Fridge Question

[Spartan 117]

Hey Guys,

Bought myself a bar fridge of evilbay that I plan to use for kegs, however it has a freezer box (which I think is responsible for the entire cooling process) at the top and as a result i dont think the kegs will fit (stupid me). So I was thinking that I could build some sort of insulated boxed area for the fridge and tip it on its back. Just wondering if the fridge is on its back will it still work ok ? not sure if it will effect any of the plumbing or gas travel etc.

Cheers

Aaron

A picture speaks a thousand words so heres what I have planned, by no means to scale.

 

[Mattese]

Thats an awesome idea. I have no idea if it will work, but very creative!

 

[Supra-Jim]

I don't believe fridges work if they not in the upright position, something to do with the refridgerant flows. Thats one of the reasons why after transporting a fridge it is usually done upright and it's usually a good idea to let the fridge settle for 12-24hrs before switching on.

In short i don't think the idea will work. Maybe use the fridge for fermentation or sell it and grab a freezer instead.

Cheers SJ

 

[Pollux]

It's the chest freezer conversion theory applied differently...

Personally, I think you'll have BIG issues regarding how well the fridge will run, also that design leaves alot of space that the fridge simply was not designed to cool, which could lead to fridge failure....I'm getting flashbacks to Homer Simpsons attempt to stay cool by sticky taping a tent to the front of the open fridge..

 

[Supra-Jim]

You're also relying on the back of the fridge to support the weight of your beer. This panel is not designed for any load in the configuration you're contemplating.

Cheers SJ

 

[Spartan 117]

Thats an awesome idea. I have no idea if it will work, but very creative!

Yeah cheers mate.

I don't believe fridges work if they not in the upright position, something to do with the refridgerant flows.

Cheers SJ

Bugger, might not put it on it's back then. just epand it out.

Cheers

Aaron

 

[HoppingMad]

On its back can't be done I don't believe.

But you can expand the 'fridge box' (not the freezer) in an upright position.

I have seen plans for such an adjustment in a copy of "Brew Ware: How to find, adapt & build homebrewing equipment" by Karl F. Lutzen & Mark Stevens.

Sadly this unfortunately won't help with your 'height issue' though, as the plans in the book involve taking the door off the fridge compartment, building a plywood box and insulating it with fridge insulation, then placing the door back on your newly built 'extension' that will make the fridge box deeper, not higher. Maybe with some lateral thinking you could get it to work (building more height on the front box) - but it would sure look weird and you wouldn't be able to use the freezer. Might be easier just to tip the fridge onto ebay, or sell it here and grab one that will suit your needs better.

Hopper.

 

[Spartan 117]

On its back can't be done I don't believe.

But you can expand the 'fridge box' (not the freezer) in an upright position.

I have seen plans for such an adjustment in a copy of "Brew Ware: How to find, adapt & build homebrewing equipment" by Karl F. Lutzen & Mark Stevens.

Sadly this unfortunately won't help with your 'height issue' though, as the plans in the book involve taking the door off the fridge compartment, building a plywood box and insulating it with fridge insulation, then placing the door back on your newly built 'extension' that will make the fridge box deeper, not higher. Maybe with some lateral thinking you could get it to work (building more height on the front box) - but it would sure look weird and you wouldn't be able to use the freezer. Might be easier just to tip the fridge onto ebay, or sell it here and grab one that will suit your needs better.

Hopper.

This actually is a good idea, when i was given the dimensions of the fridge i didn't take into account the freezer, if the freezer was out of the way then it's smooth sailing. making the fridge deeper will give me floor area where there is no freezer. Awesome looks like that's a go then.

 

[riverside]

You can not run the fridge on its back.. they are dedsigned to run upright, you will kill it within the first 60secs of running !

 

[Brewman_]

May not help, but I had a similar problem with the bar fridge. I did get it working with kegs, but I had issues with the top of the kegs freezing. I Soon went after something more suitable.

On the bright side, it has made a great little fridge for fermenting lagers and good ales in hot weather. I ended up stripping all the shelving off the front door and relining it with colourbond sheet so I could fit the fermenters in it.

These things end up a bit of a journey.
Good luck,
Fear_n_Loath.

 

[scott_penno]

...however it has a freezer box (which I think is responsible for the entire cooling process) at the top and...

Be careful with that freezer box... If you bend or dent it, there's a fair chance your fridge will stop refrigerating in a hurry.

On the bright side, it has made a great little fridge for fermenting lagers and good ales in hot weather. I ended up stripping all the shelving off the front door and relining it with colourbond sheet so I could fit the fermenters in it.

