arbilab
Well-known member
Thank you, it's quite clear now. Never having seen a real one, couldn't quite imagine.
GE Monitor Top - moving questions
- Thread starter swestoyz
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The Other Alternative
Couldn't find a picture of a top without its cabinet, but here's a picture of the assembly line showing cabinets without their tops.
Couldn't find a picture of a top without its cabinet, but here's a picture of the assembly line showing cabinets without their tops.
Looks great, Ben!
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
I suspect that this plug would require a pig-tail from the m
Here's a picture of how ours does it. Think Lipton, like the flow-thru tea bag!
The line goes into a round "plug" that is a female 110. Once inside, the insulation is stripped and the two wires soldered to the back ends of the female receivers. Then, it exits the plug fully insulated. It was a pain in the a** at first because it's a small area to work with for soldering and not damaging the insulation!
Yours certainly did clean up nicely!! Ours compressor/condenser unit still gets way too hot for us to be able to use it any more.
Chuck
Here's a picture of how ours does it. Think Lipton, like the flow-thru tea bag!
The line goes into a round "plug" that is a female 110. Once inside, the insulation is stripped and the two wires soldered to the back ends of the female receivers. Then, it exits the plug fully insulated. It was a pain in the a** at first because it's a small area to work with for soldering and not damaging the insulation!
Yours certainly did clean up nicely!! Ours compressor/condenser unit still gets way too hot for us to be able to use it any more.
Chuck
Wow Chuck, thanks for the photo! I was able to order a female 2 pole plug from work. I suspect the plug will be too large but we'll see.
I will emulate a similar method to the factory cord, however, I plan to add a second plug to the cord heading to the relay so I can take the cord off the top unit if I ever need to move it and not fear it destroying the relay.
One question for those who use these - the evap coil - does it get down to freezing temperatures? I've let it run for about 2.5 hours this evening. The thermometer is on the top shelf of the evap coil and it is reporting 37 degrees.
I know the cold control is very hesitant to function as I suspect the coil or bellows inside are not up to factory spec, but I was able to get it to switch off an on last night after turning the dial multiple times.
Should the coil be colder than the compartment temp at 35-40 degrees?
Thanks--
Ben
I will emulate a similar method to the factory cord, however, I plan to add a second plug to the cord heading to the relay so I can take the cord off the top unit if I ever need to move it and not fear it destroying the relay.
One question for those who use these - the evap coil - does it get down to freezing temperatures? I've let it run for about 2.5 hours this evening. The thermometer is on the top shelf of the evap coil and it is reporting 37 degrees.
I know the cold control is very hesitant to function as I suspect the coil or bellows inside are not up to factory spec, but I was able to get it to switch off an on last night after turning the dial multiple times.
Should the coil be colder than the compartment temp at 35-40 degrees?
Thanks--
Ben
Is is cycling on and off?
Last night I set it at 1 after it had run for quite sometime on 9 (2 hours), and turned it to off. A few minutes later I turned it back on and it stayed off. About 5 minutes later it cycled back on.
The cabinet can easily maintain 37 degrees, but it continues to run - or at least I couldn't get it to cycle tonight. I'm thinking the cold control might be suspect.
The evaporator coil was frosting over at about the 3 hour mark, with a nice even frost over the whole thing. The top seal was pretty much non-existent, and the door seal is on it's last legs. I'm wondering if it is laboring to keep up once it reaches 40 and below due to cooling loss at the seals.
I've only ever heard one other Monitor Top run, which was Chris' in St. Louis earlier this spring. I didn't really pay much attention to the sound of his but I don't recall it making much noise. This one makes a quiet girggle while running. I've never heard an SO2 system so I can only gather that this sound is normal.
What is a normal cold control setting, and also, what does the defrost setting do? This one continues to run in defrost.
I was told there is another Monitor Top locally here in Waterloo that I plan to go look at this weekend. Maybe that one has shelves - lol.
Ben
Last night I set it at 1 after it had run for quite sometime on 9 (2 hours), and turned it to off. A few minutes later I turned it back on and it stayed off. About 5 minutes later it cycled back on.
The cabinet can easily maintain 37 degrees, but it continues to run - or at least I couldn't get it to cycle tonight. I'm thinking the cold control might be suspect.
