polkanut
Well-known member
This is a steal at $50. Has been on and off my local CL for awhile. Someone need to save this cutie.
A nice looking GE Versatronic double oven range.
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danemodsandy
Well-known member
Uhhh....
Is that a storage drawer I spy under the oven door?
I thought storage had to be dispensed with on Versatronics to house the microwave workings.
Is that a storage drawer I spy under the oven door?
I thought storage had to be dispensed with on Versatronics to house the microwave workings.
polkanut
Well-known member
Sandy,
Sure looks like a storage drawer to me.
Sure looks like a storage drawer to me.
GE Versatronic Range
This one would be from about 1970 or a little newer, and yes this is a steal at $50, these were over $1,200.00 new.
This still used GEs 915 M hertz microwave cooking frequency and what looks like a storage drawer is not, this area is completely taken up by the electrical equipment for the MW operation.
This does have the factory installed, dual level ventilation system that is designed to be vented out the back or up through the cabinets above.
I would probably grab this range if I did not already have FOUR of them, I hope someone saves this, There is NO RANGE built today that can do what this range does, including a built-in rotisserie and the hi-speed, self-cleaning combination oven.
GE ran a two page magazine ad for this range where they cooked SIXTY different foods from start to finish in ONE hour, it was a really cool demonstration, maybe someone has the ad and can post it.
This one would be from about 1970 or a little newer, and yes this is a steal at $50, these were over $1,200.00 new.
This still used GEs 915 M hertz microwave cooking frequency and what looks like a storage drawer is not, this area is completely taken up by the electrical equipment for the MW operation.
This does have the factory installed, dual level ventilation system that is designed to be vented out the back or up through the cabinets above.
I would probably grab this range if I did not already have FOUR of them, I hope someone saves this, There is NO RANGE built today that can do what this range does, including a built-in rotisserie and the hi-speed, self-cleaning combination oven.
GE ran a two page magazine ad for this range where they cooked SIXTY different foods from start to finish in ONE hour, it was a really cool demonstration, maybe someone has the ad and can post it.
John,
At 900Mhz did these ovens use a magnetron and wave guide or some other tube and dipole radiators?
That would be on the low end for a magnetron and the waveguide would be rather large.
Also did GE ever specify the RF output power for these units?
What year was the last instance of 900Mhz RF used in an oven?
At 900Mhz did these ovens use a magnetron and wave guide or some other tube and dipole radiators?
That would be on the low end for a magnetron and the waveguide would be rather large.
Also did GE ever specify the RF output power for these units?
What year was the last instance of 900Mhz RF used in an oven?
GE Versatronic Range
Great Question Phil, GE did indeed use a 3/4" copper tube with a metal rod inside with an antenna in the oven to transmit the MW energy into the large oven cavity.
I know that GE used this system till at least 1975, but after this time they went to the standard 2450 Mhz that every other home MW used. I have had about 5 of these 915 Mhz GE combination ranges and every one has worked just fine. I have dug through the service and sales literature for these ranges and have never seen any mention of power output, they do list a way to test the heating speed by heating a liter of water and measuring the temperature rise.
From my experience it is probably in the 450-550 watt range which is a lot of power when you are using the oven as a combination oven.
John L.
Great Question Phil, GE did indeed use a 3/4" copper tube with a metal rod inside with an antenna in the oven to transmit the MW energy into the large oven cavity.
I know that GE used this system till at least 1975, but after this time they went to the standard 2450 Mhz that every other home MW used. I have had about 5 of these 915 Mhz GE combination ranges and every one has worked just fine. I have dug through the service and sales literature for these ranges and have never seen any mention of power output, they do list a way to test the heating speed by heating a liter of water and measuring the temperature rise.
From my experience it is probably in the 450-550 watt range which is a lot of power when you are using the oven as a combination oven.
John L.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
For the Archives:
I'm sure it's a swell range, but I personally can't get past the color: Dead Leprechaun.
I'm sure it's a swell range, but I personally can't get past the color: Dead Leprechaun.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Matt:
Were you around when the Avocado Tsunami hit back in '67?
Some of us who were do not recall those years fondly.
Were you around when the Avocado Tsunami hit back in '67?
Some of us who were do not recall those years fondly.
Okay...now I'm slightly confused. I thought this was a double oven unit but the way you all are talking is as if one of the ovens could also function as a MW. If that's the case...which one did and did it have the capability to operate as one or the other or both at the same time?
900 Mhz
Isn't that the same frequency as early cordless phones used? Would there have been interference or signal jamming created when using the microwave option on one of these stoves?
Isn't that the same frequency as early cordless phones used? Would there have been interference or signal jamming created when using the microwave option on one of these stoves?
norgeway
Well-known member
Avocado and Harvest gold from the mid 60s-70s.
