Frigidaire Model FRC445GB Mini-Fridge Kegerator Conversion

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hi folks,

Truly an epic thread here. I've read probably 95% of this thread and now I come to the tribe with some design questions. I am breaking in my LFPH44M4LB now to ensure it's functioning properly before i cut anything.

Unto the fun stuff!

1) For those with this kegerator, did you secure the tower to plywood under the plastic top OR through the ceiling inside the fridge? I used ply wood. I glued a large piece to the plastic top after using pliers to rip off all those plastic ridges so it sat flush.

- For those that went the plywood route, I see several options on how to do this but what about the tower stability? Were you happy with this decision?Very happy. I could probably pick my fridge up by the tower.

- For those with the through hole design approach I am sure those coolant lines were a bit of a p.i.t.a.

- For either option, what did you do with the foam you had to remove? Fill back in with expanding foam? Create a collar that sits around the coolant lines up to the lid/plywood? I left the hole there assuming it would help cool the tower more.

2) copper tubes vs forced air into the tower. Looking at this thread, it appears there are many coolant lines that run on the top.

- those that went the copper route: Were your copper lines tubes close to coolant lines? less than an inch awayDo you have a line-freezing issue? No. I set my fridge's thermostat to the lowest setting. Do you get foamy first pours? No. I have ten foot lines though and about 1-2 fingers head.How did you secure the copper tubes?The holes I drilled were close enough to the diameter of the copper that they fit snug without needing other measures. I can slide them in and out with a little force. I saw one option using adhesive

- those that went forced air route: Is this overkill? How about condensation on the tower (inside or out)? How much more db does this add to your fridge?

- those that didn't do either: how are those first pours??

3) This fridge and it's longevity (i see brumbler's broke at some point)

4) If it isn't addressed in my questions, what would you have done differently with your build?I would have dug away a little more foam so that the top sat a little lower. Due to the ply wood, you need to dig away a little extra foam so that it sits like it did prior to the conversion. I glued it down and it's a little higher than originally.

I have in the fermentor Dale's Pale Ale which is going to be the first to be poured from my conversion.

thanks for your thoughts/advice!

Jon

Hope that helps
 
I layered three pieces of plywood (dug all the way down to coils) and it sits flush with the foam. I cut a 2.5" hole for air flow. Coils keep the tower very cold.
 
Looking for some input on this one.

Pictured below is the hole in the top of the fridge where the beer lines will run up to my tower. My plan is to not fill this in with foam, leaving it open, and then mount the top with foil-lined plywood over this box (I'm calling it a "cold box"), and running copper pipe around the beer lines from the top of the tower to about 2" into the fridge, thus keeping my tower nice and cold.

But... I'm kind of thinking that leaving these lines exposed in a small space will actually freeze this section of beer line. The hole is 1 1/4", the copper pipe will be slightly larger than the beer line.

Any thoughts on whether this will freeze or not? Looking for solutions or whether I should keep as is. Tower doesn't come til Friday, so have time to mull it over.

34e7nn5.jpg
 
Just my opinion but you would prob be happier converting a full size used fridge because 1 you can fit more kegs and 2 you can use the freezer for ya mugs. Also concerning the co2 I would put it on the outside. Just my opinion.
 
I was worried about the line freezing as well but had no issues. I figured if it did i could throw a sleeve over the line near the coils.
 
You all inspire me. I canceled my order for a "commercial" kegerator and now I've begun my own home built one. Not only will I save a lot, I'll also get what I want, double tap! I like the idea of a passive cooling method of the copper tubing. My question is: is it better to bundle the tubing with the copper or run the tubing through the copper? Also I imagine if you touch the copper tubing to the cooling plate it would conduct better or would it be better to wrap the "bundle" in insulation and extend it into the fridge? I've begun the process but it'll be a couple of days before I get the tower and parts. Let me know, thanks
 
nDub said:
You all inspire me. I canceled my order for a "commercial" kegerator and now I've begun my own home built one. Not only will I save a lot, I'll also get what I want, double tap! I like the idea of a passive cooling method of the copper tubing. My question is: is it better to bundle the tubing with the copper or run the tubing through the copper? Also I imagine if you touch the copper tubing to the cooling plate it would conduct better or would it be better to wrap the "bundle" in insulation and extend it into the fridge? I've begun the process but it'll be a couple of days before I get the tower and parts. Let me know, thanks

I ran the lines through the copper. I drilled two holes barely wide enough to fit the copper pipes. They slide in and out but it requires a little force. To me this is perfect because it's touching the cooling plate, like you said, and I don't have to secure it in any other way. That makes it easier to disassemble too.
 
I just finished my build of this fridge... a weekend project turned into a 2 week project thanks to UPS. Will post pics tomorrow when the tower gets here!
 
I just finished my build of this fridge... a weekend project turned into a 2 week project thanks to UPS. Will post pics tomorrow when the tower gets here!

You doing copper pipe or forced air into the tower?
 