The evaporator coil was frosting over at about the 3 hour mark, with a nice even frost over the whole thing. The top seal was pretty much non-existent, and the door seal is on it's last legs. I'm wondering if it is laboring to keep up once it reaches 40 and below due to cooling loss at the seals.
I've only ever heard one other Monitor Top run, which was Chris' in St. Louis earlier this spring. I didn't really pay much attention to the sound of his but I don't recall it making much noise. This one makes a quiet girggle while running. I've never heard an SO2 system so I can only gather that this sound is normal.
What is a normal cold control setting, and also, what does the defrost setting do? This one continues to run in defrost.
I was told there is another Monitor Top locally here in Waterloo that I plan to go look at this weekend. Maybe that one has shelves - lol.
Ben
It does sound like you may have cold control issues, but keep an eye on things before jumping to the same conclusion I did about my '57 GE Combination.
I don't think the defrost setting disables the compressor, but it should require the cabinet to warm up to the point where the ice will melt off of the evaporator before it kicks in again. I don't know anyone who has ever used the defrost setting. It's more a scenario of taking the bull by the horns and melting the ice through quicker means.
If cabinet temperature is holding at 37, that's good, but of course it shouldn't require constant running to do so. I think on any vintage refrigerator, a cabinet temperature of 37 should coincide with a cold control setting near the mid-range, or if anything, lower than mid-range. I'd be concerned if the fridge is running continuously to maintain 37 degrees, and isn't getting any colder than that.
There's no question that new gaskets will help, but I had a late 20's double-wide monitor top that lived in my parents garage for years and would fire it up when it was needed for overflow. The door gaskets were hard and brittle, even missing some small sections, yet that thing would keep things cold anyway, and didn't work hard at doing so.
I suggest setting the cold control in the middle and waiting at least a day for things to stabilize before checking temperature. Once you have established if the setting needs to be moved to colder or warmer, don't move it too far in either direction unless cabinet temp is way off from what it should be. If things are close to normal, I'd only move the control about half way to the next higher or lower mark on the dial, and wait another day to see what happens. It could take a week or more of playing with it. I'm entering week two of monitoring my Combination after removing and replacing the cold control I thought was faulty but turned out not to be.
I don't think the defrost setting disables the compressor, but it should require the cabinet to warm up to the point where the ice will melt off of the evaporator before it kicks in again. I don't know anyone who has ever used the defrost setting. It's more a scenario of taking the bull by the horns and melting the ice through quicker means.
If cabinet temperature is holding at 37, that's good, but of course it shouldn't require constant running to do so. I think on any vintage refrigerator, a cabinet temperature of 37 should coincide with a cold control setting near the mid-range, or if anything, lower than mid-range. I'd be concerned if the fridge is running continuously to maintain 37 degrees, and isn't getting any colder than that.
There's no question that new gaskets will help, but I had a late 20's double-wide monitor top that lived in my parents garage for years and would fire it up when it was needed for overflow. The door gaskets were hard and brittle, even missing some small sections, yet that thing would keep things cold anyway, and didn't work hard at doing so.
I suggest setting the cold control in the middle and waiting at least a day for things to stabilize before checking temperature. Once you have established if the setting needs to be moved to colder or warmer, don't move it too far in either direction unless cabinet temp is way off from what it should be. If things are close to normal, I'd only move the control about half way to the next higher or lower mark on the dial, and wait another day to see what happens. It could take a week or more of playing with it. I'm entering week two of monitoring my Combination after removing and replacing the cold control I thought was faulty but turned out not to be.
I run mine on 2-3 in Winter and 3-4 in summer, this gives me a fridge temp of around 2-4degC.
I have been able to make ice, but only in Metal trays, the plastic ones never freeze.
If you find a plug that fits for the light, please let me know. I'd like to get one for mine.
I have been able to make ice, but only in Metal trays, the plastic ones never freeze.
If you find a plug that fits for the light, please let me know. I'd like to get one for mine.
arbilab
Well-known member
Just coming clean and admitting my ignorance, I never heard of SO2 refrigerant until now. I thought it went from ammonia to freon in one step.
Even air can be/was a refrigerant, if you had enough mechanical energy to throw at it.
Even air can be/was a refrigerant, if you had enough mechanical energy to throw at it.
Some good advice Ralph. I'll wire in a more permanent solution for the cord this weekend and let it run a few days and see what happens. I've been hesitant to let it run over night as I'm using a patch cord right now to power it up.
