Early-Mid 60s GE Bottom Freezer Fridge

[ken]

Refrigerator section is cycle defrost. Otherwise there wouldn't be any reason for the angled, exposed coils and drip trough below them. Later on the cooled air was blown into the refrigerator section same as the freezer and no more exposed coils in that section (like refrigerators made now). Frost Guard must have designated the self defrosting freezer? There is a defrost timer down on the bottom, front frame bar below the freezer door. Didn't get a pic of it. I believe that's what it is. Cant figure what else it would be. A small box with a shaft sticking out the front. No knob on it. Might it be a separate control for freezer temperature?

I'll get the dimensions and post. [this post was last edited: 5/29/2017-19:47]

 

[ken]

Dimensions

30 1/4" wide
24 1/2" deep, 26 1/4" deep w/handle
64" tall

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Ken -- those dimensions are tailor made for the spot I have.   The '57 Combination that's there now measures 30 1/2" wide, 26" deep with handles, and 61" tall. 

 

Width is the crucial dimension.  I'm ready to pounce if a fridge like yours shows up within striking distance.

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

I'm confused Ken, yes the tubes frost up and defrost on mine, but never seen any frost in the freezer section. So what is mine then?

 

BTW, I'm happy your GE is working fine! Can't wait to see more pictures of it!

 

[rp2813]

Louie, I think Ken's fridge and yours are hybrid models.  They retain the passive "cycle defrost" system with the exposed coil, but have the added feature of a heated defrost for the freezer section's coil, which I presume is hidden behind the rear liner.

 

The exposed coil in the refrigerated section is tied into the cold control.  When control shuts off the compressor, it waits until the coil is a few degrees above freezing -- 37 or so -- before letting the compressor kick in again.  This effectively allows the condensation to melt and run into the trough and channel its way down to the drip pan.

 

So, every time the fridge cycles off, the fridge section is defrosted.

 

The freezer, OTOH, only defrosts when the timer initiates the process (two or three times every 24 hours) and the timer overrides the cold control.  If the compressor is running, the timer will shut it down.  If it's not running, the timer will keep it from running until the defrost cycle is over.  The timer initiates the heating process to melt the condensation off the freezer coil, and the whole operation takes about 20 minutes.  

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Aha, OK, thanks for the clarification Ralph!

 

[ken]

Louie

**Was typing this reply while Ralph posted his explanation but Im leaving it.**

There are two cold coils (evaporators) in these. Just like the first two door top freezer refrigerators had. The difference is that in these bottom freezer models the items in the freezer section don't make direct contact with the surface. As you know they have a slide out basket or tub. As a result the freezing air is blown into the freezer to keep items frozen. In that respect they are like modern refrigerators. Except modern ones have just one evaporator which supplies the cold air to both sections.

The evaporator for the freezer must have a defrost heater which keeps the evaporator clear. It wouldn't warm up enough during off time for the frost to melt off by itself. The upper coils defrost "manually" during the time the compressor is off. "Frost Guard" on the freezer door handle must have meant no frost. No defrosting needed.


[this post was last edited: 5/29/2017-20:46]

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Thanks for the info Ken. The size of your GE is exactly the size I need. Mine is a bit too small to move into the kitchen and become the main refrigerator.

 

[rp2813]

Louie, I thought you wanted the larger model that's taller and wider (two separate crisper drawers instead of the one spinner with compartments). 

 

I think these Combinations were all designed to be counter depth.

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Oh, I thought Kens was bigger than mine. It's the 14+ cubic model?

 

[kenwashesmonday]

Ken wrote:
"The evaporator for the freezer must have a defrost heater which keeps the evaporator clear."

Being from the 1960 era, GE used reverse cycle hot gas defrost on their frost-free models.

 

[ken]

Ralph: You're welcome on the dimensions.

Louie: I know this is the smaller of the two models but don't know how many cubic ft. Will try to get a good look at the model #. The think the size may be indicated in it.

Ken: Had forgotten about GE using hot gas defrost in the early models. Remember seeing it discussed here in the past. Thanks for the reminder. [this post was last edited: 5/30/2017-12:23]

 

[pulltostart]

1962 Model

The 1962 equivalent of this one was a TC-464W, and the catalog indicates Total Volume of 13.6 cu ft; Refrigerated Volume of 10.5 cu ft; Freezer Volume of 3.1 cu ft.

 

lawrence

 

[ken]

I had in my mind the two models were roughly 13 and 15 cubic ft.

 

[rp2813]

Ken, from what John L. has stated here in the past, the hot gas system is probably one of the reasons your fridge is still running properly, at least from the Frost Guard perspective.  No heater element to fail and create a glacier.  This is another reason I'm after a fridge of this particular vintage.

 

Louie, I think on the early models a good way to tell from the exterior it's a larger one is the stainless panel on the freezer door.   On models after they dropped that treatment, the give-away would be the two crisper drawers.

 

[ken]

Right

I remember it being said the hot gas defrost system was a good and reliable design. The coolant, which obviously was needed in the first place, did double duty. No electric heater to potentially go bad. Wonder why they decided to stop using it?

 

[rp2813]

I think a number of us are wondering.

 

Maybe John L. knows what GE's logic was.  My guess is bean counters had something to do with it.

 

[travis]

Ralph,

 

I am betting it was an expensive and complex system.

 

[rp2813]

Expensive and complex was my thought too.

So hey Travis, what are the dimensions of the pink Combo you got? 

 

I think yours is the larger size Louie is looking for.

 

[travis]

I will measure and get back to you.