Automatic Calrod Repair?

[danemodsandy]

I'm asking this question for friends back in Atlanta.

They have a 1957 GE Stratoliner bought new back in the day, and it's been in the family ever since. Now Mom is starting to clear out her house in preparation for moving to a senior community, and one of the kids wants to restore the range and use it (it has been in the basement for a while).

One of the issues is that the Automatic Calrod unit (like a Sensi-Temp burner) doesn't work any more.

Does anyone know of parts sources and repair lore for these units? I've already warned the owner that this is a range with lots and lots of NLA parts.

 

[danemodsandy]

P.S.:

I seem to remember that there's a "workaround" repair for these units, where you end up with a functional burner, but not the automatic temp control.

That might be satisfactory IF no repair options exist for the automatic temp control, but what's really wanted here is for the Automatic Calrod unit to work again. The original owner still raves about how convenient and magical it was in 1957, and she's in her '80s now.

 

[norgeway]

Good Luck!

I have never seen any of the automatic units that worked correctly, when I get an old stove that is the first thing I change!!

 

[gansky1]

My 57 GE does not have the Automatic Calrod any longer, it was already changed when I got the range. The work-around is simply changing it to an infinite heat switch. You might have them try calling Larry at Modern Parts House in Parma, OH 216-661-6966 to see what he says about availability of the replacement parts.

 

[turquoisedude]

Sandy, there is a fellow in upstate New York - Hansen's in Queensbury who may have spare parts. They had a metric ton of GE parts for ranges last time I was there. Also, a place called Affordable Appliance in Pennsylvania has helped me out with a thermostat for a GE oven in the past.

Links to Affordable Appliance: http://affordableappliance.com/

Link to Unlimited Appliance (aka 'Hansen's'):

http://www.unlimitedappliances.com/

Hope this helps!

 

[firedome]

they don't always fail...

the Automatic Calrod on our TOL GE '58 Liberator works perfectly, and is one of our favorite features on this wonderful range! Never burn the bacon again!

 

[firedome]

Calrod in action:

we love this thing:

 

[combo52]

Automatic Burners on Electric Ranges & Gas Ranges

I have had and seen many of these that work properly and are one of the best things ever installed on any range.  always thought it was too bad that this this feature did not catch on better. The biggest problem with Automatic Elements was that they only had one on most ranges, so most consumers thought of it as the odd burner, so only the intelligent mechanically inclined consumers ever used these to best advantage. If manufacturers had put this House and Life saving feature on all four elements people would have figured out how to use it and would have loved it.

 

One of the biggest causes of home fires still is things left on the stove on too high a heat setting, but on a temperature controlled element [ or gas burner ] it is almost impossible to start a fire. Over the years I have serviced at least a hundred or more gas and electric ranges with this feature and the customer says that that burner does not work. At which point a pick up a pan or whistling tea kettle put some water in it and set the control for 215-225 degrees.  And almost always in just a minute or so the water comes up to a boil and the whistle sounds a little and magically drops down. Customers are always amazed.

 

I remember once going to an open house brunch in a house in Baltimore that these two guys had just bought. And this guy was trying to make pancakes in a non-stick skillet on a Roper built KM gas cook-top. He was having very little luck burning most of the pancakes, so I noticed that the LF burner was a burner- with- a- brain so I suggested try this and I set the burner for a medium flame and set the dial for 350 degrees. It was absolutely amazing every pancake came out the same perfect medium brown shade, the flame would cycle off just as they were done perfectly and as soon as batter was pored in the skillet the flame was back on.

 

He must have stood there and continued to make pancakes for at least an hour and never ruined another.

 

[norgeway]

I Guess!

I just never managed to get one worth a darn, I would love to use one that operated properly, the closest I came was a late 60s Hotpoint I had for a while, the first time I used it, I put on a large pot of water for pasta, I set it about 225, it brought the water up to temp and held it at the boiling point....for about 10 minutes then the control went POP! a wisp of smoke came out of the backsplash, and the unit went red hot, from then on it was on or off! Every other one I had either didnt work, or was so far out of calibration it was useless...I guess im strange, but I prefer 5 or 7 heat switches,when you push a button or turn the knob to whichever position you want...you know exactly what you will get.

 

[danemodsandy]

We Had An....

....Automatic burner on a Whirlpool range Mom owned briefly. I liked the feature a lot; I did most of the family cooking in those years.

But the range and its burner were short-lived and prone to mystery problems, a trait shared by every Whirly product I've ever owned.

 

[kevin313]

We have two stoves in service with an automatic coil - a '54 GE Liberator and a '61 Westinghouse Aristocrat. Westinghouse put their automatic unit at the right rear, and GE is at the left front.

Honestly, I haven't used the Westy automatic unit, so I can't comment on it's performance, but the GE automatic Calrod has been used many times and it works beautifully! It's a nice feature to have.

 

[danemodsandy]

Thanks!

I really appreciate all the responses - I will forward them to the friends who are trying to make this old girl sing again!

 

Many thanks -