Kegerator Build Igloo 4.6 FR465, Haier HNSE05, Kenmore 183.94679 and possibly others

[Hatch]

That looks great and thanks for the head's up on the bolts! My tower has three and I guess I got lucky with mine as I didn't hit the wire.

I was in a bit of a hurry to get mine up and running for a holiday party and it all came together, now it's down to making it nicer. I still need to run the back CO2 line (thanks again for the measurements) and think about the top. A friend has a nice (well protected) wood top and rails so that's an option since I'm a clutz and worry about breaking glasses but yours has me thinking...

Cheers,
Hatch

 

[alter]

Thanks for all the info on this thread. I've just ordered an Igloo FR465 as well and plan on getting 2 corny kegs to put into it. It seems to be by far the cheapest route of getting a kegerator.

 

[snowtires]

Here is the kegerator all finished. It works great.

 

[the_kent]

Anything special i should know about relocating the freezer part of this unit? Picking one up this weekend, and looking to get started asap.
thanks in advance!

 

[snowtires]

Just do it when the fridge is warm. I did mine kind of backwards because I didn't need the extra room back there and it seemed to require less bending. I think there are 2 pipes inside the main pipe so be super careful and bend slowly and gradually. The pipe is very soft so it will bend easier then you may think. Dont kink the pile. Drink a homebrew after you do this step not before

 

[OutOfSpaceBrewingCo]

Great thread. I really like the top finishes you guys put on as well. I am making the transition to kegging and this seems to be a good fridge for both price and economy. I have two quick questions I was hoping to get answered before running out and purchasing the fridge:

1. Has anyone done this conversion, or taken a measurement, to see if this would fit a 5 lb co2 tank on the hump with a dual gage regulator?
2. I noticed on some of the other fridge conversions people have needed a piece of plywood to mount the tower to. Is this necessary for this fridge, or is it more a "if you want it use it if not forget it" issue?

Thanks guys.

 

[ikoniak]

Great thread. I really like the top finishes you guys put on as well. I am making the transition to kegging and this seems to be a good fridge for both price and economy. I have two quick questions I was hoping to get answered before running out and purchasing the fridge:

1. Has anyone done this conversion, or taken a measurement, to see if this would fit a 5 lb co2 tank on the hump with a dual gage regulator?
2. I noticed on some of the other fridge conversions people have needed a piece of plywood to mount the tower to. Is this necessary for this fridge, or is it more a "if you want it use it if not forget it" issue?

Thanks guys.

I just got my Igloo 4.6 FR464 and two ball locks plus a C02 fit pefectly without much modification. Though, my fridge did NOT have a freezer panel to bend down. It's build into the fridge walls, so that step isn't necessarily. It's a pretty awesome fridge for a cheap kegerator project.

 

[OutOfSpaceBrewingCo]

I just got my Igloo 4.6 FR464 and two ball locks plus a C02 fit pefectly without much modification. Though, my fridge did NOT have a freezer panel to bend down. It's build into the fridge walls, so that step isn't necessarily. It's a pretty awesome fridge for a cheap kegerator project.

Thanks ikoniak. Probably pick up this fridge next weekend. Already got the kegs and tower ready to go.

 

[Hatch]

So when drilling the back gas line is it bad when it goes "Psssssssssssssssst"? I wish I could put a smiley on it but I just bricked my kegerator. The tower was all installed and functional but I couldn't get my kegs in there with the CO2 bottle so I did the centered and 4 5/8" down from the outside, drilled a 1/4" hole and got the dreaded sound. I guess I should have tried to dig it out from the plastic side first.

If anybody need a door with the liner removed I have one just North of Seattle.

The worst part is I have two cornies ready to go with an IPA and a porter. To Craigslist I go...

 

[snowtires]

Oh thats not good. Maybe i got lucky there was no line there when i did it. Im sorry to hear about your fridge i wonder what line it was. It must be one of the ones that disperses heat. I hate to say it but just a reminder to anyone reading this thread to cut out the plastic inside the fridge with a knife or something dig the foam where you are planning to drill or cut.

Just an update on mine, its working great and it looks so good that SWMBO let me put it in the kitchen

 

[Maciek951]

Thinking of picking up the igloo fr465 as a lagering fridge. Just wanted to double check that a 6.5 gallon glass carboy or a standard ale pail will fit.

Thanks in advance.

 

[snowtires]

All i can really tell you is you jave 12" clearance fron compressor humo to door with shelves removed. I dont have an ale pail but all my carboys fit.

 

[DrHops]

A 6.5 gallon bucket fits just fine. Just take all of the shelves out except for the bottom one, the bucket fits great on that shelf without modifying the door, but an airlock doesn't fit. However, a blow off tube works great. I've been using one since Christmas.

 

[Hatch]

Thanks, I figured it was more of a cautionary tale than anything else.

Yours looks great but my wife would never let me have mine in the house so I think I may be stepping up to a full size fridge, there are a number of 18 cubic foot ones on CL for $50-75 and I can probably clear that selling my draft tower.

Thanks again and congrats on your nice kegerator!

Hatch

 

[alter]

So when drilling the back gas line is it bad when it goes "Psssssssssssssssst"? I wish I could put a smiley on it but I just bricked my kegerator. The tower was all installed and functional but I couldn't get my kegs in there with the CO2 bottle so I did the centered and 4 5/8" down from the outside, drilled a 1/4" hole and got the dreaded sound. I guess I should have tried to dig it out from the plastic side first.

