How To Fix a Broken Mini Fridge -Jonny DIY
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- Опубліковано 31 січ 2025
- Repairing Mini Refrigerator that Leaked Refrigerant Freon Out. Fix Hole Punctured in Freezer Tray Accidentally while Defrosting & Recharge.
TOOLS & SUPPLIES & DONATION LINKS
Bullet Piercing Valve- amzn.to/2M9uT2I
A/C Refrigerant R134a & Hose with Gauge Kit- amzn.to/3UKKbyv
Epoxy Glue JB Weld- amzn.to/2LEq9nX
A/C Conversion Fittings- amzn.to/375OIX5
A/C Charging Hose with Gauge- amzn.to/3ZRFmVa
A/C Refrigerant R134a- amzn.to/36Z7ATA
A/C Gauges & Vacuum Pump Set- amzn.to/2gRBXVx
A/C Manifold Gauge Set- amzn.to/3S1JVej
Vacuum Pump- amzn.to/2gRH3Bn
Household Tool Set- amzn.to/3tbmEbo
Safety Glasses- amzn.to/2ez41Jw
Nitrile Disposable Gloves- amzn.to/2w0dlwc
Mechanics Gloves- amzn.to/2w0i1SP
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*TOOLS & SUPPLIES & DONATION LINKS*
Bullet Piercing Valve- amzn.to/2M9uT2I
A/C Refrigerant R134a & Hose with Gauge Kit- amzn.to/3UKKbyv
Epoxy Glue JB Weld- amzn.to/2LEq9nX
A/C Conversion Fittings- amzn.to/375OIX5
A/C Charging Hose with Gauge- amzn.to/3ZRFmVa
A/C Refrigerant R134a- amzn.to/36Z7ATA
A/C Gauges & Vacuum Pump Set- amzn.to/2gRBXVx
A/C Manifold Gauge Set- amzn.to/3S1JVej
Vacuum Pump- amzn.to/2gRH3Bn
Household Tool Set- amzn.to/3tbmEbo
Safety Glasses- amzn.to/2ez41Jw
Nitrile Disposable Gloves- amzn.to/2w0dlwc
Mechanics Gloves- amzn.to/2w0i1SP
*If you Enjoy the Channel Consider Helping Support it by Donating below & by Subscribing.*
*PAYPAL DONATION* www.paypal.me/JonnyDIY
*Zelle Donation* JonnyDIYs@gmail.com
*Venmo Donation* JonnyDIYs@gmail.com
Thank You for watching, Subscribe & Click BELL Icon To Enable Notifications for NEW Upcoming Videos, Give a Thumbs up, Leave a Comment or Question, & Share, I'd appreciate it tremendously! :) Remember to Keep on, Doin it Yourself!
Saved my ass with this lol
@Demon Crats you can try, most likely will stop cooling in the next few hours though
@Demon Crats its a gas so it'll all leak out most likely, unless you were able to seal it with something super air tight
For the items listed do u have a total price for everything
Anybody live in Florida Tampa Bay area willing to do a easy refill on a mini fridge for me I'll buy the parts and pay for labor
Thank you!! Love my mini and now I know how repair the hole that I put in the freezer today while impatiently defrosting. Note to all: hammers and screwdrivers should be avoided at all times while defrosting. ;)
Haha my Dad did the same thing. Rubber mallet and a screwdriver. He didn't know it was designed that way. You live you learn 😀👍🏻
I learned too late
Covered it with a yon of ice and poured water to freeze
I hope it lasts overnight
Learned my lesson too late about the screwdriver... Now I'm here 😂
Did the same thing yesterday. Man, if it would have been 1/8” left and no prob. But yeah, haste makes waste. Glad to see it should be fixable
Literally just pierced mine TODAY with the same tools🤦🏾♀️
Feels good to know that I am not the only one who punctured the mini fridge with knife.
You're in good company with many. Such a poor design flaw
😂😂😂😂😂😂 I just did it 2 days ago. Man!!
Fuuuuu, literally just doing a quick search to see if I messed up my mini fridge and this is the first thing I see. Confirmed within second I’m in the right place after seeing your comment.
I used a metal chisel 😂
Ahhh sucks so I did this 2 days ago . Seal the cut , everything dry and now the fridge still isn’t getting cold. But I can hear it running.. what should I do ? Do I need to add refrigerant?
Awesome! Never seen a fridge repair video go this far. This is truly resurrecting a dead fridge.
