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Thread Number: 71031
/ Tag: Classified Ad Finds
Early-Mid 60s GE Bottom Freezer Fridge |
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| Post# 940336 5/26/2017 at 13:30 (2,520 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
Doesn't look that great but ad says it works. I'm going to contact seller on it. From what I remember being mentioned here I believe this is the smaller model as it has the single revolving crisper instead of two pull out? What year would it be? Has to be earlier as it has the exposed coils.
Believe this is what Ralph is looking for but in a left swing door. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ken's LINK on Hudsonvalley Craigslist
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Post# 940344 , Reply# 1 5/26/2017 at 14:19 (2,520 days old) by rp2813  (Sannazay) |
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 It's tough to peg the age of this fridge, but yes, it appears to be the smaller 30.5" wide model. The interior color treatments look later, but the exposed coil is puzzling. Maybe GE continued to use the exposed coil design in these smaller boxes longer than they did in the larger size. I'd say this one is 1962 or later.
The right-hinged door is exactly what I need. I'd go check that fridge out if it were near me. If it would clean up enough to be presentable on the exterior, I'd buy it. You can't beat the price.
Keep us posted! | ||
| Post# 940347 , Reply# 2 5/26/2017 at 14:52 (2,520 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Post# 940349 , Reply# 3 5/26/2017 at 14:59 (2,520 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL) |
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| Post# 940350 , Reply# 4 5/26/2017 at 15:06 (2,520 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Sounds right Lawrence. I searched some old GE ads online and looks like 59 had silver shelves and 60 gold.
Gave a call and spoke to posters wife? Gave my name/number. Waiting to hear back. ***Got a call back. Going tonight to look at it. Seller said he would plug it in to show it works. This post was last edited 05/26/2017 at 15:26 | ||
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Post# 940459 , Reply# 5 5/26/2017 at 23:31 (2,520 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Post# 940478 , Reply# 6 5/27/2017 at 02:39 (2,520 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Post# 940506 , Reply# 7 5/27/2017 at 10:09 (2,519 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL) |
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Ralph, | ||
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Post# 940512 , Reply# 8 5/27/2017 at 10:30 (2,519 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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| Post# 940564 , Reply# 9 5/27/2017 at 20:00 (2,519 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Got it
Went and got it last night. Actually still on the truck so haven't looked for the data plate yet. The condenser fins were really dirty with dust and hair. Got most of it off last night with compressed air but it got too dark to see what I was doing. Was busy with other stuff today so didn't finish cleaning it. What's left is actually stuck on. Hopefully the rain will hold off tomorrow long enough to finish cleaning it.
Something I didn't like finding out is that it sat outside exposed for the month the ad was posted. I hope the insulation inside the doors isn't soaked. Years ago I found a 55 GE just down the road. I guess I must have seen water coming out the bottom of the door because I opened it up and found the insulation soaked. | ||
| Post# 940694 , Reply# 10 5/28/2017 at 19:17 (2,518 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Some pics
Got it unloaded today. Dirty. Didn't do any clean up beyond the condenser. Did wash the defrost water pan. Pulled out most of the nasty, smelly insulation from the compressor area. Wonder if the rust on the doors was already there or is the result of it sitting outside the past month? Should have realized the data plate was inside the upper compartment. Couldn't make out the serial number without a light which I didn't have. Pretty sure its from 1960. I did get the bottom grille.
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Post# 940723 , Reply# 11 5/28/2017 at 22:18 (2,518 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL) |
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Ken, | ||
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Post# 940724 , Reply# 12 5/28/2017 at 22:27 (2,518 days old) by kenwashesmonday (Carlstadt, NJ) |
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I believe the exposed coils in the top of the refrigerator section mean this is not a frost-free model. In my opinion, that's a huge plus. | ||
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Post# 940729 , Reply# 13 5/28/2017 at 22:47 (2,518 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Post# 940754 , Reply# 14 5/29/2017 at 03:33 (2,518 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Even though it's rough, my dream fridge shines through. With these pictures, it's clear that it's a 1960 and has my favorite style of exterior brightwork.
