Halloween Forum banner

refrigerator/freezer guts as chiller?

Fog: 
12K views 38 replies 21 participants last post by  kentuckyspecialfx.com 
#1 ·
has anyone tried this? Like disassembling say a chest freezer and using the refrigeration system as a chiller? I've been looking around on craigslist and classifieds ever since I came up with this idea a few days ago and found several freezers for insanely cheap

I know it will be some work but refilling ice gets tired and messy (and looks amateur), ice melts, dry ice is too pricey to go all nite, and ice only cools the fog to 32F whereas freezer coils would get it a bit cooler. In the end I would think if I could build a self-contained, reuseable contraption I would feel alot better about it

thoughts?
 
#2 ·
Too complicated and not worth the trouble as yardjunkie posted in another post about making a elaborate chiller when the wind blows its not worth the trouble. Easiest and cheapest thing to do is a straight through design. Easiest is usually the best and i have been using the same design for years now and it works like a charm and very easy. Cooler 3inch duct fittings on either end and screen so the ice doesnt fall out. Fill it up and your set. No need for all those bends angles and what not. and the ice doesnt melt on me after 4 hours so......But its your choice :)
 
#4 ·
I have to agree with toetag.

Unless you have a degree in air conditioning or refrigeration, I wouldn't even attempt it. Maybe you could create some sort of "chute" that ice could fall down from. (talk to your local movie theatre......They have Ice like you wouldn't believe!!! Or even your local Mc. Donalds. They have lots of ice too!)

Ice melts, no matter what you keep it in. Large places that need alot of ice need NEW ice. (you don't want some Week Old ice in your drink...) Ask them if they have extra ice and see if they would give it to you if you stop by and pick it up. Maybe shop around for some extra "coolers" to keep it in.

I wouldn't mess with any type of refrigeration just for a haunt, unless you were an expert. There is free ice out there if you know the right people.
 
#5 ·
I think I read somewhere that the pump for freezers aren't strong enough to cool down hot fog fast enough to really work. I think you need something more along the lines of an air conditioner pump and coils. But that's if you want to build it. I would do what Toetag said, and keep it simple.
 
#6 ·
Oh, these guys aren't sounding very helpful, or supportive. I say go for it, if it doesn't work, throw it to the curb. Of course you want to do some research on the freezer, so when hacking in to it you don't rupture coolant lines and send refrigerant into the water supply. My one other thought is that Ice cream salt cools the melting point of ice to 2 degrees, or something to that affect. Hey, if no one tries it, how can we tell you it won't work. Just have fun doing it, that's what counts!
 
#10 ·
I support my fellow haunters with advice that saves time, money and aggravation. I see nothing "fun" about wasting the first two, while increasing the third. I also support good ideas, and I'll point out quickly when it's a bad one. Hacking a freezer for a fog chiller is a complete waste of time unless you haunt for more than one night a year. If you have pro haunt, or one for charity it might make sense, but I heard nothing along the lines of that implementation.
 
#7 ·
I agree, go for it. Maybe use it along with ice to slow the melting. Don't use the salt though. It actually lowers the freezing point. So ice will melt at temperatures that would normally freeze water. That's why people put it onto the sidewalks and streets in winter.
 
#8 ·
I noticed I was referenced in this thread and wanted to clarify. I think that building stuff yourself is a great idea. However I get 3 or 4 fridges and freezers that work a week for FREE (people actually pay me to haul them away). I thought about doing this and it would have cost me nothing. However no matter how great I made it, there would be no gain in overall effect. You can make chilled fog that hangs on the ground using ice and a bucket, the catch is you need an environment that is ideal. If you put it outside there is a high likelihood that people walking by will be enough to stir it up, not to mention slight breezes and wind. If the fogger is going to be inside, then a refrigerated fogger would be cool. But, why go to the trouble and expense when a bucket and ice works almost as good?

Plus most people will use this once a year. Does changing ice a few times a night really kill you that much that you need to go all the trouble of tearing apart a fridge? Plus most likely you would need to take apart the tubing to put it in a fog chiller. If you did this you would have to have it filled again with Freon. And if you were to leave the freezer whole and use that as your fog chiller, be careful because if you cut a whole for the fog to come in you might puncture the tubing for the refrigerant. If you do that your freezer is useless and you would need to get it filled with Freon anyways.

I don't mean not to be supportive, I say go for it. I just was trying to impart some constructive criticism. I know most people don't have the the time and money to spend on something that is not really going to be effective. I am one of those people. However if you have the time and money then it might be worth it. If you have the money then you might want to look at already assembled fog chillers.
 
#11 ·
Ok another thing is your not going to be able to buy freon without a license anyway and i dont know of anyone that would even refill after you took apart b/c the first question they are going to ask is what did you use to capture the freon or vent the freon into the air and thats a whole new can of worms you do not want to open.
 