+1.
Even relining the door, the standard Coopers fermenter wouldn't fit, but the 30L variety from G&G fitted a treat (slightly thinner than the Coopers fermenters).

YMMV.

sap.

 

[Sammus]

I ripped plastic door off the freezer and bent the freezing element into a U shape so it covers the top and part of the back of my bar fridge to fit the kegs in. I was careless with it and its lasted the longest out of any of my second hand brew fridges

I've read a heap of people have done this on here.

 

[HoppingMad]

Apologies, shot my mouth off on my earlier post on this thread and quoted the wrong book it's not Brew Ware. Didn't have it with me when I quoted the source.

The reference is on page 166 of "Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide" by Dave Miller. The comments/advise are short on the page about it - but essentially what I said is the same. He states you can enlarge a refrigerator by building a plywood addition to the lower compartment (the fridge bit) and insulating the box with 2-inch rigid styrofoam panelling. Doesn't say much more than that on the page. Just has a drawing and that's it.

Brew Ware is a handy book (the other book I mentioned) but doesn't have any material on this.

Hopper.

 

[lefty2446]

I don't believe fridges work if they not in the upright position, something to do with the refridgerant flows. Thats one of the reasons why after transporting a fridge it is usually done upright and it's usually a good idea to let the fridge settle for 12-24hrs before switching on.

In short i don't think the idea will work. Maybe use the fridge for fermentation or sell it and grab a freezer instead.

Cheers SJ

It's got nothing to do with refrigerant flows. Refrigerant will travel in any direction.

Oil is the key. Always circulating around the refrigeration circuit is oil from the compressor. Normally when the fridge is operating the oil (on the high pressure side) is mixed in with the refrigerant as it travels through the capillary tube. when the fridge isn't running all the refrigerant migrates to the coldest part (the freezer evap) leaving possible some oil in the condenser waiting to block the capillary while you move it. Personally I beleive that the 25-30 mins of waiting is more snake oil than anything ut it can't hurt.

Also to the OP:- another reason your idea of tipping your fridge on its back won't work is water flow from the evaprorator. On it's back it wont get to the drain.

Adrian

 

[cooperplace]

Hey Guys,

Bought myself a bar fridge of evilbay that I plan to use for kegs, however it has a freezer box (which I think is responsible for the entire cooling process) at the top and as a result i dont think the kegs will fit (stupid me). So I was thinking that I could build some sort of insulated boxed area for the fridge and tip it on its back. Just wondering if the fridge is on its back will it still work ok ? not sure if it will effect any of the plumbing or gas travel etc.

Cheers

Aaron

A picture speaks a thousand words so heres what I have planned, by no means to scale.

My mother gave me a fridge which I carried in my wagon by lying on its back. It never worked again. The local fridge mechanic said it was something to do with lubricating oil in the compressor draining to the wrong place. He said that it _might_ have been OK if I had let it stand in the vertical position for 2 weeks or so after moving (I didn't) but he said it is good practice to never tip an old fridge onto its back. Hope this hearsay evidence is of some use.

 

[Bakes]

As Sammus said, I have also done. Just bend the bottom of the freezer down to go vertical along the back wall instead of horizontally as the freezer base. The only issue then is insulating your beer lines so they dont freeze when passing over the evaporator. Though thats only if you have a font on top like mine, if its out the front of the door it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[lefty2446]

My mother gave me a fridge which I carried in my wagon by lying on its back. It never worked again. The local fridge mechanic said it was something to do with lubricating oil in the compressor draining to the wrong place. He said that it _might_ have been OK if I had let it stand in the vertical position for 2 weeks or so after moving (I didn't) but he said it is good practice to never tip an old fridge onto its back. Hope this hearsay evidence is of some use.

From what I have seen the springs inside the metal can that support the compressor (noise and vibration damping) get brittle as they get old. I've moved an old fridge from one side of a room to the other (never tipping it over) and it stopped working. I found the broken springs after I cut open the can, after opening it up the compressor and motor worked fine again.

As always YMMV!

Adrian

 

[bum]

I'm getting flashbacks to Homer Simpsons attempt to stay cool by sticky taping a tent to the front of the open fridge..

Inspiration?

 

[Verbyla]

I had a similar problem but with a fermenting fridge. If the freezer section isn't welded or built into the body of the fridge itself then you could be able to do the same thing i did. My solution was to pull the freezer section off from the top and then bend it so that it then sits at the back of the fridge. Firstly break off the clips(if there are any) that connects the freezer section to the fridge. Leave it turned off until the metal is at room temperature and then heat the metal freezer section up with warm water so that the metal will be more flexible. Then just bend away. Mine still works perfectly. Make sure you assess the situation first and make sure its the right choice for you before you go breaking thing