Defrosting the refrigerator....

[turquoisedude]

I know it's the price to pay for having a manual or cycle-defrost refrigerator, but I don't really mind having to defrost the freezer section of any of my vintage refrigerators.  I still prefer the way these non-frostless models keep foods.  

 

I've always defrosted the freezers the same way - I use the method a neighbour taught me when I was 10 years old and put in charge of household operations:  pans of hot water in the freezer section.  But while I did a double-defrosting down in Ogden yesterday of the GE wall refrigerator and the Frigidaire CyclaMatic, I began to wonder "Is there a better way?"

 

I remember finding a scary-looking unit made by Torcan that had a heating element in a mesh tube on plastic legs.  I used it a couple of times on the '57 GE Deluxe refrigerator that was my first refrigerator, but I wound up softening a break strip by holding the unit near the freezer compartment door to melt enough frost for me to get the darn thing opened...  

 

I also wondered about the frost build-up patterns and if that may indicate bad door gaskets... The '62 CyclaMatic frost build up looks exactly like the illustrations in Frigidaire ads for their wonderful new frostless models in the late 50s - there seems to be a ridge accumulating at the front of the freezer compartment.  The '65 CyclaMatic does the same but the items inside the freezer don't seem to get the same coat of frost as the ones in the '62 do...   The GE seems to develop the worst build up on the top liner of the freezer - my theory is that warm, humid summer air rising into the compartment hit that, condensed, and froze.  

 

Oh, and the '56 Westinghouse Imperial now in service full-time in St-Liboire?  Push-button easy!  They couldn't possibly have gotten away with calling that a 'Frost Free' model these days, but wow - that hot-gas defrost works really well!! 

 

[rp2813]

Well, this is timely . . .

Paul, I had frost issues with my '57 GE Combination that got so bad, just a few days after defrosting a blob of frost was forming up front at the top, even though I hadn't opened the door at all since defrosting.  You may remember the pictures I took after I first got the fridge.  The gaskets were badly worn and split on the handle side of each door.  I took them off and flipped them around so the bad areas were by the hinges where they could presumably form a tighter seal.

 

That worked OK for a few years, but just last week when I opened the freezer door it was clear that I'd let things go too long, and the side molding on the door shelf was in the process of fusing itself to the freezer's side wall.

 

Not long after I got the fridge, I bought replacement gaskets for both doors from Modern.  Last week, I knew it was time to replace the freezer gasket while I was defrosting.  My expectations were low, but I'm nothing short of amazed with the results.  I defrosted on Monday and finally gave into the suspense on Friday and opened the door to check things out.  ZERO frost -- even on the ceiling where it forms first!  I've checked a few times since then, and just a thin layer exists on the ceiling. 

 

It took some major adjustments to the alnico magnet screws to get the door to snap closed with the new "balloon type" gasket, which is a testament to how compressed the old one had become.  I had to back them out nearly 1/4" to get them to snap against the metal strip on the cabinet.

 

So by all means, if you can get your hands on a new gasket, that will likely provide a significant reduction in frequency of defrosting jobs, although if this is a single door fridge you're talking about, your mileage may vary.

 

As for the "Torcan," I have a similar device that I use all the time on both the Combination and the big Tru-Cold upright freezer.  You do have to keep it a safe distance from anything that might melt, and I've not had any problem in that regard.  I place it deep inside the freezer, close the door, and walk away.  45 minutes to an hour later, frost has melted and most of the water has run down the drain.  All I do is wipe out the interior, reload contents, and fire it up.  Something I'll be doing a lot less often now that the new gasket is in place!  Yay!

 

[norgeway]

Defrosting!

Is a very small price to pay for a fridge that keeps food better, doesent run half as much and keeps ice cream hard as a brick!!

 

[philcobendixduo]

Our 1950's Firestone.....