Right now it's hooked up with both, I had a lot of spare time waiting for the tower to come, so I built the fan box with a tube running up the tower. I prefer this solution because now I know that the beer in the tower is cold all the way through the faucet. I hooked it all up tonight and I'm not convinced that doing just copper pipe would be sufficient to keep the beer at serving temp and prevent microbe growth, etc.

Like I said though, right now I have a combo setup. My plan is to wait until mid-next week and turn off the fan to see what the difference is for a few days with just the pipe, maybe I'll pove myself wrong. If there's no change I'll probably ditch the fan all together.
 
Got a 12V CPU fan from best buy, wired it up to a universal plug from Walmart with adjustable voltage. Pretty simple. A lot of people say to use a cell phone charger instead, but if you don't run the fan at 12V I found it to be really underpowered.

23qz9z8.jpg
 
I know a lot of people have mentioned that 2 pin-lock kegs do now work with this fridge unless you do a major modification on the door. I just wanted to let people know that it is not true.

I have pin lock kegs and both of mine are in the fridge right now just fine. It is a tight squeeze and to make it work I put the keg on the left up on a 2x4. This prevented the bottom lip on the door from hitting the bottom of the keg and preventing closing. However, there is still plenty of room at the top for disconnects.

When putting the kegs in you have to push a little bit but not hard enough to hurt anything. While the space is not ideal for pin locks it is doable without a major modification. And it is definitely better than converting your whole pin-lock system to a ball-lock system.
 
Got a 12V CPU fan from best buy, wired it up to a universal plug from Walmart with adjustable voltage. Pretty simple. A lot of people say to use a cell phone charger instead, but if you don't run the fan at 12V I found it to be really underpowered.

23qz9z8.jpg

What did you use for the inside of the door in your picture? I'm trying to figure out the best way to make a finished look with mine.
 
I'm trying to figure out the best way to make a finished look with mine.
Buy a half sheet 1/8" ABS panel from your local plastic supply house.
As you can see below my cube fridge door is covered with the ABS panel.

ABS__Window-Installed.jpg



Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
Mine is a sheet of fluorescent light covering from Home Depot... I forget which aisle it's in, but they have a bunch of different kinda @ about $7.00 a sheet.

Be careful, stuff cracks really easily. Mine is just there to protect the aluminum foil/tape which covers the door insulation.
 
Finally got the beer tonight... 1/4 keg for $50 from a microbrewery down the street from me. Filled same day as pickup, thats fresh!!!

CO2 was a little screwy to figure out at first, but were perfect now.

20qjnl4.jpg
 
I just completed my conversion last week with a 1/6 barrel and corny keg in the model bought at Lowe's. I had to do a little cutting and carving in the base of the fridge to fit a 1/6 barrel with a sankey tap, but this along with a 90 degree elbow from Kegworks helps with the clearance of the beer lines. Without both, the beer line will pinch at the top of the fridge. On the right I took off the light and temperature casing and just moved the insides to the back of the fridge. The gas is diverted with a two valve diverter to each keg. Pretty simple, just make sure to provide some support under where you will carve out in the floor of the fridge. I did not run into any lines either.

Here are some images

2656-imag0213.jpg


2657-sixth-barrel-left-corny-right.jpg
 
Thanks to all for this thread---I had some kegs ready with no place to go, so this came in the nick of time.

There is talk of different models with different door layouts---I went shopping at several locations over the past few days, and I found that Lowe's only carried the version with the more intrusive door layout (built-in shelves, can rack, etc.), and Best Buy only carried the version with the simple door (removable plastic trays).

As you can see from the previous posts, either model can be converted---the Best Buy version is probably a little easier, but their model also seems to carry a bit higher price (~$10 in my area).

Not sure if this has been explicitly stated so far, so I just wanted to throw it out there.
 
I bought the one from Lowes and recently did a conversion on it.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-frigidaire-lfph44m4lb-conversion-build-225730/

I ended up hacking the door in a few places to get the kegs to fit in right. I probably could have pushed/twisted them in without modifying the door but since i voided the warranty already, i guess it really didn't matter what i did. I may even mod the door more and remove most of the inner molding so it's nice and flat on the inside.

FYI - i thought the copper tubes near the refrigerant line would work however i have foamy first pours. Once the newness wears off on my conversion I'm gonna pull it apart and go the fan route.
 
For those reading this thread and still unsure whether or not this will fit 3 kegs, here's some picture proof! I was able to get a 3 gallon on the back hump with plenty of wiggle room. I'll test it again with two 5-gallons when I actually convert this fridge in a month. There's tons of space, so it should be no problem.

3_kegs.jpeg
 
For those reading this thread and still unsure whether or not this will fit 3 kegs, here's some picture proof! I was able to get a 3 gallon on the back hump with plenty of wiggle room. I'll test it again with two 5-gallons when I actually convert this fridge in a month. There's tons of space, so it should be no problem.

