1952 Kelvinator Refrigerator

[rp2813]

Nate was here for a weekend visit, and damned if he didn't serve as a lucky charm yet again.   My FWB was over for a visit and told us he was helping a friend work an estate sale and that there was an old fridge there.  He knows nothing about vintage on this sort of thing, so we had no idea what it might be.

 

Yesterday he texted pictures, and confirmed it ran and cooled.  We were at the Re-Store and quickly bailed to go home, hop into the Baja, and drive over to check it out.  One picture captured the price, but even though we both agreed it looked like it read $15, that it couldn't be right.

 

Well, it was!  We loaded it up (along with a Eureka Roto-Matic Power Team vacuum with all attachments and extra bags -- $5) and headed home to start the cleaning process.  With two of us, it didn't take long to get it into presentable condition.  It runs quiet and is holding at around 37 degrees with cold control set exactly in the middle.

 

I've attached some pix.  It needs some parts, so if anyone has some laying around, hit me up!  Missing stuff includes the (presumably) glass shelf above the crispers and also (maybe?) above the fruit bin, and all of the hardware that suspends the crispers and allows them to glide.  One picture shows a couple of items that may be crisper-related.  It does have the original ice trays.

 

I'm going to fashion a clip of some kind to keep the two small flip-up shelves on the right hand side stationary.   The sagging issue might be resolved with a complete crisper assembly, but I don't know for sure.

 

Can anyone advise on what the metal bin is for?  Ice maybe?  That strikes me as a very sticky situation.  I'm currently using it in the freezer section to hold other stuff.  Ditto re: the plastic bin with the curved edge.  Where would it belong?

 

The funny part of this is that when my FWB called this morning and I expressed our mutual amazement that the fridge only cost $15, he said, "Do you know how hard it is to get rid of an old refrigerator?  How many people do you know who would pay more for a fridge like that?"  I jumped onto one of his favorite retorts:  "Have we met?"

 

[turbokinetic]

Very nice!  It's great when you make a find like this!

 

[rp2813]

Thanks David! 

 

I found an on-line image of a vintage Kelvinator ad that contained verbiage referencing their "unfailing" mechanical system.  That seems applicable to this old box.  The understated sound when running reminds me of the '49 Westinghouse I grew up with, and I love the vault-like sound the door makes when it closes as well.  This thing is a tank!

 

[ea56]

Congratulations

Ralph on such a great score. This Kelvy is just beautiful. I didn’t realize that they offered colored appliances in 1952, or has the enamel yellowed with age. Either way its a beauty.

During my 20’s I lived in at least 2 rentals that had Kelvinator fridges similar to this one, and they worked just great. The white plastic container may have been meant for ice cube storage. The flat aluminum pan may have been an accessory for freezing desserts, like homemade ice cream. I hope you will be able to eventually find the glass and other parts to make this beauty complete, it deserves to be intact after all these years.

Eddie

 

[ken]

Congratulations on your find Ralph

I've got one just like it. Except mine is a 48. My parents first fridge. I can remember my mother using the white plastic container to catch the water when defrosting. But come to think of it maybe it was originally intended for something else? Never gave it any thought till now. I would think an owners manual came with it but I've never seen one.

Never saw that aluminum bin with ours. Would think if one came with it when my parents purchased the fridge it would still be around even if not being used in the fridge. Maybe it was an addition in years after 48? Does yours still have the clear plastic tray under the freezer compartment?

There should be a glass shelf over the tilt out fruit bin. And two vegetable drawers above. I'll get some photos and post. [this post was last edited: 10/21/2019-13:40]

 

[countryguy]

Nice finds. Any pics of the Eureka rotomatic?

Gary

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice Kelvy!

I have one that's a few years newer, but no where close to the same condition as yours.

 That aluminum tray may be for lunchmeat or similar. I'll have to look if mine has one. Here is one similar, but a bit different.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Eddie/Ken/Kenny! 

 

Gary, I'll start another thread here in Super about the Eureka and will post some pix.  I have a question or two.