Thank you! Yes I figured was worth a shot to try and fix it 👍
Yeah my husband took a knife and picked at the freezer..then I hear a "PFFFFTTT"..... The refrigerant sizzled out and a hole was there in the freezer coil. This exact thing happened to my mini fridge. I'm so glad you found a solution. I love youtubers! 🩷
Happy I could help, good luck 👍
Oh my ! you saved me . I thought I had to get a new one and I was heart broken because that mini fridge was my husbands last thing he had of his brother that passed away in June . He gave it to him and couple days later he passed . I felt so bad that I punctured a hole and now I know how to repair it . Thank you so much
@@lauraromo1996 You're very welcome, happy I could help you out. Good luck with the repair 🙌👍
One week after my repair and still cool. :) Thanks so much! Just a few words on Autozone and obtaining the vac and gauges. They don't rent these. However, I was pleased to find out that they LEND them. You just have to put down a deposit to temporarily buy the loaner ($300 on my CC for the set). Upon return, you get you full deposit back up to 90 days. I did have to buy oil for the vac for $10. Total out of pocket for repair was about $40, but I saved a $1,300 U-Line beverage center (fancy mini-fridge) for now. Repair was estimated at $850 to replace the evap. unit. They would not patch it.
Thats awesome! Glad my video was able to help you out some 😀👍🏻
Dawgorino , thank you so so much!!!!! I just saved my mini fridge thanks to you 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Awesome! You're very welcome! Happy I could help you out 🙌👍
Just punctured a hole in my 1957 GE Fridge freon line. . (I know, I knew better). I love her and can't get rid of her and can't get a repairman out so this is exactly what I needed! Great easy to follow video. Thanks!
You're very welcome, happy to help. Good luck with the fix 👍
That was informative even for a chic that doesn't understand anything about fixing a mini fridge leak and refilling it with coolant. Thank you for a video with awesome explanation.
You're welcome, glad to help 👍 & thank you for your kind words
3 minutes in, I'm hooked. I'm good with diy but I guess that stops at refrigeration and such... Anyway, you're awesome, explanations and additional words added on the video are great. Boosting my confidence further is that you seem to have a much deeper knowledge of this than you're explaining. I look forward to your other videos.. thank you! I'll be back!
edit: also, if you don't know a ton about this, you've done your research and/or approach the issue really well and thoroughly. Love your intro jump, I'm here for a long time ❤️
Thank you for all your kind words 🙏🙌 happy I could help you out 👍
Nice job and explanation. It's also nice to see your generation being active in HVAC.
One note - to properly handle refrigerants, you should suggest that all get the appropriate licensing. This one is fairly easy and cheap to get: EPA 608 certification. The exam costs under $30 and you can get the training online.
@@petersamios5409 Thank you! And thanks for sharing that helpful information 👍 will check it out
This just happened to me. I have a few mini fridges, and I forgot that one of them has the coils build into the tray, just like yours and punctured it while trying to quickly remove the ice that was in there using a pick and hammer. I usually always unplug to defrost it, but my other freezer failed overnight and I was trying to defrost it very quickly. I have JB weld on hand, and will follow your other directions. Thank you!!
You're welcome, glad to help. Good luck with project! 👍
Nice, thanks for that. I needed the full run down of the process along with the tools and materials needed…now that's a winning formula for videos!
You're welcome Robert! 👍🏻
Just bought the stuff from Amazon and will give this a try in the next few days! Will keep you posted. Also, Note to self: DON'T BE A DUMMY, AGAIN...and use sharp objects on freezers!
Well, I just used a knife on my freezer section and puncture a hole in it. Being a impatient defroster. Now I have to do this same exact thing to fix the hole. Thanks for the video.
You're welcome, glad to help. It really is such a poor design flaw. Good luck with the fix 👍
Another impatient defroster here, now I know how to fix, great video...
Thanks 👍 Glad the video helped you out
That was me smh
Mad respects to you bro, was about to drag this thing to the curb, im broke asf at the moment and can’t afford a new one lol, you told me what my issue was in the first minute of this video😂 thank you
You're welcome, happy I could help. Hope you can get it fixed 👍
Thank you! I used your video to repair my mini fridge. Now everything is back to normal. Great video.
Awesome, glad you were able to fix it 👍
I like these kind of videos that straight to the point easily easily able to follow along and well well explained thank you very much.
Thanks! 🙌 and you're welcome, happy to help 👍
Thanks bro, just picked up a mini-fridge.. fired it up and no cold.. watching your video made me look for a hole in the tray.. I didn’t realize the refrigerant went through that… mini fridges make absolute sense to me now.. the whole process…. Im an IT guy, that likes to FIX components not just replace… I found the hole… and it’s Perry gnarly, but this week imma restore this fridge! And the other two I have hahaha easy money maker.. flip jobs!