Hi Keran - what's your plan with your Co2 supply? I have two corny kegs + dual regulator housing w/ 5lb co2 and there isn't much head room back there after that. The regulator arm taking up most of the space. I assume you hacked on your door some?
 
Hi Keran - what's your plan with your Co2 supply? I have two corny kegs + dual regulator housing w/ 5lb co2 and there isn't much head room back there after that. The regulator arm taking up most of the space. I assume you hacked on your door some?

Since my CO2 is going on the outside, I'll keep the dual regulator on the outside as well. I'll put two bulkheads through the hump for the hoses, and two 2-way manifolds on either side of the 3 gallon keg in the back so I'll have some flexibility running one regulator for carbing or different serving pressures. I think it will be a pain to try and fit the regulator on the inside. My door is unmodified, I just removed the plastic shelves.
 
This thread is amazing! I learned everything i need to know about minifridge conversions. I have been lurking this thread for like a year now and am going to buy the "new" model of this fridge at lowes (they are currently 179.00). I have a couple of questions... I am going to use a shank in the door instead of a tap tower and wanted to know three things:

1) I am planning on using a 15/16 size bit to drill the hole for the shank. Will this work and will i need to use any caulking or a wood piece for support?

2) What length shank do I use? I have one shank that I used for a full size fridge but it is way too long. I was curious if anyone knew the appropriate length to use. (im planning on buying the shanks from kegconnection)

3) Does the door need to be completely removed to fit two kegs inside or do I just need to remove some parts of it.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
How many coolant lines are running on top of this fridge? Several? They seem awfully close together too, worries me. I think I would prefer my tap centered in the middle, but if you have found that there are typically less coolant lines somewhere else on the top, I will start digging there.

Also, I don't see any reference to if anyone refilled the insulation with insulation (spray). Follow-up question (excuse the newbness), but would the canned spray foam insulation have any negative effects on the now exposed lines?
 
The coolant lines are not consistent from
fridge to fridge from what I could tell. In mine when I chipped away at the foam the lines didn't run a specified consistent distance from each other. This makes it hard to plan ahead where you will drill for the beer lines.
 
Just read thru all 47 pages and all my questions have been answered. I'll be heading to Best Buy tomorrow to pick one up (model #BFPH44M4LM @ $190). Found a brass 3 faucet tower on craigslist for $100. Should be able to pour next weekend with a 5g,5g,3g setup & then try for a 1/6,5g,3g.

Thanks to all, a lot of good/useful info here.
 
Just read thru all 47 pages and all my questions have been answered. I'll be heading to Best Buy tomorrow to pick one up (model #BFPH44M4LM @ $190). Found a brass 3 faucet tower on craigslist for $100. Should be able to pour next weekend with a 5g,5g,3g setup & then try for a 1/6,5g,3g.

Thanks to all, a lot of good/useful info here.

Ive been reading through this thread too for a while, but could never find the mini fridge models as they had been discontinued.

Glad to see this thread back up and running with some new model #'s.
@Flyin : Do you know for sure that this fridge will take 2 Ball Lock Corneys?

I might have to pick one up as ive been dying to make the leap to kegging, especially now that im renting in an apt with roomies and need something noninvasive and easy to move!
 
Do you know for sure that this fridge will take 2 Ball Lock Corneys?
!

I have two ball locks and a 5# tanks in mine, the newest model sold at HD. You don't even need to mod the door. Although, just looking at it without the cornies in there, it'd be hard to believe.
 
thanks for clarifying... i prefer lowes anyway.

looks like the model # is the same as the one Flyin was referring to
Model #: LFPH44M4LM @ $179 (stainless model). Possibly the Black may be cheaper at a different store. Lowes has them priced the same.
 
schreck said:
thanks for clarifying... i prefer lowes anyway.

looks like the model # is the same as the one Flyin was referring to
Model #: LFPH44M4LM @ $179 (stainless model). Possibly the Black may be cheaper at a different store. Lowes has them priced the same.

Right. That's the one.
 
Any issues with foaming problems if you put the taps through the door? I don't plan on adding a fan and I figured the lines should stay cool enough since they don't have to go through a tower?
 
thanks for clarifying... i prefer lowes anyway.

looks like the model # is the same as the one Flyin was referring to
Model #: LFPH44M4LM @ $179 (stainless model). Possibly the Black may be cheaper at a different store. Lowes has them priced the same.

Reading thru all this, I remember seeing the Lowes model has the can dispenser on the door, the one from Best Buy does not. Other than that its the same. Post #463 shows a 5g,3g,3g setup with only the shelves removed no other mods. By removing the light & turning the t-stat 180* you can fit 5g,5g,3g.
 
Any issues with foaming problems if you put the taps through the door? I don't plan on adding a fan and I figured the lines should stay cool enough since they don't have to go through a tower?

Should have no problems as long as your beverage lines are the right length. Adding a fanwill keep your temps more consistent & the fridge will run less.
 
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