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Running a mini refrigerator upside down?

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Jeff Lundstrom

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Feb 20, 2008, 2:28:28 PM2/20/08
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Hey everyone,

I am looking to build a kegerator and can't find a mini fridge
without a shelf at that bottom. Ideally the shelf should be at the
top like this unit..


http://www.beveragefactory.com/refrigerators/beer/sanyo.shtml


I came up with the brainstorm idea of running the fridge upside
down and wondered if this would be possible and reasonable to do.
Does anyone know if it would be possible for me to modify the
refrigerator to run upside down? I have always heard that you should
never lay a refrigerator down but do not know why, can anyone explain
this.


Thanks in advance,


Jeff

DerbyDad03

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Feb 20, 2008, 2:48:01 PM2/20/08
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Stolen without permission from:

http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/refrigerator/move.php

Can I Lay the Refrigerator on its Side?

Avoid laying a refrigerator on its side. The oil in the compressor can
flow into the cooling lines when the refrigerator is tipped onto its
side. When returned to an upright position, there is a risk that the
oil will not completely drain from the cooling lines and the
refrigerator will not cool.

If you have to lay the fridge over, try to avoid laying it completely
flat. Instead tip it to an angle by placing a box under the top of the
fridge; this will help to keep the oil in the compressor. Also, there
are several lines connected to the compressor. The cooling and
discharge lines should be oriented to face up. You must keep the oil
out of these lines. Laying the refrigerator over with the tubes facing
up will minimize the risk of fouling the lines.

My added comments:

Obviously the oil situation will be even worse if you turn the unit
upside down. And not that it will matter once the oil has drained
out, but I doubt the mounting hardware as currently installed will
hold the compressor correctly. If it's mounted on springs and using
gravity as part of the mounting system, things could go pretty bad if
you try to "hang" it.

Oren

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Feb 20, 2008, 3:10:16 PM2/20/08
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On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:28:28 -0800 (PST), Jeff Lundstrom
<jefflu...@gmail.com> wrote:


UpsideDownRefrigeratordotcom is for sell!

--
Oren

Message has been deleted

pheeh...@gmail.com

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Feb 21, 2008, 6:15:12 AM2/21/08
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On Feb 20, 2:10 pm, Oren <O...@127.0.0.1> wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:28:28 -0800 (PST), Jeff Lundstrom
>
>
>
>
>
> >Hey everyone,
>
> > I am looking to build a kegerator and can't find a mini fridge
> >without a shelf at that bottom. Ideally the shelf should be at the
> >top like this unit..
>
> >http://www.beveragefactory.com/refrigerators/beer/sanyo.shtml
>
> > I came up with the brainstorm idea of running the fridge upside
> >down and wondered if this would be possible and reasonable to do.
> >Does anyone know if it would be possible for me to modify the
> >refrigerator to run upside down? I have always heard that you should
> >never lay a refrigerator down but do not know why, can anyone explain
> >this.
>
> >Thanks in advance,
>
> >Jeff
>
> --
> Oren


I wonder if you can run the compressor-less type that uses a heating
element to drive the cooling cycle...up-side-down?

DerbyDad03

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Feb 21, 2008, 8:06:41 AM2/21/08
to
On Feb 21, 1:30 am, letter...@invalid.com wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:28:28 -0800 (PST), Jeff Lundstrom
>
>
>
>
>
> I would not recommend running it upsidedown.  Bad idea....
> As far as laying a refrig down, that's not a problem as long as it's
> allowed to stay upright for several hours before plugging it in.  I've
> moved many refrigs in trailers or pickup trucks, and I always lay them
> over.  You dont want to be going down the highway and have a fridge
> fall out onto the road.  I've always had them work just fine once they
> are moved, but I always let them stand upright for awhile.  Usually a
> full day, even though that long is probably not necessary.
>
> Why cant you remove the shelf?  Most fridge shelves come out.
> Although I am not familiar with the minis.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

re: Most fridge shelves come out

Hey...this is a.h.r

Using the proper tools, ALL fridge shelves come out. <g>

Jeff Lundstrom

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Feb 21, 2008, 2:58:37 PM2/21/08
to
> Using the proper tools, ALL fridge shelves come out. <g>- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks everyone for the input. The shelf I am refering to is the one
at the very bottom that is built it to the back to hide the compressor
and other items. As far as I know removing that shelf would be fatal
to the refrigerator.

mi...@reverbant.com

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Oct 19, 2015, 4:13:50 PM10/19/15
to
On mine, that "bottom half-shelf" is actually part of the interior fridge-mold. It's not really a shelf.
Having said that...
I detached the ice-tray and bent it partially straight down the right-hand side (be very careful not to bend it too much and work-harden that metal - it seems to be part of the cooling system, if not THE cooling system). This frees up several inches at the TOP of the fridge (when upright!).
Placing blocks on the bottom, my 5-Gallon (but not my 6.5 gal) carboy just barely fits.

hrho...@att.net

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Oct 19, 2015, 4:57:38 PM10/19/15
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"I wonder if you can run the compressor-less type that uses a heating
element to drive the cooling cycle up-side down?"

It might work, it depends on how the ventilation system for the heating transfer is set up and how much the fridge depends on gravity to move the fluid around the cycle. If you can find that type of mini-fridge, get the manufacturers info and contact them and ask.
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