Awesome, you're welcome. Glad I could help you out. Good luck getting them going, shouldn't be bad 👍
Thanks for enlightment n brilliant ideas
Would u help why after recharging fridge, it doesnt get cold and freeze
You're welcome, make sure compressor working
Ordered parts from your links and fridge is back to life! Thanks!
Awesome to hear you fixed it, you're welcome. Glad to help 👍
I'm at work and our mini fridge freezer has been frozen solid forever and with this hit weather I wanted to get rid of it and put some nice ice pops in there. I got impatient and started chip away then slip....hissssssss😬🤦♂️🤦♂️. So now I'm here hoping it's not an expensive fix haha. Thanks for the video !
You're welcome, glad I could help. Sorry about your fridge, there really should be a warning on the freezer door
I punctured my refrigerant lines months ago and it's been sitting outdoors waiting to be fixed. I have a few questions before I give this a go though!
1. How do I know if I need to add refrigerant? Can I seal the punctures, plug in the fridge and if it doesn't cool, move onto replacing it?
2. What happens when you suck the air out and it does not hold vacuum?
3. Since you piercing a hole to the copper line as the first step, you need to reseal that too after adding refrigerant yes? If so, do you use the JB Weld again?
Thanks a ton!!!
If you punctured lines you will need to add refrigerant. But first you must patch with Jb weld the spots you punctured. Then make sure holds vacuum to confirm patches are good and holding. Finally no you dont need to patch puncture from valve, simply screw down allen and will seal 👍
@@JonnyDIY Oh, so the bullet piercing valve stays on as a permanent piece to the copper line?
@@dangelico yes
This video is awesome. Very detailed and informative. I now I know I don’t have the patience to fix my mini fridge. Looks like I’m buying a new one. 😎
Thank you for the kind words 👍🏻 sometimes can find nearly new ones on craigslist or offerup/letgo too
Great video!! Thank you.
My mini fridge just stopped working. Got any ideas on what it could be? It will not come on at all, not even the fan.
Start relay maybe?
@@JonnyDIY it's that in the little black box with all does going to it? I'll check that out. Thank you!!😊
@@zane4utwo you're welcome 😁👍🏻 yes it will be with all the wiring of the fridge
Man, you have no idea how clutch this video is...thank you so fuckin much for giving me exactly what I needed to fix my old school jewel...it has all my best stickers on it, keeps beers colder than any other, and I just can’t part with it...
You're welcome, glad I could help you keep her cooling many a beer to come! 🍻
This is a great tutorial. I never knew this was possible. So do I leave that piercing piece on there after I’m done?
Yes the valve stays on, in a closed position after recharging 👍
Thank you for that DIY video it's exactly what I need done to my mini fridge but I don't have much confidence that I can perform any work past patching the hole. as the stuff in the back of the fridge gets a bit to complicated beyond my level of expertise so I wonder what it would cost to call the professionals probably the price of a new mini fridge
You're welcome. Yes it'd be more cost effective to purchase another most likely. Can find almost new ones secondhand on Craiglist, Offerup, or Facebook marketplace too for good deals 👍
Thanks for a great video! Question: I followed these steps and my fridge is over shooting temperature (set to 40deg, measured at ~33-34deg). Is this a sign I added too much freon? If so, so I pull some out or just leave it?
You're welcome, glad I could help. I don't think overfilling would cause that issue. Dial down the control to lowest (warmest) setting and go from there. It onle needs to run a little warmer. As long as things aren't freezing. Could settle down after a couple days with everything in fridge too. Make sure door seals not leaking. But I'd start with messing with the thermostat control first.
Way to go man! Just punctured my fridge and really needed this
You're welcome, happy I could help you out. Good luck with the fix 👍
I just punctured my freezer and panicked. Thank you this video saved me from getting heart attackssss 😁👍 subscribering for future
Glad video help you out 😁👍🏻
Literally just did the exact the same to my mini fridge. I had ice building up I’m guessing from when my college roommate punctured the line ever so slightly the first time around.. then when I went to defrost it today fully for the first time, the ice that was sealing that hole was completely gone and it started hissing right away. Quickly unplugged it and turned it off. Googled and found this video. Going to fix it tomorrow myself for the first time. Future subscriber of your videos because that was beautifully described with all the links as well! Thank you
Great video, I have wall compound to cover up holes on the walls, will that work? Thanks
No, needs to be an epoxy 👍
@@JonnyDIY got it. Thanks
@@fallenone6 you're welcome, happy to help 👍
@@JonnyDIY so I patche'd it up with exopy, I turned it back on and now it don't get cold no more. Would you happen to know why?