.....refrigerator had a "push to defrost" button on the interior side wall of the refrigerator section.
When pushed, the unit would make a sound rather like water running and the freezer walls would begin to heat up to melt the frost. The water dripped in to a tray located beneath the freezer section.

In it's later days (in my garage in the 1990's) I had to often hold the defrost button in or it would stop defrosting as soon as I let go of the button.

Here are the only 2 pics I could find of it - one with my Mother and the other with me!

Does anyone know who made refrigerators for Firestone in the early to mid 1950"s?
Just curious!

Alas, I gave the refrigerator to my Dad who located it in the workshop area of the mobile home park he was managing at the time. Don't know if it's still there or not...

 

[washer111]

What I would suggest is that perhaps the "glaciers" nearest the doors are from the strong vacuum created just after you shut the freezer door (which creates the characteristic "HISSSSSS!"), from the contraction of air inside the freezer. 

 

However, if ice is forming without your assistance, then I would agree with the others and suggest getting some new gaskets. 

 

[rp2813]

So the hissing sound means the gasket is doing its job?  My '61 Tru-Cold makes a hissing sound when the door is closed and it still has its original gasket.

 

[washer111]

Hissing

Upon shutting the door, this is the sound of air entering the compartment as what is in there is contracting (due to chilling), thus generating negative pressure inside the freezer or fridge compartment. 

 

Sometimes, this sound may be accompanied by crunching or thunking sounds as the cabinet itself expands and contracts with temperature. Such sounds are typically only heard during defrost, in my experience. 

 

[Marky_Mark]

I remember, before they mostly became frost-free, about 25 years ago in Home Economics class (now known in the UK as Food Tech by the younger generation) I told my teacher that I defrost the freezer by putting a hairdryer inside it.  She said, "That's the easiest way to give yourself an electric shock."  I informed her that (as in common in Europe) our whole house was RCD-protected (US: GFCI-protected).  She still wasn't convinced it was a good idea.  Looking back, I certainly have to agree!  I think Paul's use of pans of hot water is a much better idea!  It's quite satisfying defrosting the freezer!

 

[washdaddy]

When I had a freezer that I had to defrost I would use my electric skillet. The skillet is immersion safe in water for cleaning. So thought oh why not...put into the empty freezer set at 250-300, shut the door, plugged in the frypan...within 30 min roughly all defrosted. Ice that fell into the pan would create steam and melt away.  unplug the pan, pull it out of the freezer. Wipe out the freezer and turn it back on and away you go.

 

Anytime I had to check it's progress I always made sure I unplugged the pan first to avoid possible shock.

 

[gansky1]

We used pans of hot water, usually boiling, poured into cake pans to speed the process by spreading the heat out. We had a singe-door GE for many years and it was quite a job getting that done. Frost built up quickly around the freezer section of course and having only one required some steady effort to get the thing back up and chilling again before things began to spoil or thaw.

My 63 Hotpoint in the garage finally needs defrosting after years of running. We only keep beverages in that one so I'll simply turn it off and let it defrost in it's own time, using some old towels to soak up the water.

 

[cadman]

Paul, my '65 GE is just as bad, and if it's humid weather, forget about it! It has to be gasket related, though it passes the dollar bill test with flying colors. The frost pattern is just like yours, and it will spread across the top and melt along the non-hinged side. I've played with the magnets to no avail.

I know I've shared this tip before, but I find it super-easy to plug in the shop vac, secure an old towel over the outlet to keep moisture from escaping, and then use the small upholstery tool to literally grate/vac up the ice crystals. No boiling water or heaters that make you wait. Good for a 'touch up' defrosting now and then and since it's quick, no worries about the food defrosting.

 

[polkanut]

I use the same method Greg does with the 1972 Cycla-Matic in our basement. It's not our primary fridge so I just put the few items that we do keep in the freezer compartment in the fridge section to keep them from thawing out.

