Kegerator Build Igloo 4.6 FR465, Haier HNSE05, Kenmore 183.94679 and possibly others

I'm in the market for a fermentation chamber. I was leaning towards a small chest freezer, but the Igloo FR464 is $119 at Wal-mart right now, and I'm strongly considering it.

I've seen a couple of posts that indicate that this thing will do a 6.5 plastic fermenter with blow-off tube without modification. That would be great. I would like to do some lagering, so if anybody has successfully held this thing <40f with or without a temp controller that'd be great to hear.

I use the Igloo 464 for my kegerator. I keep it at 41*F without a temperature controller and there is still room on the dial to go colder. So I think you'd be just fine keeping it <40*F for your purposes. Note that there isn't a way to dial in a specific temp on the unit itself - I put a thermometer in there and tweaked it until I got it where I wanted. Took a little patience but once it's done, it's done.

Good luck with the project.

Just placed an order for an FR464 stainless steel. I'm going to try the cornstarch and alcohol trick to make sure there's no coolant lines in the top.
I "printed" the instructions to a PDF so I have 'em now.... too cheap to buy a membership to that site.

Be careful! The line that I hit was very well hidden and it only took a slight push with a dull blade to break it. The coolant lines are just above the plastic so you need to be extremely careful when when you cut from the inside of the fridge.

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temple240 said:

Be careful! The line that I hit was very well hidden and it only took a slight push with a dull blade to break it. The coolant lines are just above the plastic so you need to be extremely careful when when you cut from the inside of the fridge.

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Yeah... like I said, I"m going to try the cornstarch and rubbing alcohol to see if I can figure out where the coolant lines are. With luck I'll avoid 'em. But thanks for the reminder!

Here are some pictures of where I planned to drill the hole. I cut the plastic from the inside of the fridge first and started to clear out insulation. I ruptured the coolant line while trying to expand the hole in the plastic. The coolant line that I hit was towards the front of the fridge.

The pictures aren't great but I hope they're helpful.

Being that the fr464 is a completely different fridge. I have no advice except don't hit the lines

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Well, like I said, I'm going to mix up some cornstarch and rubbing alcohol and spread it on the fridge after it's been running for awhile and hopefully that'll show me where the lines are.

Here are a few pics of my igloo build. These igloo mini fridge have small violent lines both on top and bottom. Be extremely careful with the bottom lines. They seem to be two inches apart from each other. The top lines run vertically and the bottom lines run horizontally. Be extremely careful the bottom lines are close to the surface. I can keep this mini fridge at 40* with no controller.

What model is this?

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The fridges this thread is referring to looks like this. Freezer on the right temperature controller on the top left. If it does not look like this then its a different fridge. I'm just trying to avoid confusion. This thread is not about different fridges, its about different models and brands that equate to the same fridge

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val214 said:

Here are a few pics of my igloo build. These igloo mini fridge have small violent lines both on top and bottom. Be extremely careful with the bottom lines. They seem to be two inches apart from each other. The top lines run vertically and the bottom lines run horizontally. Be extremely careful the bottom lines are close to the surface. I can keep this mini fridge at 40* with no controller. View attachment 173024View attachment 173025View attachment 173026

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The model for the above mini fridge is Igloo 4.6 cu fr474

snowtires said:

The fridges this thread is referring to looks like this. Freezer on the right temperature controller on the top left. If it does not look like this then its a different fridge. I'm just trying to avoid confusion. This thread is not about different fridges, its about different models and brands that equate to the same fridge

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My fridge is an igloo 4.6 465 but it doesn't look like that. Maybe they changed the design since you bought yours.

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I just checked the model number in mine and its a 464 ib.

FYI, I got the Igloo FR465 from walmart recently (looks exactly like the picture in the first post) and I fit a 6gal better bottle with an air lock without moving the freezer unit. I also fit a 1/4 barrel slim keg, but there isn't enough room for a sanke coupler without moving the freezer, a blow off tube would clear though. Only mods I made was removing the plastic shelves in the door.

