Question on side drilling a sanyo...

I've got a kenmore elite (appears to be the same in every single respect as the popular sanyo conversion). I have 20lb tank and a large double regulator that is set-up on a long gas hose (came off a wonderbar soda machine bag-in-box system, soon to be listed in the classified section).

I really want to drill into the side of this thing and just run the air from outside, rather than stuffing the tank and regulator into the fridge, but I'm afraid to drill becuase I don't really know where the coolant lines are inside the right hand side of the fridge (when facing the front of the fridge).

Anyone have any insight as to whether I can plumb the air through the side of the fridge?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/fridge-coming-today-nothing-keg-10307/#post96804

Shows you where any freon lines might be.

Also remember that walls of a fridge are styrofoam sandwiched between a thin later of metal and a thin layer of plastic. If you carefully cut through the skin of the plastic side, you can root around and dislodge any stryo and make sure there is not a line there.

Thanks olllllo

I my plan was to skin a small portion of the inside and try to "find" any lines, just thought with the popularity of the unit, someone might have already tried and had an idea of an "empty" space.

I may try this tonight, as the hose going from the tank to the regulator is making working with the keg and changing pressure a Pain in the Regulator.

I've heard of lines being 3 or 4 inches away from where they should be.

I don't think any one wants to definitively say precisely where to drill for good reason.

Understandable. I suspect that there isn't much in the way of coolant lines at the very top/back of the side of the unit, wouldn't make much sense to locate one in that area anyway. I'll carve away a bit of plastic and see what I find on the other side.

I have my 15 lb tank outside of my sanyo. I drilled two holes 5/8" in the upper most left hand corner. I copied it from another member here but the pics are no longer on the internet. I didnt hit any lines.

My hole is through the compressor hump on my sanyo 4912; many models are safe to drill there. Good luck!

Is there a drain? That might be the best bet. Open the hole a bit if you need to, but you know there isn't a line where there's already a hole.

MoRoToRiUm said:

My hole is through the compressor hump on my sanyo 4912; many models are safe to drill there. Good luck!

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I was looking at this last night, and it's pretty obvious that there aren't any lines in this spot...still would carve the plastic and feel around for lines, but I think I might check and see if my hose is long enough, if so this is where it's going!

Moonshae said:

Is there a drain? That might be the best bet. Open the hole a bit if you need to, but you know there isn't a line where there's already a hole.

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+1 to this. The Sanyos have drain holes in the back, but I'm not sure about Kenmores. I'd think this would be the easiest, cleanest, and safest way to go.

yermej said:

+1 to this. The Sanyos have drain holes in the back, but I'm not sure about Kenmores. I'd think this would be the easiest, cleanest, and safest way to go.

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I couldn't find a drain hole on the outside, I'll look again on the inside. I did see a small hole behind the compressor but it was full of foam, possibly the drain hole from the sanyo that kenmore filled in. I'll check.

well, I'll be! There is a drain hole right on the compressor hump. The kenmore has a drip pan in back that slides right now and offers access to the openning. Probably going to be a hair small for the 1/4 ID tubing, but will require less "cutting" that my original plan. Now if I only had a local supplier of gas tubing?!?

You don't need any special gas tubing, just use the same stuff you use for your liquid lines.

conpewter said:

You don't need any special gas tubing, just use the same stuff you use for your liquid lines.

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Understood, but I live in a small town with only one hardware store. I'm thinking they have some pressure rated reinforced food grade tubing that will work.

Everyone always drills the hole out; Why not drill beside it and seal it with silicone? With opening/closing the fridge, it will have condensation (the point of the drain hole)... Just a thought...

Just to be clear on the tubing, the regular tubing is from the LOW pressure out from the reg. If you are going from tank to reg inside fridge, you need high pressure line (you seem to know what you're doing, but wanted to cover this so no one would have a exploading gas line gushing CO2 ).

MoRoToRiUm said:

Everyone always drills the hole out; Why not drill beside it and seal it with silicone? With opening/closing the fridge, it will have condensation (the point of the drain hole)... Just a thought...

Just to be clear on the tubing, the regular tubing is from the LOW pressure out from the reg. If you are going from tank to reg inside fridge, you need high pressure line (you seem to know what you're doing, but wanted to cover this so no one would have a exploading gas line gushing CO2 ).

Click to expand...

Thanks, this was from the low pressure of the reg directly into the gas-in on the cornie. However the only line I could find was reinforced 200lb+ 1/4 tubing. It was the same tubing used on my soda machine so I know it will be more than adequate for this app.

I didn't get around to drilling/installing the new line tonight, i was too busy drinking, grilling and brewing. It's great having Friday's off, especially when they are 70 degree days in January in Mid Missouri...too bad I have to work tomorrow.