#12 ·
There is a guy in Newport Beach California (well actually Balboa Island CA) that bought two freezer pumps and then had them filled with Freon. So I think that they will do it for you. He created a form in the shape of a snowman and wrapped it entirely in copper tubing then hooked up the freezer pumps. He then sprayed it down with water and had a real snowman in 80 degree weather. Now talk about a waste of time and money. But, hey it got him on national television. :)
 
#13 ·
I treid a fridge/freezer. I cut a hole in the top, added an elbow and fog machine. Then, cut another hole at the lower edge of the freezer section. The fog would come in the top and exit the bottom.
It worked kind of O'K. I believe the fan setup in the freezer was blowing the fog around inside, so it lost alot of its magnitude.

All said and done. I threw out the fridge and scrapped the idea.
I believe I still have the video. I'll try to find it and post it with pics.

P.S. I'm looking for volunteers for helping in our haunted barn during October.
 
#14 ·
Had this thought and not sure if it would work for you or not .
After you remove the coils and all from the freezer/frige , take the coil and stretch it out and have it run , stretched out/straightened out inside a length of PCV pipe ( say , something like 2 inch ) , and remove the defrost heater from the unit . Allow the coils to frost over and freeze over and this is what the fog would come in contact with and use to cool it off. Keep the PVC small , so as to allow as much of the fog to touche the coil as possible , cooling it down .
 
#16 ·
thx for the replies all

general consensus seems to be that it would be too much work for not enough reward. I kinda figured as much, but I've always been a tinkerer. Hence why I come up with ideas like this. So bottom line here is I dunno- I might end up building this and maybe not. If I do, I'll be sure to do at least a quick write up on it

as far as refrigerant goes, it all depends on what grade it is. R134 is the type in most late-model automotive systems and it commonly available. R12 is the older type, is much more expensive and harder to get due all of the restrictions & regulations placed on it after the push to get rid of CFCs. There are countless different types of refrigerants- R22, 508, etc etc. All different characteristics for different systems.

I actually considered running the refrigerant through a radiator or turbo intercooler, but I figured the fog wouldn't be in contact with the cooling surface long enough. A coil-lined tube as mentioned above was more kind of what I was thinking
 
#18 ·
well actually, if you really want to go there with it, I probably have a better idea- get a small dorm-sized freezer with the built in automatic ice maker. Rig the unit so that it will fill up the entire freezer with ice before turning off, and turn that into your diy chiller. Automatic refills of ice in your chiller. Eh? Eh?
 
#19 ·
It can be done

Jems Glaciator is nothing more than a mini freezer and fog machine, we have one and took it apart the day we got it just see what made it tick.
NOT WORTH 13K:mad:
Also somewhere in the halloween forum someone posted that froggys fog has done the same but on a much smaller scale for under a grand.
It's would be childs play to take a mini fridge / freezer and use a hopped up constant fogger and chill the fog.
It will work as long as you know how to transfer temperatures.
As long as you got a small fridge nothing more than 2.5cubic ft you should be ok as far as not blowing breakers.
Our glaciator has to have it's own 40amp breaker where ever you plug it in because a fogger and mini fridge draw some serious friggin wattage.
If.........If im feeling frisky next month I may run up to big box or walwart and grab a fridge and slice and dice the thing just to show you kiddies it can be done.
Even the $12K Glaciator from Jem has to be turned on for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the ambient temp before you go pushing fog, WHY?
Becuase the freezer plate inside has to get ice cold first not to mention the fogger inside has to heat up as well.
You wouldnt have to have coolant for the fridge, if your handy with a sawzaw then you can cut the cooler out of the fridge, it's all about how far are you willing to go.
Even I would have to think about this one just to prove a point.:cool:
 
#20 ·
Jems Glaciator is nothing more than a mini freezer and fog machine, we have one and took it apart the day we got it just see what made it tick.
NOT WORTH 13K:mad:
Also somewhere in the halloween forum someone posted that froggys fog has done the same but on a much smaller scale for under a grand.
It's would be childs play to take a mini fridge / freezer and use a hopped up constant fogger and chill the fog.
It will work as long as you know how to transfer temperatures.
As long as you got a small fridge nothing more than 2.5cubic ft you should be ok as far as not blowing breakers.
Our glaciator has to have it's own 40amp breaker where ever you plug it in because a fogger and mini fridge draw some serious friggin wattage.
If.........If im feeling frisky next month I may run up to big box or walwart and grab a fridge and slice and dice the thing just to show you kiddies it can be done.
Even the $12K Glaciator from Jem has to be turned on for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the ambient temp before you go pushing fog, WHY?
Becuase the freezer plate inside has to get ice cold first not to mention the fogger inside has to heat up as well.
You wouldnt have to have coolant for the fridge, if your handy with a sawzaw then you can cut the cooler out of the fridge, it's all about how far are you willing to go.
Even I would have to think about this one just to prove a point.:cool:
I would like to see it done as well, for experimentational sake. No one said it couldn't be done, but whether it should be done. For one night on Halloween I wouldn't do it. For the sake of doing it as an experiment, sure!
 
