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Old 03-28-09, 12:43 PM   #1
Homeless
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Question Turn my 'frig on its side ?

How will my small dorm room size 'frig be damaged if I turn it over and use it like a chest freezer. Will it even work ? Will it catch fire and burn ?

Also, what makes these small dorm size 'friges so inefficient ( ( 3.1 Cu ft, yet burns up 337 kWh /year ) ??

Can I modify this thing much like a chest freezer modification ?


Thanks for any advice.

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Old 03-28-09, 02:14 PM   #2
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How to Convert a mini fridge to a chest refrigerator
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Old 03-28-09, 05:18 PM   #3
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Thanks !
That looks easy enough. I talked to a guy that made it sound as if this sort of thing would be impossible -something about the "refrigerant not working right if the 'frig is turned on it's side."

So with this simple setup described above, I would also still have my freezer - right ?

( It appears as if the only change that was made to the unit is that it was modified to sit on its back )

Thanks again !
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Old 03-29-09, 01:06 AM   #4
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It's the oil in the compressor that you have to worry about, without that oil the compressor will burn it's self up, you might not get a nice fire out of the deal but the inner workings of it will not last long without oil.
other then that, as long as you keep it in a warm enough area (not outside in the winter) that the refrigerant can go thru it's whole cycle of turning in to a liquid and a gas, you should be fine, main reason that little fridge like that are so bad is they lack insulation and the warm compressor is tucked right tight in there.
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Old 03-29-09, 10:47 AM   #5
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After looking at the compressor on my 'frig, I notice that there are several ( short )copper lines that are coiled around.
I know nothing of refrigerators.
It would be nice if I could just cut the lines to the compressor and install some longer copper lines. This way I could keep the compressor upright, and also it would not heat up the 'frig with the heat it produces ( I could set it several inches away from the 'frig vs. below it )
However, my guess is that if I go cut the lines, all of my refrigerant will come shooting out.
Is there a way to keep that from happening ?
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Old 03-29-09, 11:09 AM   #6
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I tried to do some research on how refrigerators work , but could not find the answer to another question that I have : I notice that the sides of the 'frig get very warm when the 'frig is running.
Is it really necessary to have the lines that carry the refrigerant so close to the 'frig ? Could they be moved away from the 'frig, so as not to heat up the 'frig ?

One more question : There is a copper coiled line running from the compressor into a drain container. ( There is a drain tube that also runs into this container ) It almost appears as if the coiled tubing is meant to be immersed in the water of the drain container.( which at the current time is dry )
What do you make of that ?

Pictures to follow ...later.
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Old 03-29-09, 03:14 PM   #7
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Quote:
So with this simple setup described above, I would also still have my freezer - right ?
Maybe, maybe not. Top freezer refridgerators generally work by only keeping the freezer section cold. When the fridge needs cooling, it blows cold air down from the freezer into the fridge compartment. That works for frost free models. However, non-frost free fridge usually rely on gravity instead of a fan for cooling (cold air surrounding the inner freezer compartment drops into the fridge area).
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Old 03-29-09, 05:48 PM   #8
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Do not cut the copper lines, when they put it all together they not only have to keep the refrigerant in there while sealing it up, they have to keep air out, so they have fittings that let them fill the components, seal them then connect everything together.
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Old 03-29-09, 06:38 PM   #9
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Here is what I have to work with . Given what you see here, how would you go about modifying this fridge ?

[/IMG]

Last edited by Homeless; 06-09-09 at 07:01 PM..
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Old 03-29-09, 08:20 PM   #10
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condensation drips down in to that little tub then the coil from the compressor gets hot and cooks the water off before it over flows, that thumb size copper doohickey I think is the dryer, I think as long as that is at a low point you should be fine.

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'frig, 3.1 cu ft. 'frig, freezer modification

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