G.E monitor top problem

[stan]

Thanks Panthera

That may come in handy. I'm going to call the same outfit that came before and see, but if they won't then..who knows. IIRC it only took 3 ounces to fill.
Dose that sound right? Anyone know the capacity ?
Also seems like the dude that filled it last said that the 409a had a sealing quality to it? But I could be wrong? Anyone know?

 

[stan]

Up date

Was able to remember the name of the outfit that recharged some years ago..
Cooper&Hawkins. They don't normally service residential fridges, but since it's a antique, and I'm a returning customer, and I knew what refrigerant had been used..long story short, there coming next week to recharge with the 409a. There going to add dye, return in two weeks to check for leaks. Women who answered the phone said if it had a leak, it could not be repaired. I'll see what the service guy says about that though

 

[stan]

Well..its was kind of a nightmare

The refrigeration dude came and tested for leak.. found a small leak in the suction line.
He set up blocks on my kitchen table and he and I lifted the compressor off, set it on the blocks. With a torch he was able to seal the line. He went further than I thought he would with something of this age..but also mentioned that he had worked on one older than mine in a historic home.. anyway we put it back on the cabinet and he recharged with the 409A all was going well but it quickly started loosing its frost again. Appears that there is a internal leak in the upper deck.. between the compressor and evaporator..a very costly repair to take apart, repair, recharge.
Through the MT forum I was able to locate a guy who was selling 10 Monitor tops! Best part he's was only about 30 min away. Took the risk and ended up with a 1935 GE CK 15- A
I posted some pics of his machines and his contact in Shoppers Sqare, maybe more of these machines can be saved..
I decided to hang on the my old..one just in case.. At least I know what's wrong, and where, and I had the space to store it away.
Travis has been very helpful to me with this CK and is helping with some parts needed. Ive learned a lot more about these machines and how they work.. not like the guys on the MT forum do..but
Right now I'm slowly getting to know this old lady, and I'll have some work to do to get her to look young again, and with Travis's advice.. Mechanically sound.
I'll post pics (before and after) based on interest shown.
Thank you all for your advice with trying to save my old girl.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Glad to hear you found a replacement. I have a 1936 CK-2-C16 I've been using the last 5 years. It has the large two tray wide evaporator. And before that I was using a 1935 model for 15 years with a one tray wide evaporator. Both are centered inside the box and are original except for the starting relay I changed in the 1935 when I got it as someone replaced it in the 50's. There was a man named Mike Arnold in Troy NY who was the master of these things and he sold me the rebuilt relay for $100.00 no core. Both machines still use sulphur dioxide to cool and never needed recharging. I wouldnt use any other fridge these work so great. About 10 years ago my 1935 stopped cooling and I borrowed a bar fridge from a friend while I worked on it. I filled the ice cube trays with boiling water and stuffed them in the evap section and closed the door for 15 mins then turned it on. After a few mins I heard this loud POP and hear gas escaping. I opened the door and hear the liquid flowing and cooling again. the float had gotten stuck prob at the Duprene seal on the needle. Its been fine since. Good luck with your new fridge.

 

[panthera]

I'd love to see the pics and anything you care to add!

It's quite interesting that these ancient machines work perfectly for decades and the modern trash doesn't even make it 10.

We had house guests a few weeks ago (not friends, acquaintances of family relations) who were quite appalled that we had a 1967 Frigidaire refrigerator. Didn't we know how awful it was for the environment?

 

[speedqueen]

And yet those folks are likely the same type who will think nothing of replacing a modern fridge every 5 years. How's that for a carbon footprint!

 

[ken]

Definitely would like to see pictures. Have always had an interest in Monitor Tops. I have a 1936 which works fine.

 

[stan]

John I'd love to see pic ps of both

your machines as the CK units are new to me. Thank you for sharing ur story using boiling water.
The cabinet that this CK sits, on appeasers to be originally pared with the compressor. I choose this from what they guy had available. My problem (besides being bummed out about my old one) was that I only have 65 inches of heigth in the space my fridge needs to sit in. It was fine with my old cabinet and FEA replacment compressor, but a CK or DR compressor stands taller. So I was lucky to find the CK on a cabinet that was a bit shorter than my old. If I'd given up and went with a modern refrigerator, I'd have had restrictions with space as well.. Ive been told that when my house was new, a monitor top sat here. So maybe it came home!
Ken.. Let's see your 1936 too!

 

[stan]

After

A cleaning with Lye Soap. (I ain't foolin)
It fits !
I will repaint later, but for now it's running very well, very quite, Travis has strongly recommended doing a re wire due to its age, before making cosmetic improvements.

 

[ea56]

Gee Stan it looks beautiful! Congratulations on your score. After your cleaning with the Lye soap it looks just like new. I hope you get many years of service from your “new” monitor top.

Eddie[this post was last edited: 2/13/2018-01:37]

 

[ken]

Pictures of my 36 Monitor Top

Link will take you to my Flickr album showing all the pictures of my Monitor Top. They are from the day I brought it home. I removed the compressor/condenser unit to transport so there aren't any images of it together. I took the opportunity of it being apart to take pictures of things not easily seen when together.       

http://https//www.flickr.com/photos/meego123/albums/72157627426744276/with/6040213554/

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Stan

Here's a few pics. Pardon the mess but I dont have a lot of room in my apartment so things get piled on. The 1935 is a storage cabinet right now. I plug it in every few months and let it run an hour to keep it working OK. The 1936 is my daily and I had a friend paint it before I started using it. When I got it it had old hippie stickers from the 60's on it. It has a foam gasket for now until I buy a repro. The 1935 has a repro gasket and rubber feet.

