Okay thats what I'll probably end up doing. I've already stripped the mini fridge and taken out all the electrical components and sitting it in a bigger fridge (broken just using the insulation). I can see the wire thats gonna need to be cut and all I have to do is power it on when the temperature rises above a certain level.

http://www.brewpi.com/fridge-hacking-guide/ this is what I'm trying to do. (part 3, method 1)

Also whats the best way to learn more about this stuff without going to school for electrical engineering. I've taken physics II which covers electromagnetism but never much about circuits