 

[melissa]

Need Frost Free 50s Fridge ASAP

I hate defrosting. I know I have a lot of nerve complaining about defrosting, especially on this this thread, a veritable tribute to defrosting. It's true. I admit - I'm a vintage appliance addict, but I'm lazy and a spoil sport, and I hope I never defrost another fridge.

Yes, I loved my curvy 1951 2 door GE fridge that I had till last year. She was beautiful and streamline and full of chrome. But when it came time to defrost once a week I dreaded it. But despite her weekly need for defrosting, I loved her anyway.

I lost her in a fire last year and now I have to replace her and most of my house. I crave a lower maintenance fridge, but I dream of chrome handles and shiny colors. I've thought about a retro fridge, but they feel so flimsy compared to 50s fridges.

So what's a vintage fridge addict to do. Is there anyway to make an old fridge frost free. What if I remove the icebox? Is the frost prone icebox on a separate system from the rest of the fridge.

I'd be willing to pay to have somebody convert a fridge to frost free, but I haven't found anybody who can do it. I'm willing to travel to pick it up ... but I don't know where to get it!

Since this huge construction project came about very suddenly, I didn't have time to dig around for my new dream fridge. I finally found a 50s frost free westinghouse on craigslist, but the guy sold it before I got to his house. I read the frost free fridges end up soaking everything in the freezer section anyway... so maybe it was just not meant to be. Has anyone had any long time positive experience with those frost free fridges as a main fridge?

Anyone successfully found a way to stop the frost. Or to take the door from a vintage fridge and put it on a modern fridge??? Advice Please

 

[vacerator]

Oh,

sad! Did you also lose the Magic Chef range?
All newer refrigerators are more energy efficient, and most have automatic defrost.
You will pay more for one rated to save the most energy. You have to decide if it is worth it in the long run.
They now also run on 134a refrigerant, not R12, or 22 and that is safe for the ozone layer up in the atmosphere should a leak ever happen.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I have to defrost my WP upright freezer. The other freezer is a GE Frost Guard so it stays clear without attention. I use the heat gun I bought for stripping paint. I put towels in the bottom to catch the drips, but try to take out large blocks of frost as they loosen and dump them outside. The fast moving hot stream of air really melts ice fast in those areas where refrigeration tubes gather in corners, go between shelf surfaces and such. It won't be this weekend with forecast highs in the upper 90s.

I used a blow dryer and a Melamine spatula to defrost my folks' chest freezer; just train the hot air on the liner, push at the frost and it was off the wall and in the bottom.

 

[rp2813]

Melissa, you should expand your range to at least the mid '60s in your search for a frost-free fridge.   There's plenty of bling and glitz to choose from in units made through at least 1965, although I can see how your kitchen lends itself to rounded corners.

 

If you're looking for a retro design without the drudgery of defrosting, your only option would be one of those modern day "Big Chill" types or something similar, and they are ridiculously expensive.

 

[melissa]

GE upper cabinet fridge/freezer??

Anyone have experience with the wall mount cabinet fridge/freezers? How do you defrost them? I think the freezer of is all on one side??

So maybe you could keep the food in the fridge while defrosting the freezer?

I like the look of the northstars & big chills, but the big chills are too deep. There are a couple northstars that are counterdepth, but they are either tiny or 5k. Yikes! Especially when there are vintage fridges I like and would be willing to rehab ...

 

[vacerator]

If they work,

and you like those GE upper units, you could have them painted, or not.
I've not seen many. They are old, and not efficient, but I say if they aren't broken, save up for when they do fail.
I say they defrost like a regular top mounted freezer fridge does. No need to empty the other side. Figure out where the drain is to catch the water is all. Probably on the right side below where the unit vents are. Unless they are automatic defrost, or frost proof, then you don't need to. The defrost heater is always on if they are frost free, hence why so inefficient.
If you do decide to remove them, some nice U-Line under counter units would fit. A wine cooler? Then you could put upper cabinets with glass doors, or not.

 

[neptunebob]

Have you looked at the GE Artistry refrigerator?

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