How to find Coolant Lines in a Fridge

[jedimedic16271]

Not sure if this has allready been posted and I assume it has due to the depth of the information on this site but here it is just in case. While I am sure there are lots of really intersting ways to find the coolant lines in any fridge/freezer you plan to make a kegerator this is the way I do it and well....it works.

1. Find your local fire station, take them some cookies or a box of ice cream. Then ask them if they have "thermal imaging cameras". They probably do and they are awesome little portable units that read heat differentials in material. Now being a fireman myself I can say they should all be fairly receptive to pulling out the camera and taking a quick look at the walls of any cooling unit in order to see where the lines are run. I would suggest plugging the unit in and then when its good and cold making a quick run for the fire station before it warms up to much. The whole process with the camera should take about 2 minutes, that involved going out to the fire engine to get it.

While most guys and gals in the fire service would be happy to take a few minutes out of the day to make a citizen happy it can also be said that in a certain way..........everyone works for homebrew.


Cheers

 

[Bensiff]

Damn firefighters get all the cool toys

 

[LieutenantDan]

I can attest to this method. I just had a friend of mine who has a thermal imaging business come over & shoot my fridge with it. He was able to laser point the line so I could mark it on the fridge.

 

[jlb307]

i'll have to ask the fire marshal at my plant if he has an extra one i can "borrow" for a while

 

[Gear101]

There is a posting somewhere, that I guy makes sometype of paste and brushes on top, which when it dried showed the lines.

 

[JasonO]

Volunteer firefighter here, yep TIC cameras work great for things like this It's amazing how sensitive they are, I can see my footprints on pavement where I just walked.

You should bribe them with a pint when there off duty

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I believe the paste was vinegar and baking soda.

 

[scottsr123]

I believe the paste was vinegar and baking soda.

Don't think that will work, but it might be exciting!

If I recall, it goes something like this:

Try rubbing alcohol and corn starch. Mix it into a paste and smear it on the fridge. The heat from the coils will dry the alcohol, showing their location.

 

[vetbrewer]

I believe the paste was vinegar and baking soda.

had a toy rocket that was powered with vinegar and baking soda. Sucker shot 60ft. up after the catch was tripped.

 

[Huaco]

Would one of those non-contact IR thermometers work as well? You could scan over the surface and find the temp changes.
I attempted to use a stud finder the other day but I guess the metal skin is too dense and it just thought the whole dang fridge was a stud.

 

[Golddiggie]

I just looked up the shop manual for my fridge to see where everything was located. No coils in the sides (or top, all on the back) so I was clear to drill wherever I wanted. :rockin: No bribery, begging, etc. needed either. Amazing what you can find on the internet with a quick/easy search.

 

[LieutenantDan]

Yeah i searched and found some schematics but none showed the cooling lines. I called GE but they were not helpful at all. So my friend with the thermal camera was my best option.

 

[Golddiggie]

I was easily able to find the complete break-down of the fridge online. Didn't take much searching either. That was after I bought it too. Not sure how old the fridge you're working with is, but mine was brand new. Within a week I already had a hole in the side for the gas bulkhead... I loved how the sales woman stopped asking about getting the extended warranty on it when I asked if it would cover it after I drilled holes in it.

 

[LieutenantDan]

The fridge is at least 10 years old. I found a real nice breakdown of each compartment too, but there were still 2 lines(1 on each side) we found with the camera that weren't on the schematic.

 

[jakenbacon]

I believe the paste was vinegar and baking soda.

Lol no that would be exciting though, used to make 2 liter soda bombs out of those 2 ingredients.... anyway, use alcohol and flower. Works like a charm.

 

[lorettaljs]

The diagrams or parts breakdowns online will only show what’s accessible to be repaired. The refrigerant line nes that run through the walls are repairable.
I would not trust a diagram.
Thermal imaging camera is the best away to locate the lines.

 

[GreatAstronomer]

There is a posting somewhere, that I guy makes sometype of paste and brushes on top, which when it dried showed the lines.

A paste made from a mixture of rubbing alcohol and cornstarch smeared on the outside will show a "ghost" of the refrigerant lines after a few minutes of circulation. Make sure the surface is clean before you apply it.

There is a posting somewhere, that I guy makes sometype of paste and brushes on top, which when it dried showed the lines.