, heat is generated on the side walls of the refrigerator."

Attrib: Samsung

Google "what are the pipes for in refrigerator wall for"

 

[RichardM]

The pipes that dissipate the heat are usually on the back of the fridge.
It wouldn't make sense to put them in the walls.

 

[Kman]

can you buy a dedicated keg fridge that doesn't cost £500+

 

[Erik The Anglophile]

Dedicated fridges.

Eric this is a thing. Really. Honestly.

"Refrigerators generate heat during the process of making cold air. In order to cool this heat down, heat dissipation pipes are installed on both outer walls of the refrigerator, so when the product is operated, heat is generated on the side walls of the refrigerator."

Attrib: Samsung

Google "what are the pipes for in refrigerator wall for"

Yeah I belive you, I just have never experienced it myself or heard of anyone I know who brews over here who have experienced it either, wich makes me wonder if it's some UK specific standard or something.
As someone else posted those pipes are often found at the back of the fridge with the compressor etc.

 

[Erik The Anglophile]

The pipes that dissipate the heat are usually on the back of the fridge.
It wouldn't make sense to put them in the walls.
View attachment 99737

Yeah I know, since that would heat up the fridge and force the compressor to work harder and consume more energy.

 

[Buffers brewery]

In my experience (pretty limited when it comes to drilling holes in fridges, 3 fridges and 6 holes) there is always one pipe in the side of a fridge and it's the thermostat sensor usually with electrical cables close by for the fridge light. ALWAYS disconnect from the mains (UNPLUG) and go slowly from the outside (easier to see what's going on). I use a centre drill to make a small hole without penetrating too deep, then fiddle with a needle file to 'feel' what's in the insulation before drilling through and enlarging the hole.

 

[Erik The Anglophile]

I looked it up a bit more.
Essentially, if your fridge has all the machinery and cooling coils at the back, you can make holes in the side walls, if not use caution.
There may be a thermostat cable running in the sidewalls(mine is going inside the insulation in the ceiling of the fridge).

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The pipes that dissipate the heat are usually on the back of the fridge.
It wouldn't make sense to put them in the walls.
View attachment 99737

Our fridge freezer has the coils in the side.

 

[RichardM]

Our fridge freezer has the coils in the side.

I did say "usually" on the back. I don't think I have ever seen a fridge or freezer with them on the side.

 

[MashBag]

It's worth noting there are condenser coils, evaporator coils. And combinations of expansion, receiver, suction, pipes etc.

One coil does not a fridge make.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I did say "usually" on the back. I don't think I have ever seen a fridge or freezer with them on the side.

Ours is warm to the touch on both sides.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Glad i am not going mad

 

[Sprocker]

I decided on a full height larder fridge that popped up on Marketplace for £60. Used a heated bradawl to get through the sidewall inside plastic skin, then poked around until I was happy there were no pipes before drilling through the tin outside skin.
Taps are on the door.
The advantage to me of a full height is that I can fit 4 keys at the bottom then 2 shelves for bottles above, door shelves for keeping hops and yeasts chilled.
My gas is outside with a 4 way manifold so I can control gas to 4 individual feeds to the kegs.
Took a bit of planning and work, but it works well for me.

 

[MashBag]

Used a heated bradawl to get through the sidewall inside plastic skin, then poked around until I was happy there were no pipes before drilling through the tin outside skin.

That's a good idea. No drill at all. Soldering iron sort of thing. Bet it made a pong .
Nice one.

 

[gavp1979]

Or like me, tap on the door but I never got around to fit a drip tray. I just wipe the garage floor occasionally.

Same as me, I have been adding a drip tray to my 'next order' for about 2 years and still never actually got round Nd to doing it

 

[gavp1979]

I used 3/16 tubing to feed the gas through the drain hole and then have a manifold and secondary regs inside the fridge. The only holes I drilled were in the door for the taps

 

[GhostDoggyWoofWoof]

My drip tray is a long plastic plant pot tray supported by 2 magnetic shelf brackets. Works. Until you bang it with your knee