@@fallenone6 you need to vacuum and recharge system as I showed in video. The refrigerant all leaked out when you pierced a hole
How would I go about finding a leak in the evaporator I've been told is there but haven't seen? Love the video, thanks for the info!
You're welcome, you could add some dye to the refrigerant when recharging and itll leak and leave a trace at point of leak. Youll need black light flashlight and yellow glasses to see dye 👍
yes hello I have you watch your whole video and thankyou very much and have followed all the steps but the issue I’m having is the Freon doesn’t seem to be
hold up in the freezer box tray in my mini fridge it just goes back to water it won’t stay cold very long I have patch up all the piercing wholes in the freezer tray but still getting waterness
I don’t know much about fixing mini fridge or refrigerators is something im mistakenly doing wrong any advice you have for me to fix this problem with the water dropping in the freezer box tray
after adding the Freon I get this issue and thankyou
Make sure holes are properly sealed off then recharge. If you recharge with proper amount of refrigerant it should work and get cold enough so it doesnt leak water but freezes
Nice dude. Love your brisk no-nonsense style. If that vacuum step is absolutely essential may just get a new fridge. What happens if you skip it?
Thank you, glad to help. Yes unfortunately the vacuum step is necessary. May just want to check craiglist, offerup, and Facebook marketplace for another one. I see them there for $20-40 regularly 🤙🏼
@@JonnyDIY - Wurde. Your freakishly quick reply lets me plan my day tomorrow, sweet. Sub me in bro. But hfs look at that massive pile of cool vids how tf am I supposed to get anything else done now 🤨
@@ComradeStiv No problem, thanks for subbing! 🤙🏼
Do I need to fix the freezer with the holes or can it run with it broken? Don't really want the freezer part, or does that cool the whole fridge?
The freezer part unfortunately cools the entire fridge with this style mini fridges
@@JonnyDIY figured. Well need to fix it then
Very good video & info. Wonder what to do with a bigger hole or one with metal skin blocking a big section of the small pipeline in the freezer tray. Some videos aren't showing a vacuuming step. What happens if one adds refrigerant without vacuuming first?
Thanks a lot
if you skip vacuuming, it won't cool properly
Hello, thanks for the video. I just rented the vaccum pump and the gauge set but i dont seem to find your video on how to use it. Please help!
You're welcome, glad to help. Here's a couple videos I made showing using it.
ua-cam.com/video/hkjZNDyxvgo/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/6xbnUd649Es/v-deo.html
That fridge looks exactly like mine. Which I DID take a screw driver to it and put the hole in the exact same spot. Now, my question is: it says it takes r600a not r134a...can I use r134a?
yes I believe you can use r134a in it
I made a hole in the freezer part do I have to do everything you did or can I just patch it up ?
Unfortunately you have to do all the things I did if you punctured a refrigerant line
@@JonnyDIY ok thank you 😊
@@romeromommy1200 You're welcome, happy to help. Good luck 👍
I'm sorry that so many have done what I just did. But glad to hear that the coolent didn't kill anyone but how about the stuff in fridge is it gonna be okay to eat? Thank you
Yes it should be fine to eat 👍
Well done video, great information. Can the same procedure be done if the refrigerant is cyclopentanr?
Thank you and I'm not sure, sorry have never worked with that before
Well removing the vacuum is one thing but does that also remove all the refrigerant in it?
Vacuuming system removes any remaining refrigerant as well as any air, when you disconnect it on the valve it doesnt let any air back in. Then just add the correct amount of refrigerant 👍
@@JonnyDIY Great, thanks. There isn't much coverage on R600a fridge repair. The only difference between that and R134 is that R600a is flammable. I'm going to try your method and double check there are zero leaks with vacuum
Awesome video thanks! I have everything but the pump and gauge. Is it critical to get all the air out if I’m confident I sealed the puncture or can I just add refrigerant and skip that part?
It is critical to get all the air out before recharging. Try and find a shop that loans them out or rents them out. I know Autozone and Oreillys does, sure others too 👍
@@JonnyDIY ok thanks for the quick response. I checked the local Autozone and they said they only have the gauge and not the pump. I will check around.
@@evanbrahce7508 you're welcome, yeah call around sometimes they're already loaned out.
