Frigidaire Model FRC445GB Mini-Fridge Kegerator Conversion

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I'm pretty sure they won't price match. That's pretty much why they have different model numbers for different retailers.
 
No, Best Buy will not price match. All they will do is if the fridge goes on sale 30 days from the time you bought it is give you the difference back. How do I know...........I asked them because that was a concern of my as well. It only applies to them "in-house" from what I understand. They won't even consider Lowe's prices...........
 
Question to some of you who have done the front faucet design. How long is the shank used? Could the 2" work ? how about 4". The reason I am asking is that my LBHS has no 3" shanks and I really want to mod this tonight. Thanks to my wife and kids for getting me an early fathers day present.
 
ruk said:
Question to some of you who have done the front faucet design. How long is the shank used? Could the 2" work ? how about 4". The reason I am asking is that my LBHS has no 3" shanks and I really want to mod this tonight. Thanks to my wife and kids for getting me an early fathers day present.
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I used 4 inch with perlick faucets from Williams brewing. I don't see why 3" would not work... Will they let you take them back if they don't work out ?
 
I went out and bought one of these fridges because of this thread... mostly have just been putting my beer in there and letting it hang out, havent done the conversion yet. Was pondering procuring a setup for mounting a commercial 1/6th that I can get at my local Total wine... What type of connector do those traditionally use? I figured if i was going to do a homebrew setup i would want a ball lock from the research i have done here. Are commercial 1/6 kegs also ball lock? I keep reading Sanke but i am not sure where that fits in... Is there a kegs for dummies section?

Thanks in advance,
Casey
 
casey914 said:
I went out and bought one of these fridges because of this thread... mostly have just been putting my beer in there and letting it hang out, havent done the conversion yet. Was pondering procuring a setup for mounting a commercial 1/6th that I can get at my local Total wine... What type of connector do those traditionally use? I figured if i was going to do a homebrew setup i would want a ball lock from the research i have done here. Are commercial 1/6 kegs also ball lock? I keep reading Sanke but i am not sure where that fits in... Is there a kegs for dummies section?
Click to expand...

The commercial kegs will be sanke. Here are two posts with commercial kegs.

One 1/4 Barrel
Two 1/6 Barrels

If you are just doing homebrew, you'd want to go two corny kegs. Using commercial kegs, you would need to mod the fridge to accept two 1/6 barrels or even a 1/2 barrel (pics are in this thread somewhere). Ball locks are a tight fit side by side just by themselves (pin locks won't fit side by side).

I think you should be able to get some quick disconnects for switching between sanke and ball lock. Like run the beer line a certain distance and then have a disconnect that you could use to switch lines into the keg.
 
How did you guys get your temperature probe in to the fridge? I ordered the Johnson digital temperature controller, and now that it's here I'm honestly not sure where to run the probe. While I'm in this thread, here's my kegerator!

Couldn't have done it without you guys, thanks for all of the heavy lifting you did to make it easy for me.

kegorator.jpg


kegorator2.jpg
 
I've now read through the entire thread (53 pages - holy cow!), but I have one more question I'm hoping someone can help me out with. I already have a Kegerator setup that came from Sam's several years ago (Haier I think). I converted it to a triple tower setup after I got into home brewing. :mug:

At this very attractive price point, what I'm wondering is if I could make a nice little dual purpose setup. I have my old single tower I could put on this fridge for occasional dispensing, or if I added an external temperature controller could I also use this as a fermentation chamber? I've read somewhere in the thread that folks believed that a carboy would fit in the fridge, that it might just need a little wedge or something to keep it more level. I also saw some concern expressed about the airlock making it too tall.

I'm hoping someone would be willing to post a quick picture to help confirm that a carboy would fit.
 
Bumbler!!! I accidentally snapped the thermostat sensing coil (copper colored) at a point in between the thermostat itself and the inside wall of the fridge ... this is after removing the screws to the t-stat so I could relocate the entire t-stat/lighting unit farther back into the fridge.

My question is this>>>If that coil is snapped, you said "It is tagged and bagged. Need to get a new one." A new one what??? New sensing unit/thermometer OR a completely new fridge? I'm confused ... I don't want to go any further on my kegerator conversion if I have to buy a new fridge. Thanks, Bumbler
 
scrouch1 said:
Bumbler!!! I accidentally snapped the thermostat sensing coil (copper colored) at a point in between the thermostat itself and the inside wall of the fridge ... this is after removing the screws to the t-stat so I could relocate the entire t-stat/lighting unit farther back into the fridge.