 

Ken, there are two sort-of-nesting clear plastic trays below the freezer.   The top one has embossed lettering advising to install it one way for warm weather operation, and to turn it around (not upside down) for defrosting.  It's hard to figure out how the defrost water would migrate into a provided receptacle, but finding a fish poacher at a thrift store seems like a good idea from what I can see.  I think the metal bin might be able to collect defrost water if positioned perfectly under the openings in the plastic trays, but the plastic bin is way too small and narrow. 

 

There's also very little clearance between the bottom of the freezer and the trays.  If frost accumulates on the bottom, defrosting will be necessary fairly often, otherwise everything will get frozen and stuck.  The bottom tray is cracked in the middle up front, but snaps back together and could be easily epoxied.  It also appears that the bottom tray made contact with the light bulb at some point and melted a bit, likely during a defrost operation when the door was open for a long period and the tray made contact with a standard size bulb.  I've installed a small appliance bulb to make sure that doesn't happen again.

 

Additionally, I'd love to see pix of what's missing for shelf above the fruit bin and the crispers' rigging when you can find time to take them, Ken.

 

Eddie, both Nate and I thought 1952 was kind of early for decorator colors.  Nate wondered if there were NOS white refrigerators kicking around for a while at Kelvinator that ended up getting a repaint in color.  He also said it's easy to figure out the model year because Nash used it in the model number (at the beginning, I think -- in this case, 52), so that's how we arrived at 1952.  If it is a repaint, there's virtually no overspray.   The sides are smooth as glass.  The center top area of the door isn't as smooth, so it makes me wonder if just the door got yet another non-factory coat of yellow at a later date.

 

Interestingly, my parents got a free Kelvy back around 1970 for a spare fridge in the basement, and it was the same model as in Kenny's link above, and it was the same shade of yellow.

 

I love how this fridge runs so little and cools so well, and I'm thrilled to have more room in the main kitchen fridge, which had been jam packed since the Combination fried itself back in February.

 

 

[this post was last edited: 10/22/2019-01:09]

 

[supersuds]

Ralph, I don’t know if this is helpful, but I have a copy of Consumers’ Research Bulletin for September 1950 which tests sixteen refrigerators. For the Kelvinator, the copy says “Plastic baffle, located about 1 in. below frozen-food compartment, on which moisture was collected and drained during defrosting operation into plastic container located at right rear of box on shelf beneath....Had two single and one double-width ice cube trays to make 56 cubes.” Not sure I’ve ever heard of a double-width ice cube tray.

The review goes on to say “Time required to lower temperature from 110 F to 46 F, 3.1 hours (favorable). Ranked thirteenth in group in cost of operation (16.5c per cu. ft. per month).”

This was a Model RK-R, an 8 cu. ft. model.

 

[ea56]

Double Width Ice Cube Trays

here you go.

I think those old aluminum ice cube trays froze the ice cubes faster than the plastic ones of today.

Eddie

 

[frigidaireguy]

Double Ice Tray

My Grandmother had a mid 1940's Frigidaire refrigerator with the freezer being in the middle with shelves on bother sides.  It had one double ice tray and 2 single ones.  As a young kid I learned the hard way don't stick your tongue to the metal ice tray =- UGH !!!

 

Bob

 

[ken]

John/Supersuds

Id be interested in seeing the list of all sixteen refrigerators in order of cost of operation.

Trays under freezer: Ours has only one clear plastic tray which is not reversible for summer/winter operation. It's quite shallow. If I remember correctly there is a flat, thin sheet of aluminum that lays in the bottom of it which can be removed. What that is for I don't know. Strength, reinforcement, protection of bottom? Ours has a hole melted in it from the light bulb same as yours. Referring to John's testing info above I believe the tray has a hole in the right rear corner, which would follow the info of water being collected in container at right rear on shelf below.

I also have some Kelvinator literature from around this time period. I'll take a look at just what I have.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks guys.

 

I'm wondering if the 8 cf model tested in the CRB had a corner freezer unit instead of one across the top.  There isn't any shelf in close proximity below the full width freezer on my fridge.  I'll check for any indication that the plastic container belongs somewhere.  For now, I need the extra space without the plastic container until I devise a shelf for above the fruit freshener bin.

 

Growing up, we had a double-wide ice tray that came with the '49 Westinghouse, but it didn't have any levers to loosen the cubes, so it never got used.  The two single wide trays did have levers, and we used those regularly.

