Kenmore 8.8 build

Just thought I would share some stuff from my project:

This is getting stuffed into a crawl space, so beauty wasn't a top priority...

Bought the fridge...about $269 I believe. Made the collar, nothing fancy, just 2x8's then some pine trim.



Painted the collar with chalk paint:


Because the way this is wired from the factory, it isn't too hard to rewire the thermostat without cutting any wires:



The wiring going to the onlight was disconnected, I added in a splice with some male connectors. One leg goes to the light, the other to power the new thermostat. You can do this even easier if you just bypass the light all together. These wires go to pin 3 & 4. I put hot (black) to pin 3, and neutral (white) to pin 4. I am not sure it matters. This is the thermostat I am using:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281294885235?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649



Next, I pulled off the hot (black) and load (yellow) from the thermostat.



The yellow was connected to a white wire...because that is what I had...and the black to black. The white/yellow went to pin 2, the black went to pin 1.

Note...don't forget to hook up the probe...and make sure is has a connection, the wires are tiny and you get a nice little error when it isn't working.

With all the splices made and connectors connected:



I ran the wires up to the thermostat. If I were to do this again, I would not center it as it gets in the way when dropping kegs in.



Into the crawl space she goes, drilled out a hole for a pipe that will take the beer lines into the bar next to the crawl space...



Next up...gas & beer lines! This part is going to take some figuring as I think my longest run will be about 9 feet.

 

btw...I am thinking about trying to modify the lid to hinge from the side rather than the back so I have more headroom..any one ever try that?

 

Nice build. I am not seeing how hinging from the side would give more headroom. How would that work?

 

Hinging from the narrow end?

 

I think he means in the crawlspace. Hinging from the side would give it a triangular profile like the underside of a staircase. Would make it easier to get to than half cracking it the other way.

 

Exactly! Then I could move it closer to the stairwell.

 

Do you have a diagram of where the coils run in the sides? I would be worried about hitting a coil when drilling in the screws....

 

It should bolt to the collar & door.