 

[stan]

Glad

to know I'm not the only one here that got one of these.
John I think I've heard of the Mike u mentioned over on the MT forum.
When u replaced the relay, did Mike sell u NOS or was it a new solid state relay?
Have your or Ken done a rewire on your CKs? What I mean is..replacing the cord, re wiring the compressor and control switch?
I ask because Travis is sending me a new wiring harness and instructions to do this. This procedure requires the connections to be soldered at the compressor terminals.
Also do either of you have a pic of the drip pan for the 35 CK (narrow evaporator) I know their hard to come by and I have the one for the wider evap but would like to see what the right one looks like.
Hi Eddie good to hear from you. Thought of you the other day.. I was in the attic where my aunts old perm machine is.. thought I need to send a pic of that to Eddie! Also thought... what am I ever going to do with it!

 

[rp2813]

No Lilt for her!

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Stan

Mike Arnold was the man! He was the authority on these plus he collected them and lots of other small appliances too. He had a vast inventory of NOS parts plus he sold repro parts as well. On the relay he sold me he had rebuilt it inside with a new contactor and coil etc but it looks original outside. He even sent the original mounting screw with it because mine was missing. His work was top notch.

My 1935 still has original cords and still serviceable but getting brittle. The 1936 was bad from the light socket to the wall plug so I just soldered a new section on inside that plug and heat shrink tubed the wire going to the compressor. It should be fine as long as the wires dont get messed with and moved that they start cracking and breaking apart. Then it gets ugly. I had to be so ginger when replacing that starting relay because the wires are hard and dont like to bend. Heres a pic of my small chiller tray. They do pop up on Ebay for around $100.00. My 1935 still has its original working bulb! It also had the hanger for the tee handle that breaks the ice loose in the trays which Im missing.

When Mike died I tried calling the number for months and no one answered then one day it was disconnected. Im still wondering what happened to his collection and all those parts?

 

[ea56]

Hi Stan! I’d love to see a pic of your Aunt’s perm machine sometime. When I went to beauty college they had one of these upstairs in a store room. That’s the only one I ever saw in person. I’ve seen a few You Tube video’s on them. It sure was a different procedure than what you and I learned.

I’m enjoying the continuing story of your Monitor Top’s. These really were engineering wonders, weren’t they?
Eddie

 

[stan]

Ralph

Help me out. What's "no lilt for her" ?
John. From what I can dope out, the guys were pretty sad to see Mike go, and he appeared to be well thought of. Thanks for the pic of the drip pan!
From what I undestand the CKs are robust machines and for the most part run problem free. Their recommended for new be's. However according to Travis the one issue that causes problems, is the age of the wires. After all..were talking about a 83 year old machines. The general feeling is that if their re wired, it extends their life and reduces their chance of motor burn out. The cord on mine is very dry and cracked, and if the connections at the compressor are deteriorated its asking for trouble later.
To fix the problem before it starts, involves lifting the compreeor off the machine setting up on blocks (without banging the refrigerant lines) carefully opening the back deck, removing insulation, and replacing the wires going to the compressor. A soldering iron is need to disconnect, and reconnect. Along with installing a new relay. Also while your there might as well go to the front and loosen the temp sensor, carefully bend the tube int order to lift out the control switch and replace those wires. Replace with new insalation, and close her up.
This helps insure that it keeps going for years.
Eddie I get up there and get pics of that thing!
I've started some of the paint resto for the fridge, so I'll post pics of that later if there's interest

 

[ken]

I did not do any rewiring on my Monitor Top. Just put it back together and put it in storage.

Lilt was one of the first home permanent kits. Early 1950s I believe. Another was Toni. Advertising would show twins who both had curly hair and ask: Which twin has the Toni? Used chemical to curl the hair rather than heat like the machines did. I remember my mother giving her/my cousin who lived next door permanents with Lilt. I would be sure to get out of the house because I thought it smelled awful.

I remember my mother talking about the first permanent she had when she was 13-14 years old. It was done using a permanent machine. She said she still had curl in her hair almost a year later. Guess they really worked. Ive heard horror stories of them being left on too long and burning women's hair. [this post was last edited: 2/15/2018-11:19]

 

[ea56]

My maternal Grandma told me that she got her first permanent in 1925 in Wichita, Kansas and it cost her $1.00 a curl (or rod wrapped), and they used 52 rods, so it cost her $52.00, a virtual fortune in 1925 for average working people in 1925. When she told me this story in 1970 I was surprised that Grandpa sprung for the $52, as that was probably 1/2 a months income for him then.
Eddie
[this post was last edited: 2/15/2018-10:27]

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Ken -- you provided a more thorough explanation about Lilt than I ever could have! 

 

I just remember the ads from prime time TV in the '60s and '70s, and always during beauty pageants, where Lilt, Clairol, or other such products were invariably the sponsor, as sure as Helen O'Connell provided the color commentary.