And that yellow from the 50s and early 60s are three colors I can live without, give me pink turquoise or coppertone, and especially Westinghouses mint aqua!!
And that yellow from the 50s and early 60s are three colors I can live without, give me pink turquoise or coppertone, and especially Westinghouses mint aqua!!
Here is the microwave sprinkler head in my 72 Hotpoint combo range. I love baking and roasting with microwaves, not difficult to adapt most recipes once you get a feel for the speed increase. I would estimate the output at equivalent to 450-500 watt range. Not fast for sure, but very adequate with the superb temperature control system GE used.
The oven needs a self-clean cycle but I needed to do the clock repair. That's done, but the cleaning still isn't.
The oven needs a self-clean cycle but I needed to do the clock repair. That's done, but the cleaning still isn't.
Washdaddy, The lower oven has what is called micro-thermal cooking capability. You can cook with heat alone, with microwaves alone or with a combination of both. GE/Hotpoint, Litton, Amana along with Thermador were brands that offered this feature. There might have been more. Combining the two cooking methods can give great results. If ranges with this feature had not been limited to TOL models with TOL prices, they probably would have been more popular.
I like the ability to do frozen French Fries under the broiler in 3 to 4 minutes with high power zapping.
I like the ability to do frozen French Fries under the broiler in 3 to 4 minutes with high power zapping.
Greg, thanks for the photo of the antenna. I remembered many years ago John showed me one of these ranges but my memory was foggy.
I have to assume that they used a magnatron as the RF generator, but its odd to couple a magnetron's output into the oven cavity with a feedline/antenna system. At this low frequency though the waveguide would be very large though, a rectangular guide would be about 5" x 10" for example. Its also possible that they used some other form of power tube that could directly feed into the feedline/antenna. Today we could easily do 500 watts of RF at this frequency with 2 LDMOS transistors!
It is possibly, although unlikely that these ovens could interfere with 900Mhz cordless phones (and intercoms etc). In ITU Region 2 (North and South America) the 900Mhz ISM (Industrial, Scientifie and Medical) band ranges from 902-928 Mhz. It appears that industrial heating was usually placed at 915Mhz. Cordless phones use 2 frequencies one going each direction to and from the base (duplex). These were always placed high and low in the band so they were ~12 Mhz on either side of the the typical heating frequency, probably far enough that interference would never occur.
If anyone has a schematic or other service docs for the RF portion of one of these ovens I'd love to see it. I'm still curious why they picked the low frequency. One reason may have been that the shielding of the cavity is relaxed because of the much longer wavelength. There are likely cooking advantages too as the lower frequency will penetrate deeper into food, but I'm not sure how much difference that makes.
I have to assume that they used a magnatron as the RF generator, but its odd to couple a magnetron's output into the oven cavity with a feedline/antenna system. At this low frequency though the waveguide would be very large though, a rectangular guide would be about 5" x 10" for example. Its also possible that they used some other form of power tube that could directly feed into the feedline/antenna. Today we could easily do 500 watts of RF at this frequency with 2 LDMOS transistors!
It is possibly, although unlikely that these ovens could interfere with 900Mhz cordless phones (and intercoms etc). In ITU Region 2 (North and South America) the 900Mhz ISM (Industrial, Scientifie and Medical) band ranges from 902-928 Mhz. It appears that industrial heating was usually placed at 915Mhz. Cordless phones use 2 frequencies one going each direction to and from the base (duplex). These were always placed high and low in the band so they were ~12 Mhz on either side of the the typical heating frequency, probably far enough that interference would never occur.
If anyone has a schematic or other service docs for the RF portion of one of these ovens I'd love to see it. I'm still curious why they picked the low frequency. One reason may have been that the shielding of the cavity is relaxed because of the much longer wavelength. There are likely cooking advantages too as the lower frequency will penetrate deeper into food, but I'm not sure how much difference that makes.
That is one great stove
I got one for my Mom who just loved it, from John years ago the Americana model; but it didn't have the micro thermal it had an actual storage drawer. After a few rentals it was falling apart so its gone now but I miss that stove. Loved the eye level glass oven,my only complaint was you were limited to the pot size due to the over hang and on Cape Cod the lobster pots won't fit on the stove.
I got one for my Mom who just loved it, from John years ago the Americana model; but it didn't have the micro thermal it had an actual storage drawer. After a few rentals it was falling apart so its gone now but I miss that stove. Loved the eye level glass oven,my only complaint was you were limited to the pot size due to the over hang and on Cape Cod the lobster pots won't fit on the stove.
From the schematic diagram. If you'd like the whole art of three diagrams, let me know and I'll email them!