Thanks OP, learned a lot from this thread even though I made it into a ferm chamber.

snowtires said:

I finally got my tower in and cut a 3" hole in tge top of the fridge. I cut the hole 11 1/4" from the front not including the door

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I drilled mine in the same spot last night with no problems. The only coolant lines in this fridge that I can see come up from the bottom to the freezer. The people saying that they hit a coolant line drilling the top must have one of the fridges with a removable freezer and thermostat located on the left of the fridge.

brewinginmaine said:

I drilled mine in the same spot last night with no problems. The only coolant lines in this fridge that I can see come up from the bottom to the freezer. The people saying that they hit a coolant line drilling the top must have one of the fridges with a removable freezer and thermostat located on the left of the fridge.

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Did you mean thermostat located on the right of the fridge?
Mine has it on the left with the freezer you have to bend Down there's coolant lines in the back and sides and conduit for thermostat wires in the top

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Yes, I meant right. Mine is located on the left also.

Cool would you mind taking some pics of your process and posting them to help others?

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Snowtires, I am pretty convinced I converted the same fr465 as you yesterday with the thermostat to the left of the freezer. I am very pleased with how it turned out however I am having temp issues. Near the top of the fridge I am getting about 28 F and at the bottom 20 F. I do not have a fan installed yet but will look to add one soon. Did you have any issues with your igloo when you converted it? Seeing as I bought the fridge used I did not get the user manual with it can you tell which setting on the thermostat is coldest 1 or 7? Attached are some photos!

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snowtires said:

Cool would you mind taking some pics of your process and posting them to help others?

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I just finished it up tonight and I will try and post some pics of the finished product when I load the first keg in later this week

jasonboppre said:

Snowtires, I am pretty convinced I converted the same fr465 as you yesterday with the thermostat to the left of the freezer. I am very pleased with how it turned out however I am having temp issues. Near the top of the fridge I am getting about 28 F and at the bottom 20 F. I do not have a fan installed yet but will look to add one soon. Did you have any issues with your igloo when you converted it? Seeing as I bought the fridge used I did not get the user manual with it can you tell which setting on the thermostat is coldest 1 or 7? Attached are some photos!

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Hi. Awesome kegerator, yes that is the same and I'm glad it worked out. 1 is warm and 7 is cold. Yes mine is a lot warmer at the top then the bottom and I am about 37 at the bottom and 60 inside the tower and because of that I have to pour for 1 second stop for 1 second and pour the rest of my pint. I keep meaning to add a fan inside BT havnt gotten around to is. Someone in this thread put copper pipes up the tower with the lines inside kind of a passive cooling system, that could be an option as well. Cheers

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Slight hijack here... but I purchased a 3.3 CF mini-fridge off Craigs List last week (didn't realize at the time it was that size, but hey... it was only $50. <grin>) I looked at it last night and it appears I will be able to fit one Corny keg in there with a 5# CO2 tank if I swing the freezer to the back and clear off the door. Hoping I can install my single-tap tower on there, but if not, I guess I can go through the door. This one is all-white.

snowtires said:

Hi. Awesome kegerator, yes that is the same and I'm glad it worked out. 1 is warm and 7 is cold. Yes mine is a lot warmer at the top then the bottom and I am about 37 at the bottom and 60 inside the tower and because of that I have to pour for 1 second stop for 1 second and pour the rest of my pint. I keep meaning to add a fan inside BT havnt gotten around to is. Someone in this thread put copper pipes up the tower with the lines inside kind of a passive cooling system, that could be an option as well. Cheers

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What setting do you have your fridge set at? I set mine as warm as it goes (1) and I was about 36-38 F at the top and I have not got to checking the bottom yet. I am not happy with the temp, I would preffer my beer slightly warmer (above 40 F). To be honest I am a bit worried about my beer freezing because my fridge is just too cold.

I wonder if how I bent the freezer compartment has anything to do with the temperatures? If you notice I bent my freezer straight down and fastened it to the back wall with a plastic spacer in between it. You have bent yours down differently but managed to conect your probe somewhat to the freezer compartment.

I am curious to hear what setting you keep your fridge at? Your answer may lead me to explore an alternative position for the freezer unit. Cheers!