My question is this>>>If that coil is snapped, you said "It is tagged and bagged. Need to get a new one." A new one what??? New sensing unit/thermometer OR a completely new fridge? I'm confused ... I don't want to go any further on my kegerator conversion if I have to buy a new fridge. Thanks, Bumbler
Click to expand...

Tagged and bagged only refers to the T-stat. It will now call for cooling 100% of the time and never shut off. Continue moving the t-stat as planned and add an external t-stat. Ranco or Johnson. Either one will work. It's just a slight change in plans.
 
I just plugged my fridge in for 5 minutes on full blast (level 6 on the thermostat) and didn't hear the compressor working ... won't I hear it working until I get a new external t-stat?
 
ClaudiusB, I've got a dilemma - I just recently was trying to move my t-stat to a location further back in the fridge to accommodate two corny kegs. However, during the move I accidentally broke the capillary tube to the t-stat (AND heard a hissing noise) at the same point as shown in your second photo (the one w/o the cap. tube).

From there, I saw your post and pulled the rest of the line from the inside wall of the fridge ... about 2 1/2 feet worth. It didn't connect to anything in the back of the fridge (ie compressor or other lines to be worried about). So I turned up the t-stat all the way to the #6 setting and the fridge compressor ISN'T turning on like you had posted it would. So I'm unsure where to go from here!!!!

Do I install an external on/off t-stat and hope that it will work then?? I also could pinch the remaining cap. tube together too - maybe that would cause the t-stat to register and cause the compressor to kick back up again.

ClaudiusB and anyone else who might know how to help ... PLEASE HELP ASAP!!!! I'm lost on how to get this fridge working again, and I'm starting to get thirsty for some cold homebrew. Thanks!
 
scrouch1 said:
ClaudiusB, I've got a dilemma - I just recently was trying to move my t-stat to a location further back in the fridge to accommodate two corny kegs. However, during the move I accidentally broke the capillary tube to the t-stat (AND heard a hissing noise) at the same point as shown in your second photo (the one w/o the cap. tube).

From there, I saw your post and pulled the rest of the line from the inside wall of the fridge ... about 2 1/2 feet worth. It didn't connect to anything in the back of the fridge
Click to expand...
The end of the capillary tube was attached to the freezer/evaporator plate.

Do I install an external on/off t-stat and hope that it will work then??
Click to expand...

Connect the RED and BLUE wire together, compressor should start up and run forever.
To control the temp you need an external temp controller or for the looks a Love controller:D

Connect the two wires together and let me know.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
instead of 1st connecting the red and blue wires together with a wire nut, I tried to touch the ends together ... nothing happened.

But then I switched the placement of the wires ... put the blue wire where the red one should have gone and the red where the blue one should have gone ... fridge kicked right back up and works like a charm!!!
 
scrouch1 said:
instead of 1st connecting the red and blue wires together with a wire nut, I tried to touch the ends together ... nothing happened.
Click to expand...
Should have worked.
The RED & the BLACK wires always have 120 V.

But then I switched the placement of the wires ... put the blue wire where the red one should have gone and the red where the blue one should have gone ... fridge kicked right back up and works like a charm!!!
Click to expand...
Did you remove the wires at any time?

I am glad you compressor is running.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
I picked the Best Buy model of this (BFPH44M4LM) up last night for $100 off of craigslist that I'm going to use as a fermentation chamber.

A 5 gallon glass carboy fits on the bottom shelf, no problem. A 6 Gallon bucket fits on the back hump with a few inches to spare at the top for a blow off tube.

A 6.5 gallon glass carboy does not fit. Possibly with door modifications? Has anyone tried this?

I wonder if a 6 gallon better bottle is any smaller and would fit. Anyone know how they compare in size to a 5 gallon glass carboy or a 6 gallon bucket? I'm probably just going to end up using a bucket.

I set the fridge to 1, I had two gallons of water in there and this morning it was 40F.

I'm picking up a Johnson A419 Temp Controller tonight. Any suggestions on how / where to run the probe? For now I was thinking running it through the crease in the door and into a glass of water. Does this seem appropriate? Set it to 68 degrees with a 3 degree differential. I should then set the fridge to 6 (Max), correct?

Thanks!
 
