Coldspot Supermart Bottom Mount (1957-ish?)

[rp2813]

This has popped up on CL near me.  Hinges are where I need them.  I'm tempted, but even if it cools and freezes properly, the interior has some rough spots and it appears there are parts missing:  at least one crisper, perhaps a meat drawer, and a full width shelf.  I suppose these would be nearly impossible to find, but I could live without them.  With door storage, it would still provide more shelf/storage space than my '52 Kelvinator, which is also missing some shelving.

 

I'd appreciate any information on this from those in the know.  I presume it's a Seeger system and isn't frost-free, but that's about as much as I know about these.  It appears to be a spare fridge that has lived in a basement for quite a while.  I don't see a drain in the freezer floor, but won't say that's a deal breaker just yet.

 

Any thoughts on whether this is worth going after?  I've already contacted the seller to ask if I can plug it in and check operation.  More pix in the link.  I have no interest in the freezer.

 

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/app/d/saratoga-vintage-super-mart-coldspot/7577185339.html

 

[norgeway]

I had

The exact same one in my basement for years, A friend was going to throw it out it looked awful but the insides looked new Mine had every bin and drawer, absolutely silent and kept food beautifully, I sold it when i sold my house, if i could find a nice one complete i know of no other refrigerator i liked any better, it had a pink ice bin that had ice trays you slid in above it and ejected the cubes into the bin.

 

[qsd-dan]

Damn shame it's missing parts and some of the shelving looks rather beat up on the lower section of the refer. I bet it still works beautifully though 

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Hans.  I'm not a bit surprised that these run silently.  Even later non-Seeger compressors from Whirlpool are very quiet.  Can you tell me anything about the manual defrosting process?  I assume the fresh food section defrosts like a GE Combination, but defrosting the bottom mount freezer is another matter.

 

Dan, only a closer look in person will reveal just how bad some of the areas of concern are.  I'm hoping the warped plastic shelf just needs to be properly fitted into position, and the same is possible on the wonky supposed meat drawer framework.  My experience has been that it can work both ways and things may either look better in person or worse.  At least the exterior should shine up well, and I only need the front to look good.

 

I don't really need the crisper space, but I'll certainly use the remaining drawer for any fresh produce that would dry out fast in my frost-free daily driver's crisper.

 

One thing I forgot to ask in my OP is whether the freezer should maintain a temperature of zero or lower.  The '52 Kelvinator's freezer is pretty much useless, and if it goes too long between cycles, contents get fused to the bottom surface.

 

Meanwhile, I'm attaching the picture this time so there's an option to view it full size.

[this post was last edited: 1/23/2023-22:19]

 

[combo52]

Late 50s cold spot refrigerator

Hi Ralph, neat refrigerator. It needs a good close examination door gaskets could be in bad shape the freezer is a manual defrost. You just have to get in there with a pan of hot water and defrost it.

Could be a viable refrigerator. We didn’t see a ton of whirlpool cold spot refrigerator from the late 50s, it would have the Seeger rotary compressor.

Whirlpool, built the rotary compressor and used it almost exclusively through 1984.

You could always hear the Tecumseh compressor models cause they would roar to life when they started.

John.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks John. 

 

If the seller responds, I'm going to ask to plug it in and leave it running for 24 hours.   If it passes that test, I'll pick up a couple of braceros from HD and have them do all of the heavy lifting.  I think the seller just needs it gone and they might let it go for maybe 1/3 of what they're asking.

 

Defrosting likely isn't any worse than it is with my current '52 Kelvinator, which has a cracked tray below the full width freezer and even though I repaired it as best I could, the defrost water won't run toward the drain hole and into the collection bin, so with a BF, at least I won't have to empty the whole refrigerator.

 

I've been pulling up images (one was off an old post from Kenny) and I can see what's missing.  I also found an old Sears ad for a more deluxe model that indicates it has a true zero freezer.  Now it's about seeing the fridge in person.

 

I'll keep you guys posted.  Meanwhile, here's a link to the one Kenny posted (the listing is still up, believe it or not, even though it says the fridge has been sold, and there are good pix there).

Coldspot Supermart

Never saw this one. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1121316071624685/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A453f1322-ed1b-4402-8ad2-e8596a2b6bbb

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[combo52]

Hi Ralph hopefully you can get a good deal on this refrigerator in it pans out. It’s a pretty neat refrigerator.

Anytime you have a separate sealed door for a freezer it’s always gonna be a 0° freezer, and if it has a decent gasket on it. You might only defrost it every couple years even depending on how much you use it.

Keep us in the loop.