I punctured a hole in my refrigerant line and patched it with JB Weld, however it doesn't seem to be cooling down anymore. I assumed it would work again after the hole was patched. Do I need to proceed with the rest of the fix in order to get it working again?
Yes you must vacuum and recharge to get it working again 👍
Can you make a video on how to replace the whole evaporator please
Is it required to recharge your refrigerator after you puncturing it?
Yes, you first have to patch hole, then vacuum, then recharge, for it to work properly as it did 👍
If I don't need to use the freezer, can patching up the hole with JB Weld be enough?
No, you have to do everything in video.
Not sure if you will se this seeing as it was so long ago. The tray under freezer is a drip tray correct?
Correct, so if you need to defrost, just turn the unit off or unplug and let melt. Will go in drip tray that you can empty 👍
@@JonnyDIY Awesome! Thanks for replying so quick. Bought one off of an auction site and the tray is damaged at two corners and figured I should fill them just in case its a drip tray. Manual didn't mention it at all lol
@@XcaLiPaul Nice. You're welcome, glad I could help 👍
Can I repair my mini fridge without using the air compressor to suck all the air out? I don’t have access to one. Also would I be able to just take the freezer part out of the mini fridge since I don’t use it?
No sorry you must vacuum if the refrigerant escaped. And how these ones work is the freezer cools the entire unit
Do you leave the valve that penetrated the fridge on the pipe? If you remove it, how do you patch it?
You leave it on, they can eventually leak over time, but can last years without issues as well. If wanted fully permanent, you would need to sweat on a valve and then either leave it or get specialty tool to cut it off and stub the line
I have a few stupid questions. I guess the piecing valve contraption stays on permanently? Is there no other way to add the coolant? Do you have to weight the coolant? Is it possible to put too much? I already had my mini fridge unplugged when I jammed a screwdriver through the ice and punctured it, is it absolutely necessary to vacuum the line?
Yes you must vacuum, and no other way to add refrigerant. The piercing valve stays on permanently and yes you must weigh refrigerant as you can overfill 👍
Amazing vídeo!
I just punctured my landlords fridge, we don't own it.
I'm glad it's a lot of little things to do here and there rather than like replacing the whole thing.
Thank you. Hope you can get it fixed and working again, good luck 👍
It took me a while to find this video. That you. I knew it was a chemical problem and not all of these other things.
You're welcome, glad to help 👍
So do I have to do all of that for the piercings? I just filled mine and was just going to turn it back on. Will that not work? I would need to follow all those steps?
If you have a hole in system you will have to do as I did
Will “water weld”.. (very similar to jb weld).. hold the vacuum??
Possibly, have never tried it. Not sure how well it will stick to the slick plastic
What are the chances of the bullet piercing valve leaking overtime
I punctured mine... several times at work... so. Now i cant be unsupervised. Thanks for the video
@@jamaziafranklin4913 😆 dang, sorry to hear. You're welcome, glad to help 👍
I used the JB quick weld but it didn't make an air tight seal over the hole, I can still hear refrigerant hissing out. Did I not use enough?
Yes sounds like it or it didn't make a good seal. Make sure to sand area well for adhesion. You can try sanding the jb weld and just going over it and making patch larger 👍
@@JonnyDIY oh great thanks so much I'll try that!
@@petelombardi5924 You're welcome, happy to help. Good luck with the project 👍
What if you don’t evacuate the system before recharging, will it just be more susceptible to failure?
@@Nightowl82 you must vacuum it if it's emtpy of refrigerant. Need to remove air for refrigerant to work properly
Quick question when I did the vacuum the gauge stayed at 28 should I be concerned?
Did it hold it when you turned it off?
@@JonnyDIY Yes I got it to 28 waited about 30 min and it stayed at 28
@@firefistgambino9930 ok good, then it should be fine 👍
Hi Jonny,
Thank you for this DIY, I tried to follow the same and have couple of questions. When creating the vacuum using vacuum pump set, I see smoke coming from oil filler, secondly how long would it take create a vaccum, guage is stopping at 25 and slowly going zero .
Smoke coming from vacuum pump is normal its just the oil, and it should reach vacuum fairly shortly if the leaks have been all fixed. If it cant reach 29ish vacuum and hold it when you close it off, there's still leaks that need to be addressed 👍
@@JonnyDIY , there was only one dent and sealed through epoxy , pls let me know how can we find the leak?
