[Scott O.]

I am helping my son build a "kegerator" using a smaller size dormitory style refrigerator. I was trying to remove the freezer area to make more room but in order to reach the screws holding (what I thought) was simply a sheet metal pan, I decided to drill holes through the pan in order to more easily reach the screws and That's when I realized that there was coolant moving thro tubes in that pan. Did I ruin his frig or is there a separate freezer line and refrigerator coolant line?

[RickJ]

I'm sorry to say, yep. You ruined it. Unless there is some new approved technology that I don't know of for making the repair in a way that meets code related to the freon, then it's now just a very heavy hunk of trash.

Sorry to break it to you!

[Scott O.]

I thought so... RATS!

Thanks Rick

[RickJ]

Stay tuned, Scott. We do have a few good refrigerator whiz-bangs here. I'll guess that by the end of the day, we'll have another reply or three.

Since you're talking about a little dorm sized fridge, I'm even more certain it's trash. Even if you got an authorized repairman with a license to handle the freon, then his trip cost plus labor and freon (expensive stuff!) is going to be more than a new fridge.

Sorry about your luck, Scott. Take a break, crack a couple cold ones from a working refrigerator, get a good laugh out - then go get another little fridge to get that very worthy project finished. :D

[applguy]

The only luck I have ever witnessed on repairing a punctured evaporator was after someone used a sharp object to defrost it and they inadvertently caused a pinhole. In that kind of situation, epoxy was used to repair the pinhole, and to my knowledge, it's still running. A pinhole is one thing, a drill bit hole is something completely different. Rickj is probably correct is his suggestion, and I would concur, that you should probably just get a different unit, just make sure it's big enough to hold that little container of joy.