Just a month outside wouldn't have caused those exterior issues. I don't think this fridge has been located in a climate controlled environment for quite some time. Maybe a damp basement? I hope the rust can be eliminated or at least diminished with the proper cleaning compound and some elbow grease.
Ken, you may have saved this beauty from being left for dead. | ||
| Post# 940803 , Reply# 15 5/29/2017 at 15:09 (2,517 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Plugged it in this morning. Had the switch off but heard the butter conditioner buzzing so I guess that works. Ran fine and cooled. In about 30 seconds the coil in the upper compartment started to feel cool. Freezer and compressor fans operated correctly. Freezer fan stopped when freezer door was opened like it should. Let it run about 45 minutes. The serial number was hard to read but it looked like MS which would be July 1959.
T would be 1960. But I could be mistaken. As I said it was difficult to read. Will have to get a better look at it. Guy I bought it from told me he was asked to clean out a house after an old Italian guy who lived there had a heart attack and passed. He brought the fridge and a 80s-90s 24" Holiday brand gas range home. He wanted to give me the range but I said no thanks. I took it as the fridge was the one being used in the kitchen. This post was last edited 05/29/2017 at 19:44 | ||
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Post# 940812 , Reply# 16 5/29/2017 at 15:36 (2,517 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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 Nice save, Ken! I think it may well be a 1959 - GE stopped using the 'Combination' model tag at some point, but I don't remember if it was in 1959 or 1960. I love the swing out egg and butter doors! It sounds like you've got a good compressor. Funny, but I would have thought that it was a cycle-defrost model also (because of the exposed coils in the refrigerator section) but Frost-Guard is definitely better!! | ||
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Post# 940819 , Reply# 17 5/29/2017 at 16:26 (2,517 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL) |
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Date Code | ||
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Post# 940825 , Reply# 18 5/29/2017 at 17:23 (2,517 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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| Post# 940827 , Reply# 19 5/29/2017 at 17:44 (2,517 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Refrigerator section is cycle defrost. Otherwise there wouldn't be any reason for the angled, exposed coils and drip trough below them. Later on the cooled air was blown into the refrigerator section same as the freezer and no more exposed coils in that section (like refrigerators made now). Frost Guard must have designated the self defrosting freezer? There is a defrost timer down on the bottom, front frame bar below the freezer door. Didn't get a pic of it. I believe that's what it is. Cant figure what else it would be. A small box with a shaft sticking out the front. No knob on it. Might it be a separate control for freezer temperature?
I'll get the dimensions and post. This post was last edited 05/29/2017 at 19:47 | ||
| Post# 940838 , Reply# 20 5/29/2017 at 18:41 (2,517 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Dimensions | ||
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Post# 940848 , Reply# 21 5/29/2017 at 19:31 (2,517 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Post# 940849 , Reply# 22 5/29/2017 at 19:41 (2,517 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Post# 940857 , Reply# 23 5/29/2017 at 20:06 (2,517 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Louie, I think Ken's fridge and yours are hybrid models. They retain the passive "cycle defrost" system with the exposed coil, but have the added feature of a heated defrost for the freezer section's coil, which I presume is hidden behind the rear liner.
The exposed coil in the refrigerated section is tied into the cold control. When control shuts off the compressor, it waits until the coil is a few degrees above freezing -- 37 or so -- before letting the compressor kick in again. This effectively allows the condensation to melt and run into the trough and channel its way down to the drip pan.
So, every time the fridge cycles off, the fridge section is defrosted.
