Punctured Danby (cooling) back plate - any repair??

[SportsPhotog]

I have a Danby kegarator and apparently my defrost feature is not working anymore as I noticed an extreme amount of ice build up. With the unit indoors and a keg in it I did not have the time to manually defrost it so I decided to slowly chip out the ice knowing the danger and of course I knicked open one of the molded what I presume to be a cooling lines in the white back plate.

Is there anyway to somehow patch this hole? I assume it is based on the material of this back plate and I am not sure what the material is and if it is repairable.

If not, is it possible to replace the entire back plate?
If yes, I see there are two lines running to it, do I cut and resolder those or do I have to replace the two lines entirely?

If I can repair or replace, is there some type of system pressurization that will need to take place if the plate is repaired or replaced?

Thanks in advance,
Jason

[SportsPhotog]

Two repairs I have considered is;
1) solder
2) metal repair liquid that can be purchased at auto parts stores. This is normally 2 seperate gels that you combine and use, I have used this in the past for other repairs which worked better than my expectations.

My hesitancy here is that I don't want to do anything that may screw up another (more proper) possible repair.

[THE ICEMAN]

Hate to tell you there SP but to put it metaphorically, you just screwed the pooch.

That plate that you just poked a hole in is more than likely aluminum, tough to repair. The other problem, and it's a big one, is that with the refrigerants that are used today & the oils they require to circulate through the system, are hygroscopic. This means they can soak up moisture through the air like a sponge. And you just opened the system to the air. Any moisture in a refrigeration system is bad news.

It could be repaired but it is an involved process & you would need to to find a service company that knows what they are doing. A simple A/C company cannot do it. Thems is the facts.


THE ICEMAN

[pvs6]

The good news, it can be repaired.

The bad news, but not by you.

The really bad news, It might end up costing you with 2 way shipping included as much as a new one.


Lesson, never poke a bear with a sharpened stick cause he will bite you.

[psychodad]

I have a Danby kegarator and apparently my defrost feature is not working anymore as I noticed an extreme amount of ice build up.

Not that this does you any good now, but your defrost was likely working, but the drain hole at the bottom was probably plugged up not allowing the water to drain giving it no other choice but to refreeze. Of course once it refreezes over the hole, it just gets worse.

Unplugging these things for a half hour or so with the door open will defrost them just fine. Even with a keg in it it will not hurt anything.

If you are unable to find someone willing to repair this thing, salvage your lines, tower, co2 bottle, etc. and look into converting a small fridge or chest freezer.

[SportsPhotog]

Thanks all for the help, after so more research last night I found a post where someone else had done the same thing so this info was not much of a surprise.

My level of stupidity is what pisses me off but my main concern here is reading all of the Danby issues people are having and this one has been near flawless for me so it pains me to toss it but I will salvage all the parts even if I do not rebuild one and take my chances with a new one. I will do some shopping around and see what to do next.

Thanks again,
Jason

[kurney]

"My level of stupidity is what pisses me off "

punctured a gas line in my first small fridge conversion solely due to stupidity....you're not the first, not last!! NOW YOU CAN BUILD ONE TO RIVAL ICEMAN'S!!!