GE Spacemaker GMR04BANWW 4.3 CF Conversion...maybe?

[NYC]

This thread is a continuation of an https://www.homebrewtalk.com/search.php?searchid=8363810 earlier thread where I narrowly avoided buying the wrong fridge to convert, thanks to several awesome members of this board.

So I went ahead and picked up the fridge mentioned at the end of that earlier thread and was settling into converting it this morning. Unfortunately it looks like this model has a freezer tray full of coolant!

Photo attached...before I attack this I figured I'd ask here for more sage advice. How do I get rid of/work around this thing? Can I cut and cap the lines or does that kill the fridge? Bend it?

Thanks in advance!

Here is a link to the exploded view of the unit: http://c.searspartsdirect.com/lis_png/PLDM/G0903442-00001.png?SID=CJxPDx

 

[bruin_ale]

You can't cut/cap, I think the usual solution is to bend the freezer tray against the back wall.

 

[NYC]

I wondered if that was the only alternative

Oh well, I should have waited longer on CL for the right model to come up but it's so hard drinking warm beer

Thanks for the advice.

 

[malc]

I have a similar model. Bending the freezer tray works well. I have had mine working well for over 2 years. I get a little condensation on the bottom of the fridge that I never got when it was an actual fridge, but other than that.... I did have to trim the molding that was meant to hold the shelves in order to get 2 cornies in there. After that I was able to get the 2 kegs, 5lb co2 tank and dual regulator completely contained within the fridge. It doesn't look all that pretty inside, but I am the only one who sees that.

 

[NYC]

OK cool, I'll try that. Am hoping to get 2 cornies in there and run a shank through the back to connect to a 20# CO2...we'll see! I'll post pics.

 

[NYC]

I'm sure this has been said a million times before on this board, but it wasn't as obvious to me as it should have been, so maybe it will help someone else down the road: if you ever buy one of these models where you have to bend the freezer tray, be careful!

Last night I bent it back and the tray cracked..."SSSSSSSSSSsssss"

And now I have a useless box There's no way to fix this right? I don't have enough space in my place for 2 mini-fridges, so I guess I'll curb it tonight unless there is another option.

 

[bruin_ale]

bummer.. yeah, I don't think there's a way to fix that. I've always shied away from doing a build where I have to move coils out of the way for that reason.