Eco said:
New poster here. Thought I would share my fridge buying story.
For the past three weeks I have been trying to buy one of the Lowe's Frigidaire 4.4 for $179 but after three weeks of them telling me that there would be one in next week I decided to drive the hour and a half to my closest best buy and plunk down the $199 for one of theirs. I called ahead and said they had two.
After reading this thread and noted how many were damaged I insisted at looking at it before they loaded it and I drove an hour and a half home. Sure enough when they opened it, the back edge was dented. Dented mind you nothing broken or smashed. I said as I am paying full price I would like to see the other one. The disgruntled employee trudged off to get the other one. While taking their time the manager came around and asked us why we were standing there. I told him I was not opposed to taking the dented one as long as it still had the warranty which he said it would have the same one year warranty for a discounted price. He was no less than elated to give me back $60 to take that one.
My cost $140, the dent will never be seen in the back corner. Also of note when I got it home the freezer hinge was broken too which I was taking out anyway. After hearing of everyones experience with damaged units and my own experience with seeing how these things are packaged. I think there is a very slim chance of getting one that isn't damaged. My conclusion is that this is a great unit for conversion and for lack of the manufacturer packaging it well enough, many new fridges could be had for conversion for much less than full retail.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this great tip. I just bought mine at Lowes last Saturday. The retail price was $179 but the only unit that was on the floor had a box that was torn open at the seam. The others were up on the higher shelves and needed the forklift to pull down (pain in the butt for the sales team). I explained to the salesman that I wouldn't mind taken the one with the box damage if he could knock a little off. I got it for $120 and there was only a minor surface scratch on the right side.

Thanks again.
 
jschnyderite said:
does this have room to keep a few mugs cold with 2 corny's and 5# tank inside? I'm considering this for my project
Click to expand...

You'd have to put them behind the kegs on the compressor hump. That would be a pain. There's not enough room In the door.
 
What type of glue did people use to glue the top back down?
Click to expand...

All-purpose construction adhesive worked for me (look for one that will bond to foamboard if gluing directly to the insulation)

What level is everyone setting the original thermostat at?
Click to expand...

With the latter model Frigidaire, turning the dial to "4" keeps me consistently in the 38-40 F range.

does this have room to keep a few mugs cold with 2 corny's and 5# tank inside? I'm considering this for my project
Click to expand...

I couldn't get my kegs in without modifying the door, so I opted to take all the plastic molding (and foam underneath) off and glue on a whiteboard. If you got the door flush like that, you could conceivably sneak a couple glasses on top of each other next to one of the kegs... but it's pretty tight.
 
For those that mounted a tower onto the top, did you have to buy new screws to mount it? The screws that came with my kit (keg connection) are pretty long and I'm worried about nicking a line.

Any advice on the screws used or ways the tower was attached to the top would be great.

Thanks
 
For anyone interested, Best Buy currently has this fridge on sale for $159 (normally $199). I picked one up and plan on doing the 2-faucet tower conversion in the next couple of weeks.
 
The screws that came with my kit (keg connection) are pretty long and I'm worried about nicking a line.
Click to expand...

I used a hacksaw to cut off about 1.5 inches from the bolts so they were just a little longer than the wood support (to keep the threads: screw the nut on, use a vice to hold the unused portion, cut and then unscrew the nut). If you've got screws, you'll probably need to replace them -- not worth the risk of hitting a line.
 
heiny said:
For those that mounted a tower onto the top, did you have to buy new screws to mount it? The screws that came with my kit (keg connection) are pretty long and I'm worried about nicking a line.

Any advice on the screws used or ways the tower was attached to the top would be great.
Click to expand...

My tower from keg connection didn't even come with screws. I took the tower to the local hardware store and got some shiny stainless screws that would go into my plywood but not too deep. I think they were 2" screws.
 
I've been running using the newer Lowe's model of this fridge for my kegs, for a little over a year. No tower or faucets yet, but I did have to cut out most of the ridges in the door just so squeezing the kegs in isn't such a pain. I use an external thermostat and controller, with the internal setting on max. The fridge is in a garage in southern CA, pretty dry but warm.

A while back in the thread people mentioned condensation or ice crystals on the ceiling - I get a solid 1" block of ice covering the entire ceiling. I defrosted it and removed all ice/water this weekend, the full ice cake was back within 8 hours. Anyone else seeing this?
 
rpatton said:
A while back in the thread people mentioned condensation or ice crystals on the ceiling - I get a solid 1" block of ice covering the entire ceiling. I defrosted it and removed all ice/water this weekend, the full ice cake was back within 8 hours. Anyone else seeing this?
Click to expand...

I have had this recently due to the unbelievable humidity we've had in New York over the past few weeks. Luckily, both kegs kicked at the same time so I ended up defrosting the whole thing before I re-stocked.

I think some people have set up their kegerator on a timer so that it turns off for one or two hours a day, but I'm not really sure how much that would help... I'll let them speak on the matter.

I have to say, since my kegerator is in a garage that can get into the 80s on a warm day, it's been a challenge keeping everything frost-free. The tower is the only thing in the room that sweats more than me... but at least it's staying cool with the fan I installed into it.

