Just got an upright freezer and have a question

Just got an older upright freezer off craigslist and plan on converting to a kegerator.

This thing is only 4 feet tall so it would be perfect to have the taps on the top of the freezer and not on the door.

My question is how would I find out where the coolant lines are running? In upright freezers do the lines normally run through the top of it or just all around the sides? Is there anyway of finding this out?

There is pretty much no more "normal" any more. There are so many manufacturers competing for the dollars. On my chest freezer, I plugged it in from room temp and felt of the walls to decide where the lines ran. The skin will get hot right above the lines. Then there's this:

http://community.livejournal.com/homebrewing/413981.html

I'm sure others will jump in with suggestions. Luck - Dwain

Dwain said:

There is pretty much no more "normal" any more. There are so many manufacturers competing for the dollars. On my chest freezer, I plugged it in from room temp and felt of the walls to decide where the lines ran. The skin will get hot right above the lines. Then there's this:

http://community.livejournal.com/homebrewing/413981.html

I'm sure others will jump in with suggestions. Luck - Dwain

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. That link is great. Dont want to mess up my freezer, hahaha.

Is it a chest style freezer, or a does it look like a mini-fridge but gets to freezer temps? If it is chest style, there won't be any lines in the top if you don't see any lines running into the lid. If it opens from the front, there's no telling. I would use the feel method.

Zooom101 said:

Is it a chest style freezer, or a does it look like a mini-fridge but gets to freezer temps? If it is chest style, there won't be any lines in the top if you don't see any lines running into the lid. If it opens from the front, there's no telling. I would use the feel method.

Click to expand...

not a chest, its an upright, but a small upright.

I plugged it in earlier and felt around for where it got cold. Looks like its on right in the front where there are lines on the top, so i should be good to drill towards the middle/back

Many upright freezers have the evaporator tubing running under the shelves, making them unmovable. I take it you've already checked that? If the evap tubes run in the walls, like a chest freezer, then you need to feel the outer skin with it running to locate the condenser tubes, though they're not likely to run through the top. If it's a frost-free, there will be an evap coil in the back wall, covered by a removable panel, with the condenser either on the back exterior or underneath (like most frost-free refrigerator/freezers) and again there will be no lines running through the top.

I would just drill slowly and carefully through the plastic liner. Then probe around with something to make sure there is nothing ugly in there.

Fletch said:

Many upright freezers have the evaporator tubing running under the shelves, making them unmovable. I take it you've already checked that? If the evap tubes run in the walls, like a chest freezer, then you need to feel the outer skin with it running to locate the condenser tubes, though they're not likely to run through the top. If it's a frost-free, there will be an evap coil in the back wall, covered by a removable panel, with the condenser either on the back exterior or underneath (like most frost-free refrigerator/freezers) and again there will be no lines running through the top.

Click to expand...

Yeah, check the shelves before I bought it, they are all removable.

THere is no evap coil on the back so I would assume they are lining it somewhere. the evap tubes would create heat right?

I am going to be the odd man out and suggest calling the manufacturer or qualified local refrigeration repair.

northernlad said:

I am going to be the odd man out and suggest calling the manufacturer or qualified local refrigeration repair.

Click to expand...

Er, yeah, that's what I meant to say...

I did the slow drill and poke around, and still hit a line and junked a perfectly good freezer. I did not feel the line but the drill bit found it, the outer edge of a curved section.

st0neski said:

Yeah, check the shelves before I bought it, they are all removable.

THere is no evap coil on the back so I would assume they are lining it somewhere. the evap tubes would create heat right?

Click to expand...

No, the evaporator absorbs heat (fells cold to touch), and the condenser transmits the heat to the air outside of the cabinet (feels warm). When I said evap of a frost free was in the back wall, I meant INSIDE the cabinet, just like it is in a frost free refrigerator. If you can't hear a fan inside the caninet with the compressor running, then it's not a frost free, and the evap lines are running under the skin of the inside walls, just like a chest freezer. Put a small container of hot water in it, set on the coldest setting, and close the door. In a few minutes you'll have frost forming at the locations of the evap lines, running back and forth.

Somewhere on this forum (I couldn't find it - sorry) theres a thread about using corn flour and ethanol/rubbing alcohol to find fridge lines. You make a paste, rub it on the surface and turn the fridge on - the lines show up clearly.

bendavanza said:

I did the slow drill and poke around, and still hit a line and junked a perfectly good freezer. I did not feel the line but the drill bit found it, the outer edge of a curved section.

Click to expand...

Bummer, I guess the way to approach this would be to carefully remove a 2" square of the intreior liner so you can actually see what is underneath. I'm sure something as good or better will show on C'list for you eventually. I have been looking for a small apartment fridge roughly 2+ by 2 by 4-5 feet single door.