Thread Number: 76361
/ Tag: Refrigerators
1931 Frigidaire Belt Drive Refrigerator Repairs... |
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Post# 1001955 , Reply# 1   7/30/2018 at 21:39 (2,057 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA)   |   | |
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Here is a photo continuation: |
Post# 1001961 , Reply# 3   7/30/2018 at 22:47 (2,057 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA)   |   | |
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Hi Norgeway. Thanks for the comment! I have a friend with a Norge Rollator belt drive fridge which isn't working now. I hope to have the opportunity to help him get it working some day as well. I take it you have one which is in service? |
Post# 1001964 , Reply# 4   7/30/2018 at 23:33 (2,057 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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Post# 1001979 , Reply# 6   7/31/2018 at 03:36 (2,057 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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Post# 1001980 , Reply# 7   7/31/2018 at 04:50 (2,057 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))   |   | |
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Grandma had one of those. I only saw it that one visit. Memorable, because it caught fire underneath. At which point I was evacuated from the house and don't know what else happened other than it wasn't that long before I could go back in. Anti-climactic, but in the good way.
Too young to drill down on the fault. SO2 isn't flammable; house dust buildup is but fridge works aren't supposed to get that hot (300~450C). |
Post# 1001989 , Reply# 8   7/31/2018 at 06:43 (2,057 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Wow Dave this is very cool that you were able to restore this ref to working condition.
My brother Jeff and I bought a 1927 FD two door ref in 1982 at an estate sale in Washington DC, it was in a walk-out basement and had not been running in decades. When I was examining it I turned the compressor pulley and apparently caused the seal to start leaking refrigerant, because of the awful smell we decided not to take the ref home that Saturday evening [ in our enclosed van ] and instead cracked open a flare nut connection and slowly let the refrigerant escape. Green liquid was bubbling out, it was taking a long time so we came back on Sunday morning and picked up the ref, when we got back the refrigerant had not only turned the grass brown around the ref but also made leaves brown on bushes and azaleas two town houses to the south.
I tried for a year or so to find parts and someone old enough to know how to work on this ref, finely my brother Jeff just hid a Whirlpool Rotary compressor underneath with a condenser across the lower back machine compartment. For the float style evaporator he just wrapped 5/16" copper tubing around the evaporator and added a proper size cap tube soldered to the suction line and charged it with R-12.
It worked and looked orignal [ we left the orignal compressor unit in place ] We used it in our W.Va house for over 25 years and about 5 years ago I brought it back to the DC area and sold it for $2500 to a couple that is still using it in their period house in University Park Md.
Again it is so cool that you got yours working with the orignal motor, controls and compressor, I would love to see and hear it running sometime.
John |
Post# 1002019 , Reply# 10   7/31/2018 at 12:32 (2,057 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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David, thanks for the explanation about the oil miscibility. This explains why monitor tops had an oil heater behind their badges below the compressor. Again, I'm really impressed with your knowledge of refrigeration and ingenuity in parts sourcing to make the Frigidaire work with something other than SO2. That's my approach to simpler things than refrigerators, although just a simple spring from a drawer in my workshop got a '39 Westinghouse refrigerator's cold control back into operation when the original broke and shut the machine down.
I'm with you 100% about using machines instead of keeping them under a cheese bell. We've owned and driven a few classic cars in the past and I still drive an all-original '50 GMC pickup. Why own something if you're not going to fully enjoy what it was meant for? When I was trying to resolve a brake issue on the GMC, people on the old GMC trucks site were saying to upgrade the entire system with a modern master cylinder. I kept things as they were and the truck stops fine.
Ralph
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Post# 1002042 , Reply# 11   7/31/2018 at 16:40 (2,057 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
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Post# 1002633 , Reply# 13   8/5/2018 at 19:38 (2,052 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA)   |   | |
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She's still going strong! I made some tweaks to the control a couple days ago. Apparently I'm coming lose to mastering the zen of fridge adjustment. With the cold control setting in the center; it runs as close as possible to 32°F as I can get it. Bottled water gets a light slush to it. Perfection! |
Post# 1002652 , Reply# 14   8/5/2018 at 21:53 (2,051 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Post# 1002655 , Reply# 15   8/5/2018 at 22:07 (2,051 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA)   |   | |
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H John. I will do a video dedicated to it running. Until that time, the last two of the repair videos do show some runtime. |
Post# 1002679 , Reply# 18   8/6/2018 at 01:39 (2,051 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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This has been one of the best resurrection stories I've seen here on AWO. Who wouldn't love a handsome vintage Frigidaire like that in perfect running order?
I'm bummed that you won't be sharing other projects here, but will look for you on the MT forum. I don't know why you had to wait longer than 30 minutes, but even that can seem like an eternity when you have more to post.
This site isn't about making money on upgraded memberships. The nominal fee is a bit of compensation to the webmaster for his efforts in providing the additional benefits upgraded status offers. I can relate to your frustration, though. |
Post# 1002688 , Reply# 19   8/6/2018 at 07:33 (2,051 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Dave I loved the Video, It was so cool to hear it running, I guess we should have tried harder to get ours running in its orignal condition.
Noise concerns were a major hurdle for the builders of early electric refrigerators which is one of the reasons that much less efficient Gas fired refs ever got even a small foothold in the market because of their near silent operation.
I have not found any pictures of the one we installed the WP rotary compressor over 35 years ago [ it is still running just fine ] but I did find the owners Manuel. I will post a few pictures from it.
Hopefully the website will work better for now, I was upgrading my membership for another year and did yours as well.
John L. |
Post# 1002716 , Reply# 20   8/6/2018 at 11:42 (2,051 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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John, I don't know why I didn't think of providing upgraded membership to David. I'm glad you did! I think it's clear that he'll provide interesting reading here going forward.
Interesting that the instructions in your book indicate that "1" is the normal cooling setting. David may have some additional calibrating to do now! |
Post# 1002767 , Reply# 22   8/6/2018 at 21:05 (2,051 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
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Im glad you are here, your posts are very important and valuable to us all, Trust me, John Lefever is the BEST, not only a great friend, but the finest repair person you will find, Thanks John for your generosity to all here. |
Post# 1002770 , Reply# 23   8/6/2018 at 22:05 (2,050 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA)   |   | |
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Hi Norgeway. Thanks again for the compliment. I'm passionate about old machinery and technology; especially that which can still be used today. I'm not trying to "impress" people - only to encourage and offer hope. :) |
Post# 1002775 , Reply# 24   8/6/2018 at 23:27 (2,050 days old) by Supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)   |   | |
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