1983 Amana Radarange

[panthera]

Well, gosh. This is the cat's pajamas.
Drove back into town today, stopped at the local Salvation Army.

They were having a warehouse sale. Fifty percent off of everything.

For the last two years, I have had my eye on a beautiful Radarange Touchmatic. Everything cherry, just no sensor.

Started out at $48 dollars, dropped last year to $24 then this January to $12. Got her today for $6.00, plus the two dollar bills I tipped the guys who carried her out for me.

Took her home, plugged her in.

Ok, the display is a bit dim...but she boils!

Yee-Haw!

Ok, now some questions for the experts around here. Back says 1500 Watts. Surely that is consumption, not power output? About what does she put out? Must be considerable.

Will any sensor work or do we have to find a special one?

Is there anything I need to know about her in particular, other than that you can get a hernia moving her...

 

[panthera]

back side

The small print.

 

[panthera]

the inside

Was going to phrase it differently, but Toggles might be reading...

 

[panthera]

The slightly dim display

That's OK, there are some here who think I'm not quite the brightest bulb on the tree, either.

 

[maytagbear]

Yes, that

is input wattage. Output is around 700 watts, but is a nice 700 watts, and is usually faster than a modern 700.

Display may well be brighter when indoors.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[panthera]

Lawrence,

You are the light of my life and the balm on my soul.
I've got the tables on how many watts can raise how many cc's of water from and to somewhere or other, but figured it was around there, possibly a bit more...sure boiled the water fast.

Give me a call tomorrow? Home flunking freshmen.

 

[passatdoc]

I just purchased a new Amana over the range (exhaust hood plus microwave in one unit) to replace a GE that crashed and died. The "Radarange" logo on the door is identical to the logo on the 1983 model. Otherwise, there is not much similarity between the units! Mine is all white, for instance.

 

[passatdoc]

"Give me a call tomorrow? Home flunking freshmen."

Was? Haben die Studenten Schwierigkeiten mit Konjunctiv I sowie Konjunctiv II??? Von Amis ist richtige deutsche Grammatik nicht zu erwarten....

 

[Unimatic1140]

Drove back into town today, stopped at the local Salvation Army.

Wow that is a fabulous Radarange Keven, congrats on a very super cool find. Ok but I'm confused (curisoity killed the cat you know) did you find this in Germany? I didn't know they were available there!! Or are you in Fort Collins, CO now? Sorry for stupid questions.

 

[rp2813]

So Keven, this oven sat in a Salvation Army store for two years? I don't think the one by me lets anything sit on a shelf for more than two months!

 

[panthera]

In the 'States

Hi Robert, I'm back in the 'States between semesters. My dad had some serious problems which had to be dealt with and didn't want to leave my mom alone with them.

I found her in a Salvation Army Warehouse in Cheyenne. Most folks looking for appliances steer clear of the warehouse - understandably. It is mainly icky furniture from the worst of the trailer-house trash era. The kind which comes pre-smoked, with cigarette burns, diaper stains and other interesting bodily fluids amongst the lice and, well, anyway.

The Salvation Army does incredibly good work. They may be religiously way off my chart, but back in the day when I was working in a crisis center, they were my last refuge when I'd get a battered woman or runaway gay kid in with no place to go. No questions asked, just help.

Many things sit in that warehouse forever. Seen a Litton ceramic top stove sit there for many years. Right now, they have a solid-top (any European will tell you they suck) stove in perfect condition. Been there for nearly one year, nobody around here even knows what it is.

Cheyenne has several thrift stores. A St. Vincent's de Paul which is run by folks doing penance for committing ax murders or worse. That would match their personalities, at least. They like me because one of the older ladies is a distant cousin who likes to fawn over me and point out to the other ax-murderesses that she is related to a gen-u-whine Count.

In my family, better make that Count Dracula with a touch of the Borgias thrown in. But folks here know that already.

Anyway, that thrift shop prices things higher than to by them new so when they do their 50% off sales, they make a killing.
Wrong choice of words.

Then we have the Salvation Army warehouse, which is ignored. Best prices in town on furniture for retro-movies and porno-couches, saves time when you're doing the whiz scenes - stains already in place.

Next door, the Salvation Army clothes and doo-dads store. They have really good clothes at very good prices. Picked up a brand-new, never been worn (not with all those pins in it) (well, there might be some...) cashmere (three-garn, not two) for 5$ just last year.

Finally, we have the Goodwill. They have a large quantity of good books, truly dreadful clothes (polyester, anyone?) and beat-to-hell appliances. The big guy behind the counter and the black woman are great, the blond was too evil for St. Vincent's de Paul. They have trained and found jobs for over fifty people here in the last year. That is saying something, given this area.

Oh - nearly forgot. One of the old bowling alleys here (Cheyenne once had four, which means if all lanes were full, half the State's population was bowling and if you think I am exaggerating, you need to look up the pop. stat's on Wyoming).
Anyhow, one of the ex-bowling alleys is a sort of thrift/consignment store. They have junk, assorted junk and, broken junk. Sad, very sad. But they will bargain and I got a great carbide blade for my circular saw there the other day, so not all is lost.