If anybody need a door with the liner removed I have one just North of Seattle.

The worst part is I have two cornies ready to go with an IPA and a porter. To Craigslist I go...

I just bricked mine too. I had found a large metal line when digging up from the bottom and carefully removed the insulation away from that and drilled a small hole exactly in the center and a few inches from the back but when I was enlarging the hole I hit a different, VERY small line which was just off center and directly under the top of the fridge, very hard to detect and I heard the hissing sound so I'm assuming the whole fridge is junk now. Thought I was being careful by digging out from the plastic side first but wasn't careful enough.

 

[snowtires]

Wow. This isnt good, im sorry to hear about your fridge, i guess maybe i just got really lucky with mine. I cut a 3x3 inch square out of the plastic underneath and dug out all the foam very carefully until there was no foam left in the entire 9 square inch area before i drilled. Like i said earlier tho, i still almost hit that black metal line.

 

[snowtires]

Also forgot to mention, i think the metal line is a conduit for the thermostat wires and i think the thin line is the one that disperses heat in the walls of the fridge, there is probably only one that crosses the top to go from one side to the other obviously there in the back of the fridge too, so far it sounds like this fridge is a dangerous choice for a kegerator.

 

[alter]

Also forgot to mention, i think the metal line is a conduit for the thermostat wires and i think the thin line is the one that disperses heat in the walls of the fridge, there is probably only one that crosses the top to go from one side to the other obviously there in the back of the fridge too, so far it sounds like this fridge is a dangerous choice for a kegerator.

Yeah I think you're right about the metal conduit, the small black one that I hit was between the metal top and the foam when I hit it, the refrigerant escaped. I've already ordered another fridge same exact model, just will be 10 times more careful next time. Its kind of a waste this can't be fixed though, it just needs to be patched up and refilled with refrigerant or whatever but this fridge is so inexpensive that it would probably cost more to fix than replace.

 

[temple240]

Now, i scuffed up the surface with some sandpaper and laid glass tiles directly to the sheet metal top using epoxy mortar and grout.

I just picked this fridge up to convert in the next couple of months and I love the way your glass tile looks. My only concern is that it restricts the heat exchange from the top of the fridge, mine gets pretty warm on the top. Have you noticed any issues with heat dissipation after installing the tile?

 

[snowtires]

I have never noticed heat from the top only from the sides. That's why I thought there were no lines in the top, I cut a 3" hole in the top and the only line I had was the conduit for high voltage. But apparently there are lines in the top, atleased a few or maybe some models are different. Perhaps someone should try the alcohol trick to find where the lines actually are and also would be good for people to tell us on here exactly where they hit the lines to maybe get a mental map of how they run to help others.

 

[temple240]

I have never noticed heat from the top only from the sides. That's why I thought there were no lines in the top, I cut a 3" hole in the top and the only line I had was the conduit for high voltage. But apparently there are lines in the top, atleased a few or maybe some models are different. Perhaps someone should try the alcohol trick to find where the lines actually are and also would be good for people to tell us on here exactly where they hit the lines to maybe get a mental map of how they run to help others.

Mine definitely has lines near the center running across, that's where i feel all the heat. When I'm ready to convert it I'll be sure to document exactly where the lines are.

 

[snowtires]

What model is your fridge, can you upload a pic? Just want to. Make sure all the models I listed are correct

 

[Chattan]

Most fridges and freezers are made by Frigidaire. Surprised?

 

[temple240]

Double post.

 

[temple240]

It's the igloo 465.

 

[snowtires]

Oh, mine is the 465 as well but it's different, I have the freezer compartment and the thermostat is on the top left. Totally different mini fridge. I'm wondering if some of the others on this thread also have the different model? I have seen many writeups on yours with the side thermostat possibly branded under a different name. I will try and do a search.

 

[temple240]

I noticed that yours seemed different but i figured it to be an older model. Mine had a removable tray instead of an actual freezer compartment. I haven't found many write ups for my fridge so if you find any I'd appreciate a link.

 

[Hovik]

I was fortunate enough to have a neighbor that gave me the kenmore version of this fridge gratis. I have bent down the freezer compartment and flattened it on the back wall. Before I go and order a dual faucet tower I was thinking I should drill my holes in top to make sure I don't brick the fridge AFTER ordering the tower (I don't think I could afford to do this project right now if I had to pay for a replacement fridge too).

I know someone said they drilled 11.25" back from the front edge of the fridge (less the door). Am I correct to assume that's to the center of the hole? Is the hole 3"? Any reason I couldn't or wouldn't want to move it back even further than that? Thanks in advance for any advice, all these hissing fridges have me nervous.

 

[snowtires]

The line that runs in the top seems kind of random, figure out where you want your hole cut a big square out of the plastic from the inside of the fridge and dig out the foam with a screwdriver. If there's a line then try forward more until you get a clear area with no lines, then you are safe to drill your hole. And if you do find a line then please post on here the location to help others.

EDIT: yes 3" hole

 

[temple240]

Has anyone noticed their fr465 running constantly after putting a keg in it? I put one corny, with a picnic tap, in mine a week ago and I don't think it's stopped ruining since.

It's staying around 39F. I'm wondering if it's a thermostat problem.