 

[rp2813]

I received a nicely written reply from the seller ('s agent?) and will be going to have a look either tomorrow or Thursday.  I asked if it's at all possible to plug the fridge in ahead of time so its cooling ability can be assessed.  I'm going to bring an aim & shoot thermometer gun as well as an instant read type, a powerful flashlight, and a heavy duty extension cord just in case.  Oh, and my phone if any more pictures are in order.

 

I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[luxflairguy]

Family grew up with that fridge! We took it from Seattle to Cocoa Beach Florida and back! Ended up at the family beach house with a small leak in freezer section causing it to ice up and the door hard to open. Sold it to a collector friend who had leak sealed up and as far as I know it's still running! the pink and copper colored interior was always enjoyable! Greg

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice 'fridge. The drawer would be difficult at the least to find, but I'm betting a shelf could be made to fit.

 

[rp2813]

Kenny, my main concern is the wasted space without the other full width shelf.  I wonder what the logic was behind the divided bin design for the top shelf.

 

I don't mind the missing meat drawer or the oddball suspended partial shelf up top (for super cold drinks, maybe?).  Without those there's more room for bulky items that wouldn't easily to fit in my counter depth SxS daily driver.

 

I looked around on the Monitor Top forum and there isn't a single post about any Coldspot Supermart.  I thought maybe I'd find a parts resource there for at least one more door shelf.  That confirms how rare these are, and I can only guess that manual defrosting was the leading reason for replacing them.

 

With all of the comments about the longevity of the sealed systems on these, I'm feeling good about the odds that this fridge may run properly.  It remains to be seen what the freezer cavity looks like, but the lack of any rust along the bottom front is a good sign.  I have confirmed for Thursday afternoon to go check it out.

 

 

 

 

[turbokinetic]

That looks like a good one! I don't have a whole lot of experience with them, other than to say the compressors are very reliable. They do have an electromechanical start-relay and some had a capacitor. If it has a capacitor,  you might be wise to replace it as a matter of course. Also, if it has a condenser fan, that should be oiled. 

 

[rp2813]

Thanks David,

 

I may need help in identifying the capacitor, so if I do end up with this fridge, I'll take some pictures.  I think I saw a picture of this same model and it had a passive condenser mounted on the back.  If this fridge has forced draft, I have Zoom turbine oil for the fan.

 

I think the seller is an individual who does estate liquidations, so there may not be any information available on how long this fridge has been sitting idle.  I was told that there were no interior parts laying around, so WYSIWYG.  An up close and personal encounter tomorrow should effect a go/no-go decision.

 

[rp2813]

In Person Visit Report and More Pictures

The good news:

 

The missing full-width shelf was sitting on top of the fridge.

The lowest shelf just looks warped in the picture.  It's the metal piece along the front that's bent; no big deal to make it right.

The fridge fired right up.

The freezer coils got down to minus 20 per my aim and shoot thermometer gun.

 

Concerns:

 

The serpentine coil in the fresh food section remained at a temperature of 56 after about 45 minutes.

There's a weird rubber piece with a tiny thread of wire inside it that broke when I tried to tie it against the coil with a piece of wire I found (picture 5).  Could this be fatal?

The condenser on the back is loose and due to low light I couldn't see where it detached from.  Should be easy to correct.

 

Other Info:

 

I asked to leave the fridge plugged in for at least 24 hours, and got the OK for that.  There's no access tomorrow so I won't be going back until Saturday to take readings and make a final decision.  If the fridge section isn't cold, that will be that.  I know a guy like David could diagnose and fix this problem fairly quickly, but I don't have that level of expertise.

 

The door gaskets seem pretty smashed.  I didn't look closely to see how they're attached.

Opening the doors involves a weird two-step process, but that could just be what's required at the moment.  There's an elliptical Lucite insert in each handle that serves as a push button, but right now you still need to pull on the tip of the chrome surround with your finger to get the doors to open.  I think they're supposed to pop open.  With either door open, you can see the latching mechanism move when the Lucite button is pressed.  The freezer door latches more smoothly upon closing than the fresh food door, but they both make a very satisfying "thunk" sound.

 

I've attached pictures from today's visit.  Of course, they've all been given a quarter turn to the left by the attachment algorithm that thinks it knows better (have at it Glenn).  And for some reason, even though my phone's camera was set for flash, there was no flash action for the freezer pix.  In the picture of the freezer cavity with the basket assembly removed, the "sheet" of coils/tubing on the rear wall were basement temperature even though the coils on the ceiling of the freezer were well below zero.  Maybe the rear sheet is related to the fridge temperature?

 

All in all, if the fresh food section just needs time to wake up and cool down so the fridge presents as fully functional, I think it can easily be made presentable inside and out and I would arrange to bring it home for a good detailing.  It's actually a nice size for a second fridge.  Oh, and there's a big chrome piece that looks like a kick panel, but seems too large to fit below the freezer door.  That's definitely a bling treatment I'd like to figure out if the fridge becomes mine.