@@sri5147 look and listen for a leak can also put dye in system and put some pressure into system and look for leak dye
Fantastic video Jonny. I too was an impatient defroster & made an icepick sized hole in the freezer line of a mini fridge. That's maybe a 16th of an inch diameter hole. The reason I used an icepick was that I thought the freezer lining was a metal plate & the refrigerant lines ran behind it. So I thought it was safe to pick it. I got surprised when the gas hissed out quickly. This was like 5-6 years ago but I still have the mini fridge. So I hope this is also repairable.
Thank you. Yes should work well, just make sure you vacuum the system a bit since its been open so long 👍🏻
@@JonnyDIY ... Alright I will try that, thanks. I know practically NOTHING about this so not sure what danger level can happen to me. The fridge is not in front of me right now (in another town). So, the only thing I am unsure of is how much all the tools & supplies will cost me. Fridge is probably 25-30 years old so I don't know what refrigerant until I look on label. I do have JB Weld but it's the regular one I think, so not sure if I can use that instead of the variant you used. It's from 1990, heh, but the glues haven't solidified & I've used it in past couple years on some other stuff.
@@robwebnoid5763 yeah doesnt cost too much when you use the gauges and vacuum pump on loan from Auto store. 1 small can of refrigerant and some jb weld. I had everything pretty much on hand when I fixed it. I figured I'd try and fix it before sending it to the dump
@@JonnyDIY ... Alright thanks. Is your mini fridge still working? Now all I have to do work up the courage & the time to even try it, heh.
@@robwebnoid5763 this fix is still holding years later, I woulda been happy with 1 year but been over 2 years
I just did the stupid thing trying to chisel away the ice that almost completely occupied the freezer and I punctured the "tubing" that was on the front edge of the freezer covered by ice 😬😬 it's torn open I think JB-Weld will seal this whole thing allowing no circulation anymore, damn!
Put a small piece of tape over hole then extend and cover larger area with the jb weld to seal it and prevent the jb weld from seeping in and clogging the flow 👍
@@JonnyDIY Hey great idea, I got nothing to lose :) any particular type of tape? Thanks!
@@peterhsu987 You're welcome, doesnt matter. Duct tape, electrical tape, masking tape all be fine 👍
Hear a hissing noise few seconds after I clean my freezer with a knife. But it’s still working and cooling!
Any risks?
No but it'll probably stop cooling in the next few days if you punctured refrigerant line
Hey Johnny, thank you for the video. I've both a Emcool AC Car refrigerant a134 can from Amazon. Not if it works with my mini fridge without using a vacuum pump. Let me. Know if I can only fill it without pumping the air inside.
Yes r134a is fine. Should use that if its within age of last 20 years. Older ones used R12. You can add refrigerant without vacuuming only if the system is just low and not empty. Its best to vacuum and recharge though, that way you can correctly add the right amount
So I was trying to defrost the freezer on my mini fridge and I punctured the thing you showed in the beginning, gas was leaking, and I unplugged the fridge, if I repair the hole, is there a way to reput the cooling thing in it without doing all the stuff you did?
No unfortunately you would have to do whole process as I did. Best bet is to look for a new one or save some money and get a used one off craiglist or offerup or Facebook marketplace. See em all the time for $20-40 🤙🏼
@@JonnyDIY sounds good to me, probably gonna find a new one cause I’m not that of a professional to fix those things anyway, better of to get a new one for $40
I used a wood chisel to fuck up my mini fridge! Glad I found your video. Just ordered the parts on amazon. Thanks for the great tutorial
You're welcome, hope you can get it back up and running 👍
Is the vacuum necessary and what does it do to the fridge ?
Vacuum is necessary if you've leaked out all your refrigerant. It removes air from system. Step can't be skipped unfortunately or fridge won't cool correctly 👍
Okay so how long do I vaccum the mini fridge ?
@@martinhernandez1691 once you seal leaks, only need to vacuum a few minutes
I have a coke a cola soda can vending machine. I wanna vacuum the system like you said. I’m interested in how you got the number 30 for vacuum? Would that be the same for any system?
Yes if you can vacuum down the system to around 29-30 inches of mercury and close the system and it holds that same vacuum that means no leaks. No leaks has to be established 1st before recharging 👍🏻
Jonny DIY Okay great. Other question is. On the compressor it’s self it has 2 copper lines on one side. Ones larger then the other. Is the low side usually the larger one? And on the other side there’s another copper line with a threaded end on it that the vacuum lines can look up to. Would that be the hook up to vacuum it and recharge it? That would be the low side I’m thinking ?