Move the temperature probe farther to a part of the freezer coil that gets colder. And make surr the prove metal is touching the metal of the freezer Mine is folded around the metal. I'f your freezer is getting too cold that's a problem that's easy to fix.

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snowtires said:

Move the temperature probe farther to a part of the freezer coil that gets colder. And make surr the prove metal is touching the metal of the freezer Mine is folded around the metal. I'f your freezer is getting too cold that's a problem that's easy to fix.

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Thanks for the tip, I will give it a try!

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Oh and mines set about 3

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I had the same issues and it helped to move the probe as well as install a fan to recirculate the cold inside there


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Working on a similar project with a Kenmore 4.4 cu. ft. (Model #94293) I found on Craigslist.

First, flattened the freezer / chill plate down the back of the freezer. Seems to be working fine so far. A little worried about the temperature issues earlier in the thread but we'll see. The red is where I reattached the thermometer probe to the chill plate. The blue is where I repositioned the ceiling anchors to keep the chill plate stable & in place.



Then went at the door. The black plastic gasket is magnetic and sits really well into a ridge in the inner-door plastic so I didn't want to rip the whole thing out. I used a utility knife to slice through the extruding plastic & foam to end up with a flat door.


Came off nicely. Trimmed down the rough edges and the soda can dispenser bumps after this photo.


And this is where I'm at so far. I think I'm going to buy a sheet of HDPE or plexiglass to cover the door and to make it flat & better insulated.



Still not sure whether to put in a tower fan or do some kind of copper tubing system like Hovik. I think I read in another thread that the copper tubing only works so well and there is still a "first pour foam" problem.

Also, just going to run with the knob thermostat that came with the fridge as long as it works with the repositioned probe. Doing a temp test now so I guess I'll find out soon!

Edit: Fridge had no temp issues with repositioned plate. Before the spike is a glass of water freezing (~3hrs). After the spike is the "recommended setting" on the thermostat that ended up stabilizing around 34.5º.

my old kegerator fridge is on its last legs (might even be dead by the time I get home), and this thread on this model has sparked my interest big time. I basically built a rolling 2 tap bar, so for my setup I would need to drill my 2 shank holes and gas lines THROUGH THE SIDE of this unit...

anybody done this and/or know if the lines run through the side? or just are they just in the top and bottom?

The lines definatly do run through the sides.

dang...so there are lines EVERYWHERE on this particular model huh? that's the problem with the custom build I "had" to do in order to appease my wife. those 2 perlicks go right through the wood and then right into the side of a circa early 80s mini fridge that was nothing but insulation on the side walls. easy peasy. back to the drawing board I suppose

There's lines in the sides and the back. And couple in the top. Does the refrigerator cool that whole cabinet?

Can anyone that has the IGLOO FR464 or FR465 confirm the internal dimensions of this fridge (including dimensions for the hump, too)?

Also, could two 9" diameter kegs fit side by side in this thing with the 5 lb CO2 tank in the back? I'm looking to do as little modification as possible, maybe other than the door.

You can fit two corny kegs in the igloo fr464. You just have to remove the compartment panel on the door.



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val214 said:

You can fit two corny kegs in the igloo fr464. You just have to remove the compartment panel on the door.
View attachment 210907


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So I have definitely seen that you can get two kegs in there, but I was a little concerned with the diameter. Normal ball-locks are 8.5". The kegs I have are ball locks, but the rubber on the bottom adds a little bit, so the diameter is roughly 9".

What are the diameter of those kegs in there and did any modifications need to be made to the side wall of the internals to fit in there?

You won't be able to fit two 9" bottomed ball lock kegs in the igloo. My kegs are slightly under 8.5" and are a tight squeeze. You would have to cut the side tray slots in order to fit the kegs.



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Moderate modification is required to convert this fridge. The benefit is in the price of the fridge. Its an trade off

In thinking about buying the igloo fridge from walmart for a conversion. My friend gave me a 5lb co2 tank and a double output regulator which is larger than standard. Will this fit inside the igloo kegerator?