#21 ·
thats the only way I would consider actually doing something like this is if I could find one free or just about.

I still haven't decided on a design that I would use if I were to actually venture and build one of these... I would probably use a fridge/freezer as-is if I could find one small enough like a dorm/personal/etc unit, then use ice/dry ice to supplement the refrigeration system. Or dismantle a larger unit and rearrange the coils into a long tube that the fog would have to pass thru, also supplemented by ice/dry ice. I'm leaning towards the tube idea since a larger unit will be more heavy duty, offering both greater cooling capacity and improved duty cycle. Plus the tube design will maximize the time that the fog is in direct contact with the cooling surfaces.
 
#22 ·
Luckily I have time and a fridge to WASTE! It was a good thought. I took an old fridge/freezer and cut two holes in the freezer portion. One for fog inlet and one for the outlet. It seemed as though the fan blowing on the inside, or whatever it was, disturbed the fog and the effect of it. It was a good try. Needless to say I finished trashing it out and put it to the curb.
I wouldn't waste the time time again. I just needed to know for myself if the idea would work.
 
#23 ·
I have posted this before but I will again....Someone has accomplished this. It can be done. Here is the proof:



Here is the comments from the user:
This is a "home brew" refrigerated low fog generator that I built last last week (8-1-08) This requires NO co2, no ice cubes, no dry ice, etc, etc... Its completely self contained. Its a little underpowered in the BTU dept (4,000btu) as this was just a trial mockup and was built on a tight budget. (everything was under $100 -foger not included) The next unit is going to be built on a 35,000 to 40,000 BTU scale. Once the project commences, new video ensures. =)
 
#24 ·
Hacked Low Fog on a Budget?

I have posted this before but I will again....Someone has accomplished this. It can be done. Here is the proof:

YouTube - Low fog generator

Here is the comments from the user:
This is a "home brew" refrigerated low fog generator that I built last last week (8-1-08) This requires NO co2, no ice cubes, no dry ice, etc, etc... Its completely self contained. Its a little underpowered in the BTU dept (4,000btu) as this was just a trial mockup and was built on a tight budget. (everything was under $100 -foger not included) The next unit is going to be built on a 35,000 to 40,000 BTU scale. Once the project commences, new video ensures. =)
Were going to do this for sure now.
For some reason I just want to chop up a brand new fridge.
It's kinda hard not cheat since I have seen the inside of a Glaciator and know the specs on all the parts.
Matter of fact we have repaired just about every fogger on the market except for the budget ones.

I guess if I limited myself to basic hardware store supplies and didnt let myself use our machine shop to fabricate any thing and documented it as a how to for you guys then it might be worth while.
I do know this much, for every 100watts of heat on a fogger block you have to have roughly 1000 BTU's to get good results for low fog.
We are going to use aluminum tubing brazed to the aluminum freezer plate, I figure 1/4 ID inch will sufface for pleanty of travel, I think about ten foot will do.
Well use a minfridge that is notiourious for freezing beer, Haier Americ HSE02 -WNAWW 1.8 CF $89.99 the fridge has a lot of complaints on consumer reports that it gets too cold on the half way setting, so for this use it should be a money shot.:cool:
For the fogger I guess well just use a 800watt constant fogger, the rest is all plumbing, im sure you guys and gals will be able to look at the pics and kinda follow, I will make sure our pics are high quaility so you all can zoom in on them at the end I will do a video overview.
If I am missing anything that you guys wouldl like to see added let me know before we start so we can get the max benifit for you guys so im not just throwing stuff together.
 
#26 ·
What I was thinking is to build this out of a chest freezer. Cut some holes in the lid and run some aluminum dryer vent and coil it around like you would for a normal chiller. Make sure that the hose is all water tight, pour in some water and let it freeze into a big old block and then run the fog through. Crazy? Probably, but I'd still like to see if it's possible and if it works or not.
 
#27 ·
So did it work?

Hey all,

Followed this thread, wondering if kentuckyspecialfx did post a video of how he made it work or not?

I just moved to my new home and have a nice sized lawn to do a grave yard with. I was one of those that bought the Chauvet foggers last year and had issues, so returned it. This year, I am looking at getting the VEI 960. I am also pissed that during my move I hired some trash guys to dump everything and completely forgot my fog chillers were out back and they were trashed! So I have to make a new one.. hence my interest in this thread.

So if anyone has built a working example of this, I'd love to see how it was done. Given that the ice chest, PVC and such will cost me $40 or so to build a new chiller, if I can find an old used dorm fridge and a little bit of materials to do something similar, would love to consider it.

