Help with freezer in my mini fridge (PICS)

So I started working on a little mini fridge I got for the cheap of craigslist. It has one of those little mini freezer shelves at the top and I need to remove it. Here's my problem. It has this connection that goes into the back of the fridge. Any ideas if I can clip/saw through this? Or should I just try to saw the shelf off around it? Not sure what tool to use for that though. Also, that thermometer, can I just tape some electrical tape over those wires and it'll be cool? Here's some pics:

The freezer shelf is the cooling unit, so it should be connected to the inside coils at one place, so make sure that's not it. Then you can bend it and place it in the back of the fridge. If that's where it connected to the inside coils, you can probably just bend it down from there.

If any line breaks, you're hosed.

Including those embedded in the shelf.

So there's a bunch of lines running threw the freezer shelf?

The freezer shelf IS the cooling element. Remove it and you'll disable the fridge.

That freezer shelf is what cools the entire fridge and freezer, if you cut or break that line, freon will leak out and you will have a useless fridge. I had a similar fridge, I just bent the line so the shelf ran along the back, it never worked properly after that or kept the fridge cold enough. I'd suggest getting a chest freezer or sanyo 4912.

If you bend it be careful of the line into the back itself and where that line connects with the freezer shelf...as you bend it it may not bend as easily and pierce the softer shelf material.

As far as the temp sensor goes you should take that off and tie the hot and common together to get it to run any time it has power, then you can tape those wires out of the way.

Well, it's all bent up but still working. Yaye! I can fit two kegs, I don't care if it's ugly I was worried I was out 75 bucks!

Is it at all feasible to just go ahead and lose the freon, then take the parts out and re-assemble them into something of your own design (door where you want it, no f'n hump, no wondering where the lines are or worrying about the outer metal being used to radiate heat ((which I still don't believe))). I know dick about refrigeration systems so please excuse my ignorance, but how much is it to get a tech guy to come out and recharge your system once you put it back together.
Thanks,
Jeremy

Germey said:

Is it at all feasible to just go ahead and lose the freon, then take the parts out and re-assemble them into something of your own design (door where you want it, no f'n hump, no wondering where the lines are or worrying about the outer metal being used to radiate heat ((which I still don't believe))). I know dick about refrigeration systems so please excuse my ignorance, but how much is it to get a tech guy to come out and recharge your system once you put it back together.
Thanks,
Jeremy

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It can't be done economically. Sorry, this question has been asked and answered many times.

Germey said:

Is it at all feasible to just go ahead and lose the freon, then take the parts out and re-assemble them into something of your own design (door where you want it, no f'n hump, no wondering where the lines are or worrying about the outer metal being used to radiate heat ((which I still don't believe))). I know dick about refrigeration systems so please excuse my ignorance, but how much is it to get a tech guy to come out and recharge your system once you put it back together.
Thanks,
Jeremy

Click to expand...

Just dont break the line and then you can use the guts. You will have to be careful but it can be done. Basically you are going to have to cut the top off the fridge so you can slide the freezer plate out with the coils and the compressor. Someone on this board made a fermentation cooler with the guts from a small dorm fridge. Its quite a bit of work though and really is only worth it if you have most of the supplies on hand ie free to mess with.