The freezer, OTOH, only defrosts when the timer initiates the process (two or three times every 24 hours) and the timer overrides the cold control. If the compressor is running, the timer will shut it down. If it's not running, the timer will keep it from running until the defrost cycle is over. The timer initiates the heating process to melt the condensation off the freezer coil, and the whole operation takes about 20 minutes. | ||
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Post# 940858 , Reply# 24 5/29/2017 at 20:09 (2,517 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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| Post# 940862 , Reply# 25 5/29/2017 at 20:27 (2,517 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Louie
**Was typing this reply while Ralph posted his explanation but Im leaving it.**
There are two cold coils (evaporators) in these. Just like the first two door top freezer refrigerators had. The difference is that in these bottom freezer models the items in the freezer section don't make direct contact with the surface. As you know they have a slide out basket or tub. As a result the freezing air is blown into the freezer to keep items frozen. In that respect they are like modern refrigerators. Except modern ones have just one evaporator which supplies the cold air to both sections. The evaporator for the freezer must have a defrost heater which keeps the evaporator clear. It wouldn't warm up enough during off time for the frost to melt off by itself. The upper coils defrost "manually" during the time the compressor is off. "Frost Guard" on the freezer door handle must have meant no frost. No defrosting needed. This post was last edited 05/29/2017 at 20:46 | ||
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Post# 940937 , Reply# 26 5/30/2017 at 00:53 (2,517 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Post# 940942 , Reply# 27 5/30/2017 at 01:46 (2,517 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Post# 940944 , Reply# 28 5/30/2017 at 02:53 (2,517 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Post# 940949 , Reply# 29 5/30/2017 at 05:37 (2,516 days old) by kenwashesmonday (Carlstadt, NJ) |
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Ken wrote: "The evaporator for the freezer must have a defrost heater which keeps the evaporator clear." Being from the 1960 era, GE used reverse cycle hot gas defrost on their frost-free models. | ||
| Post# 940965 , Reply# 30 5/30/2017 at 09:34 (2,516 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Ralph: You're welcome on the dimensions.
Louie: I know this is the smaller of the two models but don't know how many cubic ft. Will try to get a good look at the model #. The think the size may be indicated in it. Ken: Had forgotten about GE using hot gas defrost in the early models. Remember seeing it discussed here in the past. Thanks for the reminder. This post was last edited 05/30/2017 at 12:23 | ||
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Post# 940966 , Reply# 31 5/30/2017 at 09:43 (2,516 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL) |
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1962 Model | ||
| Post# 940970 , Reply# 32 5/30/2017 at 09:58 (2,516 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Post# 940985 , Reply# 33 5/30/2017 at 12:14 (2,516 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Ken, from what John L. has stated here in the past, the hot gas system is probably one of the reasons your fridge is still running properly, at least from the Frost Guard perspective. No heater element to fail and create a glacier. This is another reason I'm after a fridge of this particular vintage.
Louie, I think on the early models a good way to tell from the exterior it's a larger one is the stainless panel on the freezer door. On models after they dropped that treatment, the give-away would be the two crisper drawers. | ||
| Post# 940989 , Reply# 34 5/30/2017 at 12:27 (2,516 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Right | ||
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Post# 941032 , Reply# 35 5/30/2017 at 16:17 (2,516 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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| Post# 941039 , Reply# 36 5/30/2017 at 17:24 (2,516 days old) by Travis () | ||
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Ralph,
I am betting it was an expensive and complex system. | ||
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Post# 941050 , Reply# 37 5/30/2017 at 18:51 (2,516 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Expensive and complex was my thought too. | ||
| Post# 941063 , Reply# 38 5/30/2017 at 20:22 (2,516 days old) by Travis () | ||
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I will measure and get back to you. | ||
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Post# 941086 , Reply# 39 5/31/2017 at 00:47 (2,516 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Post# 941089 , Reply# 40 5/31/2017 at 01:37 (2,516 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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| Post# 941136 , Reply# 41 5/31/2017 at 10:54 (2,515 days old) by danrooklv (Los Angeles) | ||
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Ralph, where is that white fridge listed on CL? | ||
| Post# 941142 , Reply# 42 5/31/2017 at 12:29 (2,515 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Post# 941144 , Reply# 43 5/31/2017 at 13:19 (2,515 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA) |
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 The '62 model that doesn't have the exposed coils has the hot gas "Frost Guard" system. The missing coils in the refrigeration section is always the dead giveaway on these bottom freezer units. Exposed coils is either a "Combination" with no automatic defrost or on the few models that do have the hot gas system the ice box would claim "Frost Guard".
I've seen GE put the "Combination" name on the manual defrost fridges up through the mid-sixties. The subject fridge of this thread is a Combination, manual defrost unit. I believe the first Frost Guard units came out in '62.
