DINAH SHORE VINTAGE EARLY 1960s COMMERCIAL ~ ARGOS GAS AIR CONDITIONER
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We too had Arkla-Servel gas air conditioning in the house we moved into September, 1961. The house had been built the previous winter for the Parade of Homes in Houston Spring, 1961. Many incorporated the latest features. A house down the street had a Whirlpool kitchen with a cooktop that was pilotless ignition. Ours had a water tower/chiller kind of ting. Not sure how good that would have been in the desert. I wonder if her neighbor Bing still had the gas combination washer-dryer still.
When the Astrodome was built, electric air conditioning was used to rapidly cool down the facility, but gas air conditioning was judged to be more economical for temperature maintenance.
When the Astrodome was built, electric air conditioning was used to rapidly cool down the facility, but gas air conditioning was judged to be more economical for temperature maintenance.
Our next door neighbor worked for People's Natural Gas (yes, that's what it was called), and they had a gas dishwasher, air-conditioning, and an incinerator in their garage. I'd never heard of gas A/C. By the time I was in high school, the dishwasher and A/C had been switched over to electric, and the incinerator could no longer be used within city limits, so it sat and rusted.
App, my MIL had an ArklaServel gas fired, water cooled ( with cooling tower) unit that was put in in the early 50's and was still running into the late 80's. Atlanta Gas had a deal that if you bought the unit from them you got lifetime annual startup/shutdown plus no labor charge for repairs. I would always try to be there to watch the AC startup and when it would get hydrogen logged. Atlanta gas went to hell and it was difficult to find anyone who knew how to service it.
whirlcool
Well-known member
I remember growing up a few people around us had gas central air In Chicago. The only way you could really tell was that the box that sat outside had the blue gas flame logo on it instead of a brand name. The gas company there was also called "People's gas".
You could also get the gas company to finance it and you just sent in your payment with your gas bill.
We did that with our gas lanterns we put in this house about 10 years ago. The gas company would let you pay it out over 18 months with no interest. But recently I was in the gas supplier that sole us the equipment to buy new mantles and there was a sign that the gas company no longer finances gas equipment purchases.
How did gas air conditioning work? How do you get cooling out of a flame?
You could also get the gas company to finance it and you just sent in your payment with your gas bill.
We did that with our gas lanterns we put in this house about 10 years ago. The gas company would let you pay it out over 18 months with no interest. But recently I was in the gas supplier that sole us the equipment to buy new mantles and there was a sign that the gas company no longer finances gas equipment purchases.
How did gas air conditioning work? How do you get cooling out of a flame?
It's called the absorption process...
Albert Einstein also designed a refrigerator that used the absorption process. It is not as efficient as the vapor compression process of electric refrigerators and so today, is used where there is solar or waste heat available. In the case air conditioners, they used a lot of gas, probably more than if natural gas was burned in a power plant and then powered an electric air conditioner.
Now, how do you get cooling without refrigerant? Hint: Airliners do it during normal operation.
Bonus: I just have to ask, who would want to live next to Bing Crosby? I read he was a real ***hole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_refrigerator
Albert Einstein also designed a refrigerator that used the absorption process. It is not as efficient as the vapor compression process of electric refrigerators and so today, is used where there is solar or waste heat available. In the case air conditioners, they used a lot of gas, probably more than if natural gas was burned in a power plant and then powered an electric air conditioner.
Now, how do you get cooling without refrigerant? Hint: Airliners do it during normal operation.
Bonus: I just have to ask, who would want to live next to Bing Crosby? I read he was a real ***hole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_refrigerator
twintubdexter
Well-known member
That home has come up for sale once or twice since I've lived here. I was hoping the realtors would have an open house but no such luck. I guess they didn't want to waste time with lookie-lous. They probably would have run a credit check on me and then said "why don't you let us show you something in a nice single-wide in Desert Hot Springs."
Dinah Shore, "Loved by all who knew her and millions who didn't." She adds nothing but class to that commercial.
Dinah Shore, "Loved by all who knew her and millions who didn't." She adds nothing but class to that commercial.
twintubdexter
Well-known member
and Bob (neptunebob)...
What you read about Dinah's neighbor was true and then some. Although she hasn't been over for awhile, Arlene Crosby would sit at my kitchen island and reminisce about her famous father-in-law during her marriage to Dennis Crosby, Bing's son who committed suicide. You used a good adjective to describe him.
What you read about Dinah's neighbor was true and then some. Although she hasn't been over for awhile, Arlene Crosby would sit at my kitchen island and reminisce about her famous father-in-law during her marriage to Dennis Crosby, Bing's son who committed suicide. You used a good adjective to describe him.
