Gas line hole location in a Magic Chef 10.1 cu. Ft. Refrigerator

[uptheirons]

I posted this in the kegerator/keezer forum but no one responded. Hope someone can share some info.

I have a Magic Chef refrigerator (Model HMDR1000BE) that I am converting into a kegerator. I read in a couple of threads here that I have to drill the hole in the hump at the bottom for the CO2 line. The user manual says to leave 5” on the back and sides which means I cannot drill a hole in the sides. Does anyone have pictures their setup to share? There is a metal plate on the back bottom so if I drill through the hump, I will probably hit the metal plate.

Attaching pics of the inside and back of the refrigerator.

Thanks

 

[Bassman2003]

By any chance will your CO2 tank fit inside on the hump? Would be much easier.

 

[uptheirons]

It fits but I have two corny kegs I want to put there. With 2 kegs I cannot put the tank inside. I have a 20lb tank.

Thank you

 

[uptheirons]

Sorry, reread your reply. I cannot put the tank on the hump.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

The back is normally a safe place to put a hole in most minifridges. My preference is more toward the top.

When it's on, feel the back for heat. If it doesn't get hot, it is unlikely you have lines back there.

Start your hold small, Drill a hole just through the plastic and use the bit or a piece of wire to poke around in the insulation for any lines. If you don't feel any, make the hole a bit bigger, I prefer to twist the bit by hand through the foam to the back. Once you hit the back, you're free to drill the rest of the hole.

You can tape around the hose with some duct tape or you can get real fancy and install some grommets.

 

[Bassman2003]

Would a 5lb tank fit? I wound up drilling my wine fridge through the roof, at the very front by the door hinge. Little risk of hitting anything important there.

 

[OleBrewing]

you could drill a hole any where there is not the refrigerant coil or electrical to the temp control. kind of depends where you will be storing the tank and amount of co2 line you want to use.

 

[uptheirons]

you could drill a hole any where there is not the refrigerant coil or electrical to the temp control. kind of depends where you will be storing the tank and amount of co2 line you want to use.

That was my original question. Where in this model refrigerator is it safe to drill the hole? Was hoping someone would have pictures of their setup. What’s weird is, the sides get warm sometimes but yesterday moved the fridge so that there is enough space around it and the sides were cool to touch.

 

[OleBrewing]

did a quick search. looks like it has a freezer on top? if thats the case the freezer has all the cooling coils. the colder the freezer gets the colder the fridge gets the cold air comes from that vent at the top of the fridge.

below the freezer should be nothing but insulation. most fridges are this way except for the dual zone ones and chest freezers usually have the coils around the perimeter of the freezer.

 

[uptheirons]

did a quick search. looks like it has a freezer on top?

Yes, there’s a freezer on top.

below the freezer should be nothing but insulation.

When you say below the freezer, you mean below but on the back?

Thank you for the research.

 

[OleBrewing]

Yes, there’s a freezer on top.

When you say below the freezer, you mean below but on the back?

Thank you for the research.

i would say almost anywhere below the the top of the fridge door. some put their taps on the side of the fridge some put them on the door. i would probably do a small hole thru the plastic on the inside first to ensure there is nothing behind to get in the way but i doubt there will be.

on the back of the fridge there will be a refrigerant line running up to the freezer that would need to be avoided.

i dont think these smaller units have much of a dissipation coil like larger units and those are on the outside in the back it could be possible this one could have them hidden in the walls similar to chest freezers.

 

[uptheirons]

Before posting here I had asked the same question in another thread under keezers/kegerators discussion. Please see the thread below for my final solution. Thanks everyone for your input.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/question-about-drilling-hole-for-gas-line.728443/post-10289189