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Thread Number: 90977
/ Tag: Refrigerators
GE LH12-N Refrigerator |
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Post# 1154901 , Reply# 1 7/21/2022 at 17:11 (869 days old) by RP2813  (Sannazay) |
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 Cold controls are a common weak spot in these otherwise reliable refrigerators. I had a '57 model with cold control mounted on the top portion of the liner at center front. It went bad and I got a Gemline universal replacement that installed perfectly. I still have the box somewhere. If I can find it, I'll give you the part number for comparison. | ||
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Post# 1154908 , Reply# 2 7/21/2022 at 18:34 (869 days old) by 114jwh (Vancouver) |
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Hi Ralph - thank you so much for that info. This one too has the temperature dial mounted a little offset from the center of the top front lip of the liner. Where did you mount the end of the capillary tube on the evaporator coil? Did the kit come with clips or anything to mount it with? | ||
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Post# 1154910 , Reply# 3 7/21/2022 at 18:50 (869 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Late 50s GE2 door refrigerator
Hi James, it should be pretty easy to find a suitable thermostat to replace the cold control in your old refrigerator.
On your Gemline picture you would want one of the first three thermostats the GC 301 Through 303 The first thing I would do with this refrigerator is bypass the cold control and let the machine run for 24 hours and see how cold it gets the freezer should get to at least 10 below zero Fahrenheit and the refrigerator should also go below freezing a little bit, it’s very common for this vintage refrigerator to have a weak sealed system mainly from a bad compressor and if you don’t have a healthy sealed system the proper temperature control will never work properly. John L | ||
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Post# 1154917 , Reply# 5 7/21/2022 at 20:55 (869 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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This is good news that the compressor has been changed as there are almost no GE refrigerators from this era where are the original compressor is still operating properly.
Someone went to a good deal of work to put that in looks like it was done a decade or more ago. It’s nice that it even has it run capacitor should make the refrigerator more efficient. This compressor was supposed to be installed with either an oil cooler or a small fan blowing air over it to assist in the cooling of the compressor, you also need a fan to help the water evaporate in the plastic tray. I would add a fan from a modern refrigerator the new electronic fan motors only draw four or 5 W and just have it blow on the compressor. Yes you’re correct I did mean GC 403 for the cold control that should work in this refrigerator | ||
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Post# 1154930 , Reply# 6 7/22/2022 at 02:12 (869 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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James, it sounds like you have the cold control figured out but I'll still look for the box mine came in just in case you have any issues.
Here are a couple of pictures that show how the cold control tubing was positioned to run across the back wall at the bottom of the serpentine coil in my '57. In the close-up you can see one of the clips that holds the tube in place. There were three clips in all, I think. The universal replacement control didn't come with new clips, which in this particular application makes sense.
I made sure to remove the bad control assembly without bending the tubing so I could shape the new control's tubing to match. It was a cinch to put in with that part of the job done before installation. And if you're wondering, yes, I had to rig up a freezer drain assembly because the original was missing when I got the fridge. | ||
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Post# 1154968 , Reply# 8 7/22/2022 at 18:48 (868 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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James, as you can see, I just lowered the bottom revolving shelf down as far as it would go without scraping the crisper covers that also serve as shelves. Better to have two revolving shelves than two stationary ones IMO.
Before I got the GE, I had a '70 Whirlpool for drinks and would store canned sodas in the 12-pack boxes they came in. That wasn't possible on the revolving shelves though, but having all cans displayed individually on a lazy susan was a far more elegant presentation for guests to serve themselves anyway. I was also fortunate that my favorite beer comes in short bottles.
I miss that fridge and hope to find another one from 1955-'62 or so to replace it someday. | ||
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Post# 1154997 , Reply# 9 7/22/2022 at 20:50 (868 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI) |
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Very nice fridge and a very nice selection of drinks! | ||
| Post# 1157675 , Reply# 14 8/23/2022 at 14:36 (836 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA) | ||
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Great job! That is wonderful that you got the thermostat working and gave that compressor a fan so that it will have a longer life. Thanks for the follow-up. | ||
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Post# 1158741 , Reply# 16 9/5/2022 at 14:39 (823 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Frost not melting off on an older GE combination refrigerato
Basically the thermostat is not keeping the compressor off long enough for the frost to melt.
Your refrigerator may or may not have had a little heater on the ends of the evaporator tubes coming and going from the refrigerator evaporator. Even if it had a heater it may have failed after 65 years. I would add that 6 W heater you found to the left side tube work comes into the refrigerator section. Leads from the heater are wired across the thermostat so the heater is on whenever the compressor is off. From your picture number two it does show that your refrigerator has a Mullion heater between the doors of the refrigerator and freezer so That is probably the 20 W you’re seeing when the compressor is not running. John | ||
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Post# 1158757 , Reply# 18 9/5/2022 at 16:12 (823 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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James, let me just say that I admire your determination and tenacity. This is a refrigerator that is well worth saving, but you already knew that.
I do remember a bottom mount Coldspot that I had for a while used a mullion heater between the fresh and frozen sections. All wiring was hidden since there was no door swing to accommodate like there is with a butter conditioner. | ||
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Post# 1158758 , Reply# 19 9/5/2022 at 16:19 (823 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Mullion Heater | ||
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Post# 1160720 , Reply# 22 9/30/2022 at 15:32 (798 days old) by 114jwh (Vancouver) |
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Post# 1163303 , Reply# 25 11/6/2022 at 15:44 (761 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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James, while the Gemline gaskets would be ideal, they'll probably be tough to find.
Here's a link to a site that will likely have something that will match up with what's on your fridge: CLICK HERE TO GO TO RP2813's LINK | ||
| Post# 1163566 , Reply# 27 11/10/2022 at 07:17 (757 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA) | ||
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Thanks for the follow-up on how the new heater helped! | ||
| Post# 1184152 , Reply# 29 7/4/2023 at 14:52 (521 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA) | ||
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Jody, it does sound like you need to look more closely at the thermostat control. The fact that tapping near it causes the unit to start is very telling. Could need cleaning and re-lubrication or there could be enough wear that it needs to be replaced. | ||
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Post# 1184155 , Reply# 30 7/4/2023 at 15:55 (521 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Post# 1215477 , Reply# 33 9/23/2024 at 11:40 by steved (Guilderland, New York) |
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Collin - I sent you an email I scanned a copy and sent it to your email SteveD | ||
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