@@parkerkowall8212 Maybe you have a threaded fill line port?? Take a peek at the lines in this video--at the 1:00 mark he shows the fill line crimped off at the factory, and at about 5:30 he puts his own threaded port onto that line and uses that to add refrigerant:
ua-cam.com/video/jeb6gN1uq2M/v-deo.html
Thanks for the info tho I used super glue and paper towel pieces I'll let update to see if it works. Not much leaked out B4 I turned it off. So idk if I have to refill it.
Refrigerant leaks out very fast, but maybe you've got it fixed
I have a mini cooler fridge without the freezer compartment. Lately, it started making gurgling and humming sounds which is quite annoying at nights during sleep. Noticed the condenser is watery and dripping water, so I cleaned the drainpipe which was clogged and wiped the condenser. Turned it back on and the gurgling and humming sound can still be heard loud and clear. Also noticed that this fridge does have any fan to cool the compressor which seems quite hot to touch. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Mine makes the same noises, but is in the garage. And yes they do normally get hot to the touch. Maybe turn down the thermostat as low as is safe to lower the temperature. Then it won't cycle on and off as often 👍
@@JonnyDIY Thank you for response. I will lower the thermostat temperature as you recommended and check what happens. Much appreciated.
@@earthlycreature8772 You're welcome, glad to help. Hope it quiets it down a little for you 👍
After you fill it do you leave that valve on?
Yes 👍
I already own a vacuum pump and chamber with a gauge. Would all I need to do is buy another hose to basically create the same effect as the autozone version?
Not sure, but you need the 1 hose from vacuum pump to gauges and the 1 from gauges to valve, & that one needs fitting to go on the AC adapter I used. May be worth to just use loan a tool from Autozone so you know youll have everything needed
@@JonnyDIY At this point you've inspired me to buy the gauges and hoses to use on my car for AC anyways. Thanks for the response. Will send you an update on how it goes for me. Thanks again.
Awesome vid, man! Just one question: Is it okay to disconnect the R134a/take off the adapter or leave it on?
You need to leave the bullet piercing valve on, but can remove everything else 👍
@@JonnyDIY thank you!
@@alcar45 you're welcome! 🙌👍
will the mini fridge still work if you fill in the hole? i poked it n it just shot out
Yes, but all the rest of the steps must be done to fix it 👍
Awesome video man. So, I should have known better but is it a problem if I poked a hole in the side wall of the fridge (not the freezer coil)?
No you're good. Shouldn't be a problem. As long as it's still functioning as normal. You can always seal up the hole with some epoxy or just caulking to prevent moisture or loss of cooling 👍🏻
@@JonnyDIY awesome! Thanks Jonny!
Super informative, fridge is fixed. Thanks bro!
Awesome, glad to hear you were able to get it fixed and you're welcome, happy to help 👍
After puncturing the coil with my pickaxe whilst battling an ice giant, I was about to climb into my minifridge and let the others push me out to sea. But just before they loosed the first flaming arrow, your video popped up and gave an old fool hope!
Glad I could help. Good luck with the fix! 👍 It's fixable with the effort
PS- loved the imagery in your writing 😄💕👍
Ahhh sucks so I did this 2 days ago . Seal the cut , everything dry and now the fridge still isn’t getting cold. But I can hear it running.. what should I do ? Do I need to add refrigerant?💚
Sorry to hear. Yes it needs to be vacuumed and recharged 👍
@@JonnyDIY Ahh shucks I forgot to mention the sides of the mini fridge are cold but not inside. Still the same outcome or is it toast? Also thanks so much for the video 💪🏽. 💚
@@RickyVicky29 You're welcome, happy to help. Yes, unfortunately if you punctured a refrigerant line and gas escaped (you'd have heard a hiss noise) you will need to vacuum and recharge. There's no way around that 😔
@@JonnyDIY Thank you so much for answering I got the tools today so 🤞🏽it works after I add refrigerant. How I do it correctly 😅.
Is the tray under the freezer a drip pan?
Yes, helpful for when you need to defrost. Just unplug for a couple hours and will drain into pan 👍
Is it necessary to add the back area? Same thing happened to my mini fridge with a screw driver 😅 once the hole is patched up will it be back to normal?
Or is that little thing a must for the fridge to work?.. 🤔
@@v9mpire651 yes the complete process is required to get it cold again unfortunately. So glue, then add valve, vacuum then recharge
My refrigerator works with 600a gas, do I need special adaptor? I'm only asking because the links refer to R134a, like it can matter.
I think the 600a uses the same "can tap" as r134a
@@JonnyDIY What about the bullet percing valve and hoses? Do one you suggest will work for my needs?
