Cutting the coils in a dead freezer

[grip_beer]

Hey guys- I've been reading this forum for years and was able to obtain enough knowledge to build a nice little automated system. Thanks HBT!

I recently obtained a large (fits 8 cornies) chest freezer for free from CL and the owner said it cools, but not quite to zero. What a perfect candidate for a keezer/ferm chamber I thought! I got it home, plugged it in overnight and the compressor ran fine but the thing did not cool at ALL. I'm assuming all of the freon leaked out sometime ago. What I still have, however, is a nice, free, well-insulated box. I also happen to have a mini-fridge that works quite well. Since there is probably little to any freon in the coils, can I just cut a big hole out of the side and install my mini fridge for cooling? I'm not a huge tree-hugger, but I try to prevent damage to the environment when possible, so if there is a chance I will release a lot of the old, r12 refrigerant (it's an old freezer) by cutting the coils I would probably avoid this project. Any thoughts? Thanks!!!

 

[Groner]

I'm no HVAC specialist, but I did stay at a Holiday inn Express last night... That said, unless you know for sure that there is no freon in the lines, you can't be sure about releasing the R12.

I wouldn't think it would be worth all the effort to get the lines out but you may have more patience than I. There could be a bunch of other reasons its not cooling besides freon and even a reduced amount may prevent it from cooling so I would say there is still some there.

 

[Yellowirenut]

What you have is a big insulated box. you are right.
A small mini fridge would not have the capacity to cool a large box like that plug full kegs down to a desirable temp in a desirable time.
As for the R12 in the system. The information on the environmental impact of refrigerant was to inform the public of HIGH amounts of refrigerant release. From sources as food factories and very large systems where it was cheaper to refill the system then fix the major leak. Major as in loosing tons of r-12 a year. The oz. of refrigerant in your freezer will never make it to the upper atmosphere where the damage is done.

Also R12 is such an obsolete refrigerant you would have to find an old refrigerant tech with a bottle hidden in his garage to get any back in.

 

[Thegreatestgray]

If there is any chance of r12 in there I would avoid cutting into it. A little spark could light the r12 enough to turn it into mustard gas and you only need to take a couple breaths and you are dead. I would use it as a fermentation chamber and avoid cutting the lines. You could probably find a way to cool and heat it another way

 

[mikescooling]

I love that saying, "but I did stay at a Holiday inn Express last night..." I am/was a HVAC service guy (don't do fridges) Ya gotta look for a label saying what's in the fridge? You may have to clean off crap with a soap and sponge.

 

[Yellowirenut]

If there is any chance of r12 in there I would avoid cutting into it. A little spark could light the r12 enough to turn it into mustard gas and you only need to take a couple breaths and you are dead. I would use it as a fermentation chamber and avoid cutting the lines. You could probably find a way to cool and heat it another way

sorry but that is incorrect.

It takes burning or overheating of the refrigerant in order for it to chemically change into phosgene gas. if any burning would occur it would be from the refrigerant oil and not the refrigerant. This again would only happen in an open flame environment.
If a flame should happen then yes its nasty stuff. I have been exposed a few times in my career, takes your breath away as if you are drowning. Most HVAC techs have been exposed few have died.

I don't mean to lessen the dangers or am I out to disprove anyone. It is the mis-information that I try to inform about.

 

[Thegreatestgray]

sorry but that is incorrect.

It takes burning or overheating of the refrigerant in order for it to chemically change into phosgene gas. if any burning would occur it would be from the refrigerant oil and not the refrigerant. This again would only happen in an open flame environment.
If a flame should happen then yes its nasty stuff. I have been exposed a few times in my career, takes your breath away as if you are drowning. Most HVAC techs have been exposed few have died.

I don't mean to lessen the dangers or am I out to disprove anyone. It is the mis-information that I try to inform about.

That's good to know. I was always told it was extremely dangerous and you should keep anything that could light it far far away

 

[grip_beer]

So what I'm gathering is:

a) There is probably some refrigerant in the lines, but not enough to give the whole world a sunburn

b) I can cut the lines, so long as I don't do it with a cutting torch I was actually going to use tin snips so I have no chance of a spark.

c) The mini fridge won't do the job (I was afraid of this). I will be getting another free upright freezer that actually works, but I doubt it will fit all of the kegs...maybe I could run a cold air duct from one to the other (with a return, of course) and then have to cut a much smaller hole.

Thanks for all of the good advice!

 

[Hermit]

sorry but that is incorrect.

It takes burning or overheating of the refrigerant in order for it to chemically change into phosgene gas. if any burning would occur it would be from the refrigerant oil and not the refrigerant. This again would only happen in an open flame environment.
If a flame should happen then yes its nasty stuff. I have been exposed a few times in my career, takes your breath away as if you are drowning. Most HVAC techs have been exposed few have died.

I don't mean to lessen the dangers or am I out to disprove anyone. It is the mis-information that I try to inform about.

30+ years experience and I concur.

 

[mikescooling]

But we do get small hits when we change compressors in condensers.

 

[jerdes]

So what I'm gathering is:

a) There is probably some refrigerant in the lines, but not enough to give the whole world a sunburn

b) I can cut the lines, so long as I don't do it with a cutting torch I was actually going to use tin snips so I have no chance of a spark.

c) The mini fridge won't do the job (I was afraid of this). I will be getting another free upright freezer that actually works, but I doubt it will fit all of the kegs...maybe I could run a cold air duct from one to the other (with a return, of course) and then have to cut a much smaller hole.

Thanks for all of the good advice!

You might want to consider a glycol type heat exchange system. Should be much more efficient and require much smaller piping/ducting than air. I haven't attempted such a project before, but I would think an automotive heater coil and fan inside the chest freezer might work out well. Then inside your upright set a tank with some sort of submersible pump(harbor freight?). You could probably fill the system with a water & RV antifreeze mixture to save some bucks.

Just my 2 cents, I haven't tried it so take it for what it's worth.

 

[grip_beer]

I like the idea of the glycol system. Has anyone tried this?