Fridge as warming cabinet = help with Freon

[Alabamaeee]

I have acquired a super little fridge that still works but was being dumped. I will be making a warming cabinet but unsure about taking out the motor and other parts, and as it still has freon gas I am a bit worried about dismantling it.

What have other members of the forum done when modifying a fridge?

I suppose maybe I could just leave it all intact and disconnect it electrically, then drill a hole though one side to take the cable for the bulbs and thermostat.

Grateful of any hints/tips.

 

[steve1958]

I would leave it intact and just cut off the power cable (unplug it first )
Is there a hole in the back already for draining excess water - they have these in larger fridges
If so use that hole for your cable to the light bulb.

Fridges make excellant warming cabinets

 

[victor meldrew]

Freon ! MMhh! you could accidentally puncture the commpressor whilst modifying your fridge after all thousands of fridges are littering depots all over the country ,rotting and leaking freon as we speak whilst the intelligency wonder what to do !
The ice box ,left intact would take up a lot of useful room!

John Wilkinson

 

[davemacdon]

Freon ! MMhh! you could accidentally puncture the commpressor whilst modifying your fridge after all thousands of fridges are littering depots all over the country ,rotting and leaking freon as we speak whilst the intelligency wonder what to do !

Can I suggest that this is taken as the joke I believe it was meant. The fire Brigade have to deal with so many of these leaking fridges and if you have one, that isn't leaking, then there is no reason why it would now start leaking or would if used as a warming cabinet.
Just leave everything in tact and proceed as planned.
Let's leave this world as clean and healthy as we would like it to be.

 

[tawny]

I have used the compressors out of fridges before on a number of other projects. They are ok if you are using the small model type sprayers as an air source. Also used one for extra airation of a pond. On both I have had the motor was picked up off of frecycle where the compressor pipe work was crimped off. Not sure if these fridges were Freon based..

 

[Alabamaeee]

Looks like leaving it as it is will be the best option. I assume that the ice box has an element through which the freon runs.

I would like to remove that if possible, as I had thought about inverting it and putting it on the bottom of the fridge as a diffuser for the bulbs!

I did ask the recycling centre yesterday if they took the freon out, but apparently a contractor comes and takes them away at regular intervals.

I actually got the fridge from someone who was about to dump it at the recycling centre, so a lucky find!

It's a great pity our policy making people don't follow the same recycling ideas as some of our European neighbours. In Germany for instance they put their recycling junk (read treasure) out in a designated area and most is "recycled" by other people, saving energy and fuel that would otherwise be spent transporting and processing the "junk"

 

[Russel]

Looks like leaving it as it is will be the best option. I assume that the ice box has an element through which the freon runs.

I would like to remove that if possible, as I had thought about inverting it and putting it on the bottom of the fridge as a diffuser for the bulbs!

I did ask the recycling centre yesterday if they took the freon out, but apparently a contractor comes and takes them away at regular intervals.

I actually got the fridge from someone who was about to dump it at the recycling centre, so a lucky find!

It's a great pity our policy making people don't follow the same recycling ideas as some of our European neighbours. In Germany for instance they put their recycling junk (read treasure) out in a designated area and most is "recycled" by other people, saving energy and fuel that would otherwise be spent transporting and processing the "junk"

In an ideal UK that would be great but for the travelers/loudhailer scrap collectors that abound at the mo' would have a field day and leave more mess for the councils to clear up.

Also in the UK I suspect this would encourage lazy tw@ts to fly tip at or near the designated sites. We frequently find rubbish dumped along side our workshops, the dumpers having driven past the recycle/waste center to get to us.
It's not just the travelers the leaver rubbish every where, we are becoming a slovenly nation if we could only................

That's where freecycle comes in handy!

 

[Alabamaeee]

That puts another slant on it for sure.

I think the biggest problem is lack of education from an early age. If all parents took some pride in their country and taught children to dispose of litter responsibly we could have a very clean and tidy country in a couple of generations time.

I agree about our nations slovenliness, it's embarrassing when you see the state of cafes, restaurants and hotel/guest houses compared to most of our continental neighbours.