The Radarange blew a fuse last night, so am taking her apart this morning. Can you say built-to-last? Sure you can. If I can't fix her, we may have lots of parts for anyone who needs them.

I like Amana, looked at that one in white a few years ago. When did they change over to Whirlpool?

 

[panthera]

Passatdoc,

I have trouble with German Konjuntive II, never mind my students - and they grew up speaking the blasted language.
Naw, these freshmen are in English for the Natural Sciences. A required course, but many kids think just because they had seven years of "Oxford English" they don't need to come to the lectures, laboratories or study groups.
Still, only seven failing so far out of 300 some-odd, can't complain too much. I made a big scene at the start of the semester about how I wouldn't let anybody fail who showed up regularly. These seven were all slackers.

I do miss the American semester system, which is more of a trimester set up with two even semesters and a wild leg (electrician's joke for those who know what two-phase and split-phase are). The fall semester started late, will end late (big Xmas break) and the summer semester will start as always and run forever. Means those who actually need the money won't have much chance to earn it between semesters.

Am Rande vermerkt, ich fand Deutsch wesentlich schwerer als Latin und Spanisch. Haette ich nicht schon Latin gemeistert, waere die Konjunktive Verben nicht erlernbar.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Thanks Keven for clearing that up for me

So you bought this yesterday in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Now I get it. What threw me off is I had no idea that Cheyenne has such strong deciduous trees as pictured in your second picture, I never heard of deciduous trees that don't loose their leaves in a climate with an average low temperature 14 above this time of year. Who knew! Our deciduous trees lost their leaves in Oct and Nov. Even the ones I saw in North Carolina which has a much warmer climate had all of their leaves gone by the 1st week of December when I was there last. Maybe its the Rockies being so close and the Chinook winds? Anyway as the old saying goes, learn some thing new everyday.

 

[panthera]

Sadly, no

the deciduous trees do lose their leaves here quite late in what you folks in balmy Minnesota call 'summer' and don't regain them until quite far along in March or April.

The altitude (6,000Ft plus), dry climate (we are in a real drought) and extended sub-zero cold does exactly what you would expect it to do.

And yet - should a tree be sheltered between two houses, a garage and a big cold-house on three sides, with the forth side open to the 'sun', then you will get a situation like my darlin' has on that one tiny part by his patio. Kinda groovy. Last year, tho', the -24 degree days even caused this group to rethink their strategy and fall dormant.

Here's the innards.

 

[panthera]

Schematic,

I can post a high-res or send one to anyone who wants/needs it.

 

[panthera]

dead fuse

And this is what has blown. Now, of course, to identify what caused it to blow. Given that I had her on a pretty perky GFI (my darlin' thinks bare copper extension cords and 1930's waffle irons out in the rain are just fine and dandy for making breakfast)
and it didn't blow...
hmmm.
We shall see.
More to come.
All ideas really, really welcome - I had wanted to start on the 1947 refrigerator today.

 

[panthera]

15 amp, 250V

And it blew faster than the 4ns GFI!

Wow!

Off to Homo-Depot to pick up one or two or three of these.

Oh, and yes - I did discharge the capacitor through resistance.

Safety first, dahlinks.

(I was afraid to short to ground, that thing looks like it could hold enough charge to run a clothes dryer through an entire load.)

I wonder if it might have been condensation? Oven was in a warm warehouse, I put her out in four degree weather with steaming hot water in her...never did say I was bright. Let's hope!

 

[rp2813]

I think the various levels of Salvation Army shopping in Cheyenne are a case of real estate still being cheap. Just about every thrift store around here is just a store, no as-is yard or warehouse. St Vincent De Paul was the last holdout and now they have no stores locally. Most don't even carry major (or even minor) appliances anymore. Goodwills have become a serious wasteland of late. They have apparently changed their business model and have all but eliminated even the ubiquitous coffee makers from their shelves. Just a bunch of orphan Tupperware-esque stuff where all the fun appliances and phones used to be, and this is pretty much across the Goodwill enterprise. I pass them by now, as they have nothing of interest for me anymore.

 

[panthera]

Yeah,

I have noticed some major changes at the Goodwill stores this visit to the 'States, too.
Changes for the worse, as in, anything someone might possibly want to buy is gone.

Very strange. Also have a new policy of no-refunds and no-bargaining.

I think they must have picked up an MBA cheap after he got fired for trashing a Fortune 500 company.

 

[panthera]

looks like condensation was the problem!

Yee-Haw!
She works again. And there was a shit-load of water in the frame.
I think it was that what blew her.

Somethings are just better dry.

We are going to run lots of stuff through her the next days, just to be sure.

Gosh, what a quality piece of engineering. If the Americans still built appliances like this, there would be no question who was the world leader in quality.

Any takers on the schematic? Once I have the cover back on her, it won't be so easy to shoot.

Now, any advice or tips on living with her? Any ideas where to get a temperature probe without mortgaging the house?

 

[launderess]

Goodwill

Stopped into our local a few days ago, which one normally no longer does because it has nothing but cheap tat and cast off china. Glad to hear it is not just one store.