I have a small 12v fridge. Compressor kicks on , thermistor reads accurately and thermostat works. Fan works. Capillary tube gets ice cold but fridge stays hot. Does that sound like a capillary tube blockage ? What does that usually cost to fix ?
Sorry not certain about that. Sounds like its not circulating if the compressor is kicking on and off
How long did the refrigerant last with JB weld seal?
Fridge still works fine to this day, it's my garage fridge 👍
How do you know what line to add the bullet valve and refrigerant to? My fridge has a short crimped hose going to nothing, and 2 others leading from the compressor.
use the stubbed service port line if you have one 👍🏻
Ps- should be the thicker diameter pipe as well
I did 2 layers of jb weld and still hear a small amount of air (a lot less than before) coming out, is this okay or should I look into getting a new mini fridge?
Yes you need to re do it or try again until no hiss. You'll know once it holds vacuum that you've got it fixed 👍 or try and find a used one off craiglist, facebook marketplace, or offerup. See them for less than $50 regularly 👍
Shout out to a good friend, RIP OG beer fridge lol. He kept my beverages nice and frosty for years until I went to clean it the other night. Had it about done so then slipped and put a screwdriver through the freezer tray like this. Got thrown in the dumpster and replaced but I would have tried to fix it
My condolences for your good friend 😥💕👍 🍻🍺
Can I just patch the fridge with the jb bond without doing all the other things in back. I’m sorry I’m not handy at all and all the other stuff seems too difficult for my not so handy self. I did the same thing in anticipation to get rid of ice faster I punctures the hole with knife 😂 lesson learned just unplugged it over night. Please reply me thanks 🙏🏽
I wish or I would have done the same! 😄 unfortunately all the steps must be completed to repair. May be best to just look for a 2nd hand one. People on craigslist, Facebook marketplace or offerup sell for 50 or less all the time 👍
@@JonnyDIYgreat idea I will try that
Awesome video! After you patch it up can you just plug it in and it work normal? Or do you have to vacuum it and at more refrigerant? I was just curious what the steps were for.
Seems like a dumb question, but I'm just looking for all the details. It's my first time and I'm probably overthinking a lot of it.
@@matthewfranks6260 yes you must vacuum and recharge as I did, after patching hole if you punctured refrigerant lines. You'll know if you did, it'll all hiss out and stop working within hours
i did the same thing but Soo as I found out I unplugged it. It’s been unplugged for a few months but I wanted to know if I need the extra pieces?
If you punctured a hole in refrigerant line you will need to do all the steps as I did to get it working again 👍
What can cause the compressor to start rattling after I did this ?
@@adalnunez9400 after you recharged? Check fan and make sure nothing vibrating to make that noise. Hopefully compressor still good 🤞
What brand and size is your fridge? Thanks.
Magic Chef 3.3 cu ft 👍
I have a question for you. When you look at your mini refrigerator facing you... in the freezer part on the right hand side is a big hole from knocking the ice loose. Is that hole repairable or not?? If it is what can I use to fix the hole so it's running smoothly and everything stays cold
if you punctured refrigerant line you will have to fix and recharge as I did in video
@@JonnyDIY How can I tell if i punctured the line?? It did give off like a burning smell
@@drummerjms it would have made hissing noise and would stop cooling within a day or so
@@JonnyDIY I already unplugged it earlier this morning
What is with the other links? I see the same Freon with gauge I used for truck
Correct, thats what I used to fix the fridge. Same stuff thats used on a car 👍
Do you have to add new refrigerant. I made a hole and I unplugged it so I feel that it’s ok but again I’m no professional.
Yes, must patch hole first, then vacuum system, then recharge 👍
Unfortunately, mine requires R600a. I’m pretty sure isobutane is spicy (very flammable). Do you think this fix would do? Would you recommend it? The warning signs did not lol
I'm sorry, I've never worked with r600a.
I've read some places about the potential for oil from the compressor to be lost as it escapes with the coolant. If the fridge was shut off a few minutes after the puncture, do you know if any potential loss of oil would be significant enough to be cause for concern?
I wouldn't worry about any loss of oil
WOW...at least I don't feel alone in making the mistake of impatiently trying to defrost my mini-fridge! I just ordered the stuff from Amazon...to be honest, it's almost as expensive as buying a new one if you buy the whole pump option! (I am because I'm known to repeat mistakes just to be thorough!) Besides, now I can help out others when they make the same mistake!
Yes, it's unfortunately really a poor design. It's not your fault. Good luck with the fix, hope you can get it going again 👍