"Every purchase from Craigslist is a gamble" said the refrigeration technician during my visit. His words were scornful as if I should have visited his repair shop first. I was shopping for a cheap garage fridge while also seeking advice.
Leaving empty handed I resolved to continue searching online. The next find must be running and cooling on arrival was the lesson for the day. The freebie fridge I had picked up before was trash. It ran but would not cool. The refrigeration lines leaked freon; a costly repair.
My next CL sighting was promising and for $20 I had little to lose. When I arrived the owner assured me it worked when unplugged for their kitchen remodel. Pressed for time he offered a refund if the unit didn't freeze. I found everything worked as promised. The old rusting unit would finish life as a beer cellar.
Leaving empty handed I resolved to continue searching online. The next find must be running and cooling on arrival was the lesson for the day. The freebie fridge I had picked up before was trash. It ran but would not cool. The refrigeration lines leaked freon; a costly repair.
My next CL sighting was promising and for $20 I had little to lose. When I arrived the owner assured me it worked when unplugged for their kitchen remodel. Pressed for time he offered a refund if the unit didn't freeze. I found everything worked as promised. The old rusting unit would finish life as a beer cellar.
I removed internals replaced the door shelving with covers of insulated sheathing. I installed an external temperature controller and a wooden pallet for beer. As the unit cooled the temperature would fluctuate. My guess is convection heat was causing the various readings. I wired the circulation fan to remain on. The trouble with temperature stabilized by adding a mass of plumbers putty around the probe. I closed the door switch with a screw then reinstalled the drain so condensation flowed out.
The beer cellar will house everything from homebrew to commercial. I would like to utilize the freezer for horizontal bottle storage but that's another project. I felt safer installing locking hinges to keep the doors closed.
The beer cellar will house everything from homebrew to commercial. I would like to utilize the freezer for horizontal bottle storage but that's another project. I felt safer installing locking hinges to keep the doors closed.
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