 

[milkermel]

Freecycle is quite good way to shift junk!

 

[Alabamaeee]

Yes I use it frequently, but usually collecting "junk"

 

[viridens]

What type of refrigerant is used in this fridge? There should be label somewhere on or near the compressor stating the type and charge amount.

It is likely to be R12, the dreaded CFC ozone eater. If you are very lucky, it could be the more modern HFC 134A, which causes zero ozone depletion.

 

[Alabamaeee]

Viridens, thanks for that info, I will check it out. If it is the harmless type than that will be great, because I plan to remove the ice box and turn it upside down to make a diffuser for the bulbs.

Looks like I will need to buy some spare bulbs too before they all disappear, or experiment with halogen types.

According to one recent news report some of our nice energy saving bulbs have been found to emit carcinogens

 

[Alabamaeee]

UPDATE - The refrigerant is HFC 134a so now I just have to google and find out how to release it safely

 

[victor meldrew]

Viridens, thanks for that info, I will check it out. If it is the harmless type than that will be great, because I plan to remove the ice box and turn it upside down to make a diffuser for the bulbs.

Looks like I will need to buy some spare bulbs too before they all disappear, or experiment with halogen types.

According to one recent news report some of our nice energy saving bulbs have been found to emit carcinogens

Halogen lamps are designed to operate at higher temperatures requiring lower wattages, Win Win situation.

John Wilkinson

 

[Skyhook]

According to one recent news report some of our nice energy saving bulbs have been found to emit carcinogens

Evidence for that looks a bit thin. One german scientist saying they emit 'an electrical smog', then naming some substances but not explaining how they get out of the lamp; and some concerns that because the light emitted is similar to the spectrum of daylight it could lead to various conditions.

Nothing in the Daily Mail counts as a news item by any reasonable use of the term.

 

[psafloyd]

Evidence for that looks a bit thin. One german scientist saying they emit 'an electrical smog', then naming some substances but not explaining how they get out of the lamp; and some concerns that because the light emitted is similar to the spectrum of daylight it could lead to various conditions.

Nothing in the Daily Mail counts as a news item by any reasonable use of the term.

I thought the danger wwas from when they get bijjed and broken, as they have mercury in them.

 

[viridens]

Halogen lamps are modern versions of traditional filament bulbs. Pros: More efficient, spectrum closer to daylight, claimed longer life, & can be underrun at or near red heat to provide heating. Cons: run hot, expensive, liable to premature failure if touched by hand, do emit a little iodine or bromine when broken.

'Low energy' energy saving bulbs are compact fluorescent tubes containing mercury vapour and requiring relatively complex control electronics, both toxic to the environment when scrapped. The cost of these has been heavily subsidised, but many are now rising to their true cost (e.g. 25P last year in Tesco, now £2)

The true future of efficient lighting currently lies with led technology, which is now bright enough to replace some automotive bulbs, allowing them to be built into the bodywork since they will last the life of the vehicle. They are also replacing some PAR (parabolic aluminised reflector) lamps in shop and domestic premises, as well as practically all pocket torches etc. Their long life and excellent efficiency eclipse other types.

Sorry about the ramble -I used to lecture in a previous incarnation...

 

[wilderness]

Evidence for that looks a bit thin. One german scientist saying they emit 'an electrical smog', then naming some substances but not explaining how they get out of the lamp; and some concerns that because the light emitted is similar to the spectrum of daylight it could lead to various conditions.

Nothing in the Daily Mail counts as a news item by any reasonable use of the term.

I have a bat detector .

Like all blokes, I thought what else emits at high frequency? I went round our house with it and found a lot of "noise" comes from the low energy fluorescent lamps.

 

[Skyhook]

I thought the danger wwas from when they get bijjed and broken, as they have mercury in them.

That is the more realistic downside; and therefore not reported in the Daily Filth

 

[Alabamaeee]

Maybe a danger of fire too (check your bulbs)

http://unsafe-products.net/2011/05/10/telstar-recalls-energy-saving-light-bulbs-due-to-fire-hazard/