I do recall that when we had the top off, I don't remember seeing any substantial seal anywhere. I saw insulation in-between the panels and the remains of a seal, but I suspect right now it is metal on metal for the most part.
Nathan - thanks for the tip on the cold control settings. I'll let it sit on 5 this weekend and hope for the best. I'll keep you posted on the plug and will let you know if it fits. I have a feeling it won't.
Ben
I do recall that when we had the top off, I don't remember seeing any substantial seal anywhere. I saw insulation in-between the panels and the remains of a seal, but I suspect right now it is metal on metal for the most part.
Nathan - thanks for the tip on the cold control settings. I'll let it sit on 5 this weekend and hope for the best. I'll keep you posted on the plug and will let you know if it fits. I have a feeling it won't.
Ben
I'm thinking SO2 was only used by GE, I don't recall anyone else using it. SO2 is some nasty stuff, if you ever smell it, you won't forget it!
Ben,
Your control is sticking in the on position. A friend of mine has drilled a hole in the bakelite case and oiled one before. I'll ask him what he did and where. I might have some shelves. I doubt your cabinet plug will fit. I'd love to find a source for those, other than other fridges.
Most other manufacturers used SO2 at some point. Frigidaire used it on their belt drives. I think they were involved with the creation of R-12. All of the round top GE monitor tops used SO2 or Methyl Formate. If I look at my service manual, it shows that GE used SO2 until 1938, then used R12 for a few models and then resumed using SO2. I asked Mike Arnold about that. He replied that R12 runs louder and that customers complained. He said you could charge a CK model top with R12, but it would run louder.
SO2 is nasty, but won't hurt you unless you're dumb enough to stay in the room with it. Everything has it's downside. Things that are considered safe now are just waiting for someone to find their flaws and dangers.
Your control is sticking in the on position. A friend of mine has drilled a hole in the bakelite case and oiled one before. I'll ask him what he did and where. I might have some shelves. I doubt your cabinet plug will fit. I'd love to find a source for those, other than other fridges.
Most other manufacturers used SO2 at some point. Frigidaire used it on their belt drives. I think they were involved with the creation of R-12. All of the round top GE monitor tops used SO2 or Methyl Formate. If I look at my service manual, it shows that GE used SO2 until 1938, then used R12 for a few models and then resumed using SO2. I asked Mike Arnold about that. He replied that R12 runs louder and that customers complained. He said you could charge a CK model top with R12, but it would run louder.
SO2 is nasty, but won't hurt you unless you're dumb enough to stay in the room with it. Everything has it's downside. Things that are considered safe now are just waiting for someone to find their flaws and dangers.
Travis - I'd be interested in knowing where to drill and how deep to help motivate the control to cycle again. This weekend I plan to get a more permanent wiring solution so I can let it run for a few days and hope the cold control starts to cycle.
You were right - the NEMA sized plug was too large. Oh well I'm only out a few bucks. I will modify an extension cord plug to fit in the receptacle.
Shelves would be good.
Ben
You were right - the NEMA sized plug was too large. Oh well I'm only out a few bucks. I will modify an extension cord plug to fit in the receptacle.
Shelves would be good.
Ben
where to drill and how deep to help motivate the control to
That sounds like subject matter for the DL forum!
That sounds like subject matter for the DL forum!
Check out reply #64 in the vintage fridge thread and you'll see that Stan's monitor top is an early cabinet (the type that would have the exposed coil unit) with a much later mechanical system on top.
Ugh
Bad news. Came home tonight from the neighbors and checked on the Monitor Top. It has been plugged in and has run perfectly since Monday - cold control and all, easily maintaining 35 degrees in the cabinet set at 6 (humid house).
It wasn't running when I went downstairs, and the coils and compressor were cool to the touch. Opened the door and it was sitting at 70 degrees. Turned it off, then back on to hear the motor hum. The only thing that might be a saving grace is the relay. I'll check it out this weekend if I have time.
Ben
Bad news. Came home tonight from the neighbors and checked on the Monitor Top. It has been plugged in and has run perfectly since Monday - cold control and all, easily maintaining 35 degrees in the cabinet set at 6 (humid house).
It wasn't running when I went downstairs, and the coils and compressor were cool to the touch. Opened the door and it was sitting at 70 degrees. Turned it off, then back on to hear the motor hum. The only thing that might be a saving grace is the relay. I'll check it out this weekend if I have time.
Ben
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