Hey everyone, I just purchase a fridge solely for the storage of my beer. The temperature is constant at 40°F which I find is too cold. I am on the verge of buying a temp controller. My question is where is the best place to drill through the fridge? I'm thinking the sides but I don't want to strike anything and then the fridge doesn't work anymore and poof bye bye warranty.
I've drilled through the side before thinking I'd get lucky and it didn't turn out pretty. Needless to say, it turned that fridge into scrap real quick. Either go through the door in an inconspicuous spot or just snake it through the door jamb if you don't mind seeing the cord.
Doors usually have a rubber seal. I would make a clean cut (in an inconspicuous place like the bottom right or left), fix the sensor inside and seal it shut.
If just adding a temp probe the door seal will easily take care of the problem. If you have to drill the safest place is door. Almost as safe is top or bottom (yes, I know this is highly impractical). If you want a neat application and can stand the contortion, the hump is a low risk area. Remove the lower shelf (usually a tapered pull-out) and you'll see the "hump" that houses the compressor. Remove the exterior back cover to expose the compressor and this area is visible. It's difficult to reach (did I mention contortion?), may need a bit extender (I used a flexible bit extender), but odds are favorable and it will never be seen. If you drill you qualify for membership to either the D'oh Club or Ahhhh Faternity.
Another tip....there is no need to bury the drill. Go slow with only slight pressure, the surfaces you are drilling through are only a quarter inch. If you have drill stops, use one and set it up to give you a quarter inch. If you want to go through the side you can make a paste of vodka and corn starch and with the fridge running brush it on the sides where you want to drill. The coolant lines are warm and will evaporate the vodka sooner than where there are no lines, leaving you a white line.
