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..
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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.
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.
"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 tra nsfer is set up and how much the fridge depends on gravity to move the flui d around the cycle. If you can find that type of mini-fridge, get the manu facturers info and contact them and ask.
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