Dave
 
i read through dozens of pages but couldn't find anything too specific about running the CO2 lines through the side of the fridge. did see that someone nicked a line when trying to run them through the back so thinking this may be a better alternative?

also, i foolishly threw away my manual so not sure if my fridge will be safe on our enclosed back porch in chicago. not quite as extreme since it is enclosed but still gets quite cold and hot and worried i may overexert the motor. any opinions?

sooo sick of bottling so can't wait to get the kegging going and will eventually get some taps set up thanks to this thread!

cheers!
 
Simphoto02 said:
Just picked up a Frigidaire FRC445GM, same fridge. Small scratch, no key but at 130.00 not a bad deal.
Click to expand...

Anyone find where I can buy a key online? Mine didn't come with a key either. Ordered a generic frigidaire freezer key online but it doesn't fit.
 
The "key" and I use the term loosely, does nothing but slide a post upward into a hole in the lightweight plastic trim. Holding the trim upward will allow the post to slip out. Still this doesn't describe the uselessness of the "lock" as in the locked position the door can still be opened a half inch. So it neither locks the door from someone wanting to get inside nor does it even hold it shut if say a fridge packed full of cornies and hoses ever so slightly touches it. I love this fridge and the kegorator I built out of it. The lock is a joke and should not have been part of the design. If you want my key you can have it - PM me with details and it will be in the mail to you; but if you ask me it isn't even worth your walk to the mailbox. Did I mention I still LOVE the fridge.
 
...it neither locks the door from someone wanting to get inside...
Click to expand...

Agreed that the "lock" is a questionable description. However, if you have little kids running around the house, the lock is useful enough to keep 'em from messing with your kegs and, obviously much worse, shutting themselves inside an empty fridge.

For what it's worth...
 
Eco said:
So it neither locks the door from someone wanting to get inside nor does it even hold it shut if say a fridge packed full of cornies and hoses ever so slightly touches it.
Click to expand...

That's why I wanted the key - when it's stuffed full of cornies and hoses. If you're saying that the lock sucks, I'll just make sure that the hoses/cornies aren't pressing on the door.

I really appreciate the offer of your key though. Thank you.
 
I made it through page 30 of this thread before giving up and posting my question:

I've read several people casually state that two pin lock cornies will not fit sided by side, or simply 'will not fit,' and I saw the posts from the guy who made a wooden collar/door extension. But I'm wondering, will two pin lock cornies fit (staggered) in there after removing the white molded plastic in the door?

This was the case with the classic Sanyo kegerator -- two pin cornies fit easily in a staggered fashion after removing the molded plastic door hardware but not before.

Has anyone actually tried this? Or can you point me to a specific post where this has been answered?

Many thanks.
 
I don't know why everybody thinks 2 pin locks will not fit... I have this same fridge and both my pin locks fit with NO major modifications. I removed the shelving units that slip out and unscrewed the light/temp control to slide it back but that is it. You do not need to remove any of the molding at all. There are 2 tricks to making pin locks fit that I will outline below.

The kegs have to be staggered. The problem is that when staggered the keg out front is in the way of the bottom plastic molding on the door when you try to close it. This can be fixed with a 6" long 2x4. Put your first keg in normally (the keg in 'back') and then when you go to put the 'front' keg in just place it on top of the 2x4 so that the 2x4 is positioned near the back of the keg and there is enough space in front of the 2x4 for the door to close without the molding on the bottom hitting. There is still PLENTY of room to fit disconnects on top.

At this point you have to use a bit of muscle to cram the top keg in. The first time is the hardest because cramming both kegs in so you can close the door will cause a very slight (less than 1/4") compression the the plastic molding on the sidewall of the fridge. However, once compressed the molding does not spring back so the future insertion attempts take much less force. Just force the keg in until you can close the door cleanly.

I recommend putting the 'back' keg on the side with the door hinges and the 'front' keg in your staggered setup on the side of the door that opens (left).

I set this up in January and have changed the kegs out 15+ times without any trouble. The door seals perfectly and I did not have to spend any money to switch to ball lock kegs or do a major modification to the fridge. The only extra equipment I needed was the piece of 2x4 I had sitting in my shed.

I highly recommend this to everyone as it is a very simple fix to the problem that costs basically no money and takes no time.
 
elganso said:
With two ball locks, I had to remove the molding from the door completely in order to get them to fit (staggered) and it is still a pretty tight squeeze.

OK, did a search for you (http://bit.ly/rsedv7). See posts #401 - #411 here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/fr...ridge-kegerator-conversion-89013/index41.html

Confirmed that it is a no go.
Click to expand...

I have the new style model with two pin lock cornies in it, it is very tight and required cutting of the plastic for the door, and even with that it barley fits.
 

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