kegerator tap placement

[Arty76]

I have a Dynasty brand 4.5 cubic foot mini fridge that I'm making in to a kegerator, I'm at the point of drilling a hole in the top for the tap and need to know if there are any wires or lines in the top I need to worry about hitting with the drill,
Thanks

 

[Adrenaline-Junkie]

Turn the fridge on for a while and you can feel for warm spots which usually indicate a coolant line. You can also do the cornstarch test. Mix corn starch and rubbing alcohol into a paste then you smear it on the top of the fridge. The area above the refrigerant line will dry first because of the heat.Theres no way to know about wires unless someone else has done the same fridge and knowing if the wires always run in the same spot. Usually wires arent a problem as long as youre careful and take your time when you drill.

 

[Arty76]

I geuss I should have explained a little better, the fridge has a plastic top on it that I can't figure out how to remove, it seems like it is sealed on there all the way around so I don't actually have access to the top of fridge for the paste test.
Thanks

 

[Adrenaline-Junkie]

I suppose a picture would help a bit. You shouldnt have to remove the top to do the cornstarch test.

 

[deadpool76]

I suppose a picture would help a bit. You shouldnt have to remove the top to do the cornstarch test.

Yes, a picture would help us alot.

And the cornstarch test may not work if there is a styrofoam layer between the top of the fridge and the plastic part.

 

[Arty76]

here's a pic, hope this helps

 

[Arty76]

so I thought I would try the paste test on the side of the fridge and inside on the "ceiling" of the fridge thinking that the coolant line would run up the side and over the top but did not see anything happen.

I did notice that the back of the fridge got pretty warm, Is it possible this fridge doesn't have the coolant line running over the top?

 

[day_trippr]

Many mini fridges have the coolant lines running inside the fridge compartment from the rear wall to the cold plate. You should (actually, must) identify those lines before cutting any holes.

I spent five minutes trying to Google up a parts diagram for a Dynasty 4.5cf fridge. The only hits I got were from others looking for the same thing. No manuals, no web site, no parts references anywhere. You better hope that critter lives forever, because it looks like a disposable fridge at this point.

Anyway, the two things to worry about are the coolant lines and the wires to the thermostat. Either or both could be running inside the liner, or between the liner and the exterior. If you can't figure out what you're looking at, take some pics of the insides and we might be able to help...

Cheers!

 

[Arty76]

Yeah I googled it too and got the same results, it's a mystery fridge, anyway I'm basically finished with the inside modifications, and found the thermostat wiring inside the right side wall and the coolant line comes into the fridge in the top right corner and goes to the cooling plate, which I had to carefully bend down out of the way, I am able to fit two corny kegs and the co2, although I may leave the co2 on outside, now it's just this problem about tap placement.

 

[Arty76]

Yeah!! I figured it out, It hit me that when i was working on the inside to make the room I needed for the kegs to fit I cut through the plastic lining and removed some of the foam inside, I found the thermostat wires that way on the right side, so anyway I thought why not cut a small flap in the plastic on the ceiling and poke around to feel for the coolant line, well there was nothing there so i went ahead and finished drilling a 1 1/2" hole in the top, it worked!

 

[day_trippr]

Yup, when you can't find any documentation, it's time for exploratory surgery: cut shallow and probe deep

Cheers - and Well Done!

 

[Adrenaline-Junkie]

Nice. Youre prob gonna want to make the hole a bit bigger though. Kinda need it for circulation or in case of the lack of circulation (you may need a tower cooler like a fan or copper pipe).