Ben | ||
| Post# 941156 , Reply# 44 5/31/2017 at 14:45 (2,515 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Ben
Thanks for the info. I wonder when the hot gas system was replaced with an electric heater? Sometime during the 60s I would guess.
The one I just got is from 59 or 60 (haven't taken a closer look at the serial # just yet to know for sure) and its a Frost Guard. If you look in the second pic in reply #10 you'll see it stated on the right of the freezer door handle. | ||
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Post# 941157 , Reply# 45 5/31/2017 at 14:51 (2,515 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Dan -- Head North for the Bigger Fridge Ben, the freezer drawer indicates that Ken's fridge is a Frost Guard model. Are you saying that this term only applies to the refrigerated section? I'm both confused and a little skeptical. Not that defrosting my own Combination is a big deal -- I suppose there's less to go wrong with one of these if the freezer has to be defrosted manually, but IMO the GE's Frost Guard terminology would be misleading regarding the subject fridge if it didn't apply to the freezer. I also thought that the Frost Guard models made their debut in 1959.
I've seen the examples of single door GEs with the "Combination" moniker (I think Pat Coffey has one), and understand how they got away with that. A single door Combo has a true zero degree freezer with a beefed up access door that seals tight, unlike its outwardly identical non-combo counterpart that has just an old school evaporator behind a non-sealing, non-insulated plastic door. But by 1960, people were familiar with the Combo's passive defrost system for the fresh food section, and it seems to me that a Frost Guard indicator would suggest automatic defrosting of both sections. Can you extrapolate?
Dan, the larger fridge I posted above is located in Petaluma/southern Sonoma County. Here's the link to the ad: CLICK HERE TO GO TO rp2813's LINK on San Francisco Craigslist | ||
| Post# 941162 , Reply# 46 5/31/2017 at 15:34 (2,515 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Here is John's description of the hot gas defrost
from when Louie got his 1964 bottom freezer GE in 4/2014. Heres the link to the orig thread if anyone wants to take a look. Unfortunately Louie's pics are no longer shown.
www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/T... Post# 752472 on 2014-04-24 22:54:57 by combo52 1964 GE Bottom Freezer Frost Guard Refrigerator Hi Louie, love the new refrigerator hopefully it will work out well with the Coloric range. Questions and answers This GE Ref has hot gas defrost, the later 30 1/2 " models without the coils in the top of the refrigerator section had resistance electric defrost. All GE 34" wide bottom freezer refs had HGD with a single evaporator in the back of the freezer, these had two evaporator fans and two thermostats [ one in each section to control temperatures ] This ref has a timer to initiate a defrost cycle after 12 hours of compressor running time has accumulated. It does not cool a little colder before going into a defrost cycle. This ref has two evaporators, the Freon travels through the freezers E first then through the E in the top of the fresh food section. On this type refrigerator the frost melts off the FF E every time the compressor shuts off and to keep frost from accumulating on the ends of the FF E there is a little electric heater on both sides of the FF E, these little heaters are ON whenever the compressor is off, this is why when you turn off the cold control the FF E actually gets warm. The advantage of this type of refrigeration system is no taste or odor transfer from ref to freezer sections. The main disadvantage is there is no separate temperature control for each section. Even though GE used there own compressor on these HGD refrigerators you can install a normal compressor if it fails. I have a 1960 GE Frost Guard up-right freezer that had a bad compressor when I found it almost 30 years ago, my brother Jeff installed a regular compressor in it and it works perfectly to this day. These were good performing refs if everything was working correctly, but dual evaporator refs were prone to more temperature issue problems. A ref like this will easily use 3-4 times as much power as a new ref of equal capacity, and other than not transferring ref odors into the ice in the freezer does not keep food any longer than a new refrigerator, Louie I would keep your little chest freezer for foods that you want to keep in the freezer long term. | ||
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Post# 941168 , Reply# 47 5/31/2017 at 16:21 (2,515 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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Post# 941259 , Reply# 48 6/1/2017 at 09:15 (2,514 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA) |
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| Post# 941261 , Reply# 49 6/1/2017 at 09:22 (2,514 days old) by ken (NYS) | ||
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Ben | ||
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