 

Ken, I'll extract the plastic trays and take a closer look.  We were in a hurry to get the fridge cleaned up and moved into place before dark, so I didn't pay much attention.  I think reversing the top tray for defrosting may serve as a way to divert water into the small drain hole, so I'll check that out.

 

[lordkenmore]

>I think those old aluminum ice cube trays froze the ice cubes faster than the plastic ones of today.

They should. The metal would conduct heat better, after all.

We had metal trays growing up. They served well, but from my memories, it can be hard getting the ice out vs. plastic. At least it was on our trays (and we had a couple of different brands).

Totally pointless and boring anecdote (like I have any other kind... LOL), but our refrigerator for many years was one that we got from Grandma (when I think she redid her kitchen). One time we were visiting her, and she pulled out some ice...and commented that it looked one of the trays that "belonged" to our refrigerator. (Bringing this a bit back on topic, the refrigerator was Kelvinator--although a much newer one than the one discussed in this thread.)

 

[supersuds]

Thanks for the pic of the double-width ice cube tray, Eddie.

The Kelvinator in the Consumers' Research test did have a full-width freezer compartment, though the picture isn't clear enough to give detail.

Philco had the best operating cost in the CR test, by a fairly good margin, based on cost per square foot of storage space; Coolerator and International Harvester used twice as much electricity per cu. ft. Here's a quick scan of the article (the oddest thing is they didn't test a GE!)

 

[rp2813]

John, thanks for posting the full report.  Very interesting!  If only CR still offered such detailed and unbiased information today, I might subscribe again.

 

I did check the plastic trays under the freezer and there is a drain hole at right rear of the bottom tray.  Reversing the top tray assures all water will be directed into the drain hole.  The problem is that the area of the bottom tray that was melted by the light bulb will allow defrost water to leak into the cabinet space.  For easy no-mess defrosting, it will need to be patched up.  The melted area is very uneven, so I'll need give some thought to the most effective approach for repairing it.  Maybe some Flex Tape? 

 

I think it's clear now that the plastic bin is in fact used to collect the defrost water.  I would only place it in the corner of the top rack when defrosting.  Otherwise, it takes up valuable space since two shelves are missing.  

 

I fashioned a clip that helps the two flip-up shelf sections align better.  I think what that shelf assembly needs is support from the bottom to prevent sagging.  Likely the shelf on top of the crispers provided an assist with some kind of post; perhaps it's the one pictured in the OP.   I doubt I'll ever find those components, but this fridge is an entertaining placeholder until a dream fridge with all of its parts turns up.

 

[ken]

Ralph

Sorry I haven't posted the pics of the Kelvinator. I was busy and didn't think of it all weekend. Then back to work yesterday which I get home from kind of late.

 

[rp2813]

NP Ken.  I can relate.

 

What I'm noticing is that this fridge runs very cold.  I have the thermostat set all the way to the warmest end of "warmer" and the cup of water I have as my indicator is still holding steady at 37 degrees. 

 

I wonder if this could be caused by the fridge having sat for who knows how long and the concertina thing in the cold control has gotten stuck.  I turned the fridge off yesterday morning and left it off for about half an hour.  I slowly rotated the cold control until the compressor kicked in, and that is where it has been set for the past 24+ hours.  The temp held at 39 all day yesterday, but this morning it's back down to 37.

 

The cup of water is at the very front of the shelf, which is usually the warmest part of a refrigerator.  If it's 37 up front, it must be even colder at the back, where cold air from the freezer section drops through two elongated holes in the trays right below it.

 

I like my beer and soda cold, but I don't want them freezing solid once I crack one open.

 

For $15 this fridge is fine as a placeholder until something else comes along -- if the cold control has lost control.  At least if it's stuck, it's stuck at a setting I can accommodate if necessary.

 

[ken]

As an experiment cover the two holes in the trays and see if the temp comes up. A few years ago I picked up a single door, full width freezer '51 Philco which was missing the plastic chiller tray that belonged below the freezer box. The container of water I had on a shelf to check temp kept forming a thin layer of ice on the top. I soon found a chiller tray and after in place that took care of the issue. No more ice and temp where it should be. Of course my issue wasn't thermostat related as yours may be but it would be interesting to see if covering the holes would make a difference.