No good antique furniture anymore. No nothing interesting, just miles of cast off clothing and bits of china (if one could call it that), that are better off smashed to bits. I mean who wants to pay $10 for a Pottery Barn dish that can be had new for $3.50?

Small appliances, vintage or new are hard to come by as well. Thankfully we have several other good thrifts that get really good merchandise, and have taken my business there.

L.

 

[passatdoc]

Panthera

Hoffentlich haben Deine Studenten Erfolg mit der neuen Rechtschreibung. Ich bin zu alt, noch mal zu lernen. Was war los mit der ALTEN Rechtschreibung. Schließlich haben Konrad Adennauer oder Ludwig Erhard nie die neue Rechtschreibung benutzt, und sie hatten kein Problem, als Bundeskanzler zu arbeiten!

Just because your students have taken seven years of Oxford English doesn't mean they are proficient. I've seen those damn texts, they appear to have come from another planet.

"Hello, my name is Nigel. I am from London."

"Hello, my name is Fiona. I am from Leeds. Would you like to come with us to the cricket match?"

(sample conversation)

NIGEL? FIONA? CRICKET MATCHES? What were they smoking?

When you look at the authors on the frontispiece, they're inevitably from Oxford or Germany. No Canadians, Americans, or Aussies. So you know what is being forced down their throads is the Standard Received Pronunciation.

Of course, if they use American spellings in any of their written work, it's WRONG.

Be on the alert for:

--split infinitives
--dangling participles
--sentences with too many dependent clauses (no, we don't give bonus points for extra dependent clauses, this isn't German after all...)
--sentences with a preposition at the end. Verbs at the end are all fine and well in German, but that's not a license to put prepositions on the end of a sentence in English.
---slang. Your student may pick up more English from the mass media than from reading.

I'm sure that Goethe and Schiller would agree.

 

[foraloysius]

Nice catch! I love those Amana Radaranges. Overhere in the Netherlands we only got the commercial nukers. You see them often in cafeterias.

 

[panthera]

Notes

Robert, I think you were seeing the reflection of inside plants in the glass. Was out on the patio just now and can not see the trees from there. Still, a sharp observation. And it is true that some years the trees up here get caught out by an unusually warm period in the middle of winter (we often have 60 plus days in late January), they wake up and then get really hit in late February when it can be the coldest of the year.

The Radarange is up and running. Here is the skinny. Since my darlin's kitchen is frozen in 1953, except for a microwave in a corner he tolerates and we have fifteen of the beasts scattered throughout his and my parents' house, we want her to have a good home. Now, I can't know for sure it was only the condensation (sure looks like it) and a 1983 Amana can go at any time, but - we don't really need her, my parents don't value 'old stuff', my red-neck family trashed the A108 I restored and gave to them, so no way are they getting this beauty.

So - she's too heavy to ship, but if anybody in the Cheyenne or Fort Collins area wants her (or South Dakota passing through?) she is yours, free. All we ask is that she go to a good home and if she dies, that her parts be used to give life to another Radarange.

Let us know - until then, she's agonna be zapping 'taters.

 

[panthera]

To indiscriminately split

and mangle, shift tenses while inserting meaningless splices in double relative clauses which are of themselves valueless in the sentences which they seek to modify while they fail to achieve the goals that were set...

Yup, I do so know all about that.

Mainly, tho', they are in my course to master the vocabulary of the natural sciences. Like it or not - and this is fought with enormous vigor by the Gymnasiallehrer - UK English is not the language of choice in the sciences, today.

Had to laugh last year. Took one of the standardized English tests with a group of English professors and secondary teachers. Top scores went to a Canadian and me, the Germans came in last. Still get to hear, in tones of astonishment, "man laesst zu, ein Amerikaner als Prof. fuer Englisch???".

That one is never going to die.

Anyway, the microwave is running beautifully and I am kind of feeling pleased. What a neat find!

 

[panthera]

cedar tree! and the door interlocks are causing a short!

Robert, my honey says you saw a cedar tree. They look like deciduous trees, but are coniferous.

And the dratted door interlock is causing a short and blowing the fuse. So back to square one.

Any ideas? Such a beautiful machine.

 

[cadman]

Panthera, perhaps you know, but those door interlocks are designed to blow the fuse for operator protection if they're not adjusted just-so. Unfortunately (fortunately?) I've never had to dig for the adjustment procedure. But I do have some experience with this as the first things to fail on these old RR's are the door springs. When one spring breaks and the door is opened, then closed, the switch on one side does not return to it's depressed state. Go to cook and you find out right away.

So, I'd adjust for both switches to "release" in tandem with a slight tug of the door. Or, perhaps, a contact has gone intermittent in one of the switches and the RR does not like the occasional Left/Right disagreement of states. -Cory

 

[panthera]

Cory,

Thank you. I got it tracked down to the door interlocks, but haven't had time to go any further.
Any advice will be much appreciated...am considering whether I can just short the left side. The right side has three wires running to it as well as another switch which is activated at the same time. I assumed that was the light switch, but now am not so sure.