 

Wish me/it luck, and enjoy the additional pictures!

 

 

 

[turbokinetic]

It's great that you were able to look at it, and get permission to plug it in.

 

Hopefully the lack of cooling in the fresh food compartment was due to the system not being warmed up yet. The Coldspot rotary high-side housing compressor needs a longer time to warm up than most. Hopefully it's cold when you return next week! 

 

As for the broken rubber piece being fatal.... nothing is "fatal" to these except for being thrown into the shredder at the recycling yard. Anything can be fixed if you are willing to put forth the effort. 

 

[rp2813]

Thanks David, and I agree that nothing is fatal, particularly after watching your amazing videos!  But, I don't have the wherewithal to fix anything major, and my experience with the '57 Combination confirmed that nobody local wants to touch something like this.  Besides, as your videos have shown, if people don't know what they're doing, they're effecting more harm than good.

 

But, I'm glad you confirmed my hopeful suspicions that maybe the system needs to keep running in order for the fresh food cooling to begin.  This gives me hope that the fridge is viable.  The uniqueness factor alone is a big incentive for me, and this rare bird would evoke a whole lot more satisfaction than the infamous Thundering Thermador dishwasher episode from over a dozen years ago!

 

I've thought about it and have a feeling that the broken rubber thing is on the order of a waterbed heater.  I don't know what its purpose is, but I vaguely remember reading that the cycle defrost GE Combinations had heaters located by the serpentine coil in the fresh food section.  What I'm not sure about is why this component on the Supermart was sticking out into thin air, aimed away from the coil at an upward angle.

 

Maybe with the help of fellow members channeling positive Supermart engergy, the fresh food section will be within a reasonable temperature range by Saturday afternoon.  I would love for this fridge to become a rescued survivor, sparkling in a new, loving "forever" home.

 

Oh, and P.S. -- It doesn't stink inside at all, and that kind of looks like a drain cap in the freezer floor.  I didn't even notice it due to the poor lighting.

 

[combo52]

Cold spot supermarket refrigerator

Yay Ralph good news. Mostly, it does take about an hour for a high side compressor that has not been run for a long time to start cooling on the complete evaporator coil.

The thing to check for when you go back east to be sure the refrigerator main compartment is somewhere between 35 and 40. Also the refrigerator should’ve shut off periodically so there should not be very much frost on the evaporator in the refrigerator section.

That little rubber thing on the evaporator in the fresh food section is probably a small heater. Not sure what the wire piece is I hope it’s not the sensor for the thermostat .

Otherwise everything looks like it may be doable. Hopefully this refrigerator will pan out. It’s a pretty neat refrigerator.

The condenser on these refrigerators was mounted to the compressor. The whole thing floats. The rubber grommets tend to fall apart so it seem very loose. It’s pretty easy to put some sort of rubber inside the brackets and keep it from vibrating once you get it home.

John

 

[turbokinetic]

I was just looking again at the fresh food compartment coil, and the rubber heater.  I have a feeling this performs a similar function to the heaters on the evaporator on the GE cycle-defrost machines.  By applying heat to a few select areas near the thermostat sending tube, it makes the off-cycles shorter, as well as ensures ice has melted off from certain areas where it might otherwise remain. By making the off-cycles shorter, it will lower the average cabinet temperature throughout the cycle. You may be able to get along without it, or might have to get another one. If you can determine the heater wattage of the original, companies like Case Parts Co. sell heater wire by the foot. They have different resistance values to accommodate different wattage requirements. You can put this heater wire inside heat-shrink sleeve to construct a replacement heater, if an original isn't available. 

 

[rp2813]

Thanks John & David,

 

I didn't see anything that looked like a thermostat sending tube, so that was why I was concerned about the broken insulated piece.  My experience with sending tubes is that they're actual metal tubes, so this brittle rubber thing seems like an anomaly.  A heat shrink sleeve was my first thought about salvaging what's there, so I'm glad that was suggested.

 

I'll do a visual check of the serpentine coil for defrosting activity.  I remember my GE Combo usually had frozen drops of condensate at the base of its coil.  I'll feel inside the drain trough for good measure.

 

Thanks also for the information on the condenser/compressor assembly.  That's one of the first things I would secure if the fridge comes home with me.

 

It appears that any minor chance of rain over the weekend has evaporated, so since I would be working on this fridge outdoors, there's an extended window of opportunity for the next several days.  I need another project like a hole in the head, but I'm totally motivated if this becomes one, and it will be a top priority.

 

First chance for another report will be Saturday PM.