Thanks.
 
#28 ·
I too think it would be pretty interesting to see it put together and working. I don't know that I would go through the trouble for my yard. I have a simple pvc pipe chiller that works great for me. It's cool to see how we haunters and tinkerers think and come up with stuff. Good luck to whoever decides to build one and I hope you post plenty of pics!
 
#31 ·
Not sure, but I have an old 115ac 20"x20" fridge I took off my boat awhile back & since I never use it, figured I would salvage the compressor & chiller system & try building one myself when things settle down for me. Let ya know, would definitely save on ice !
 
#32 ·
Sorry we never replied about the fog chiller :(

We did build it and it worked perfect.

Pictures didnt get posted upon finish of the project as I had to settle up a divorce, so between keeping the shop running and the divorce I was a bit pressed for time, I sincerely apologize.

What we did - On ours we did wind up cheating in the end though because it took too long for the unit to get to a point that would fight fifty five degree weather which in alls reality is what most of you will be fighting so we wound up using a special tight aluminum cooling fin set to get the output temp of the fog down to a temp gun measured 22.6 deg. hose output degrees verses the cooling fins from the factory unit that only got it down to 43.1 deg. MAJOR DIFFERENCE!
The catch.
With the unit we built in the end it takes about a half an hour to really get good and cold so you dont have to take breaks but the fogger we hooked up to it was a American DJ 1200W.

The first version inital cost was $136.00 in supplies if you count the unit from wally world and it didnt look too horrible but the performance was mediocre and the wind could still catch it and blow it away fairly easy.
The second version where we used the special cooling gate added a extra $112.00 and another ten in redoing the air passage way.

So to do this project in terms of making not only cold fog that hugs but cold fog that condenses and packs its self tighter the extra $112.00 for the cooling gate ( which is made locally here in Louisville ) made it in my eyes a worth while project for you guys to do.
My personal laptop and camera walked off in the divorce that had the pics of the project as did a whole bunch of other stuff so I kinda feel like I owe to you guys to do it again.

I did notice something that made it a lot easier / faster once we got going, a pop rivet gun, we started doing tack welds with the mig when we first started but then I realized not all you guys own a mig so we looked around for the next best thing that most of you guys would have, the pop rivet gun.
I have no problem with you guys and gals calling me with questions on where to find stuff or how to get through any issues as long as your physically attempting the project and your some what dedicated to it. 502-836-3125 im usually in the shop from 11am - 1am seven days a week ( now that im single LOL! )
 
#37 ·
We did build it and it worked perfect.

Pictures didnt get posted upon finish of the project as I had to settle up a divorce, so between keeping the shop running and the divorce I was a bit pressed for time, I sincerely apologize.

What we did - On ours we did wind up cheating in the end though because it took too long for the unit to get to a point that would fight fifty five degree weather which in alls reality is what most of you will be fighting so we wound up using a special tight aluminum cooling fin set to get the output temp of the fog down to a temp gun measured 22.6 deg. hose output degrees verses the cooling fins from the factory unit that only got it down to 43.1 deg. MAJOR DIFFERENCE!
The catch.
With the unit we built in the end it takes about a half an hour to really get good and cold so you dont have to take breaks but the fogger we hooked up to it was a American DJ 1200W.

The first version inital cost was $136.00 in supplies if you count the unit from wally world and it didnt look too horrible but the performance was mediocre and the wind could still catch it and blow it away fairly easy.
The second version where we used the special cooling gate added a extra $112.00 and another ten in redoing the air passage way.

So to do this project in terms of making not only cold fog that hugs but cold fog that condenses and packs its self tighter the extra $112.00 for the cooling gate ( which is made locally here in Louisville ) made it in my eyes a worth while project for you guys to do.
My personal laptop and camera walked off in the divorce that had the pics of the project as did a whole bunch of other stuff so I kinda feel like I owe to you guys to do it again.

I did notice something that made it a lot easier / faster once we got going, a pop rivet gun, we started doing tack welds with the mig when we first started but then I realized not all you guys own a mig so we looked around for the next best thing that most of you guys would have, the pop rivet gun.
I have no problem with you guys and gals calling me with questions on where to find stuff or how to get through any issues as long as your physically attempting the project and your some what dedicated to it. 502-836-3125 im usually in the shop from 11am - 1am seven days a week ( now that im single LOL! )
anything yet...sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm really interested in doing this project this year. I just need ideas on what to use for cooling fins...
 
#34 ·
Hey there kentuckyspecialfx, sorry to hear about your divorce & the loss of laptop & camera. You went thru a lot there so appreciate your 24-7 bachelor time,LoL
& understand not being able to get back on this & with pics.Thanx for the info you did give us & phone #.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top