GE Wall Mount Refrigerator

[sarahperdue]

Hi All,

I'm considering a GE wall mount refrigerator for my kitchen restoration.

What does "sealed system" mean? I keep reading about vintage fridges having sealed systems. How do these systems compare to other kinds of refrigeration systems?

How reliable are these refrigerators?

Can compatible parts be found?

Please share your ideas.

Thanks, Sarah

 

[speedqueen]

The "sealed system" is the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and associated coolant lines. It's called Sealed because once it is charged from the factory, it is sealed and should not need service unless the Freon leaked out or the compressor failed.

All HVAC and refrigeration utilizes a "sealed system" It just refers to he cooling system itself distinguishing from the associated fans, defrost system, thermostats, etc.

Regarding reliability, it's 50 years old, it might have trouble, best have a good technician or learn yourself. GE is better than most for refrigerator reliability, though. People fret about the sealed system because repairs as they WILL be costly, because at a minimum, a leak will have to be brazed and a vacuum pulled and then recharged with R-12/R-22 which hasn't been produced in decades(claimed ozone depletion) and is in a finite supply. At worst, the compressor will have to be replaced and the system converted to modern refrigerants like R-134A.

 

[vacbear58]

Turquoisedude

Sarah

Use the Super Searchalator function (top right on your screen) to check back on the posts that Paul (Turquoisedude) posted several years ago about his GE wall mount fridge and how he got it working as that should give you all the information you need.

Search Text: GE fridge
Narrow search to particular user name: Turquoisedude
Search: Super Forum

It might be useful to have the oldest posts appear first.

Good luck

Al

 

[sarahperdue]

searchalator

Thanks Al,

I did use the searchalator and found some good stuff, but I didn't get all the way back to Paul's posts.

I did have a lot of fun reading some of the posts I found along the way.

Sarah

 

[turquoisedude]

GE Wall fridge info

Sarah, please don't hesitate to message me directly also if you have any questions about the GE Wall Fridges. I think I could write a book about them... LOL

 

[sarahperdue]

Thanks, Paul,

I'm hoping we will become good friends!

I'm very excited about this fridge. Here's what I know so far--

This comes from my friend John the mxrman who is passing it on to me now that he's got his new Americana and repaired his GE Spacemaker.

"It came out of a 1958 house in Fort Pierce, Florida.

I had the compressor replaced. It ran, but there was some problem- I don't recall what. I do remember thinking it was the thermostat- but I don't know why. I am just full of information! The cabinet is now, and always has been turquoise. The wide aluminum trim on the doors is in good shape - but could use a polishing. There was some rust underneath- but I don't remember how bad- I do not recall holes... The interior of the fresh food section is pink porcelain. The inside of the freezer is aluminum. I am pretty sure the seals are OK. I know the inside shelves are missing-"

Wowee! Original turquoise with pink porcelain interior. That original finish is a mixed blessing-- Since it's original, I can't possibly repaint it which means I will have to add at least a few more turquoise items to anchor the color. The bad news...my husband is going to hate it.

Sarah

 

[turquoisedude]

The pink porcelain interior means it's a 1957 or 1958 model - that's a good thing - the compressor and electrical systems were greatly simplified compared to the earlier (1955 and 1956) models. All this to say that parts are a heck of lot easier to get!

The cold control (thermostat) could well have an issue - I had a '57 for a while with a messed up control but it was fixable.

Why is it that husbands hate turquoise?? LOL

Let us know if you get this one!!

 

[sarahperdue]

Most definitely

Paul,

I am definitely getting this one. I'm mildly concerned about the replacement compressor. I'm not sure if it was done by someone with lot of vintage fridge know-how. I will send pictures as soon as I get it.

Husbands and turquoise...hopefully, yours isn't also into Victorian furniture...

 

[sarahperdue]

Of course it's not big enough

So I'm definitely gonna need this!

There are so many reasons I wouldn't want to turn back the clock, but oh, wouldn't it be fun to walk in to a 1950s hardware and appliance store and go on a shopping spree?

Sarah

 

[sarahperdue]

She’s here!

I picked her up yesterday (with the help of two very strong teenage boys. She needs a bit more cosmetic attention that I imagined and most interior trim parts. So, please help me find parts. I’ll post a list later..

Now, without further ado, here she is—

Sarah

 

[ozzie908]

Sarah it looks like you need

Turbokinetic to make it look like new again

A lovely piece of Americana we never had such super looking appliances hell back when this was new we were lucky if we had a fridge...lol

Good luck with it and I cannot wait to see the finished item and to see the rest of what sounds like a wonderful kitchen.

Austin

 

[sarahperdue]

lucky to have

Thanks, Austin

When this was new, y'all had just come off of food rationing. I think my first awareness that Great Britain continued rationing into the '50s was the movie 84 Charing Cross Road. I was stunned.

Sarah

 

[ozzie908]

Sarah your spot on

I believe rationing stopped in 58 2 years before I drew breath. My mum still has my eldest sisters rationing book it makes interesting reading and I think its why my mum instilled in us all never to waste food etc, I am not quite the hoarder she was with a drawer full of odd and ends like bits of string and old panty hose used to tie things up in the garden lol

My mum who is 94 and can recall a lot of what happened in that bleak time is still as canny as she ever was

Austin

 

[vacbear58]

Rationing

Rationing in the UK was phased out over several years across different years with it finally ending in 1954 with meat rationing. By 1957 the Conservative party were announcing “you have never had it so good” with a great many more consumer goods now available accompanied by an easing of hire purchase (“buying on time”) restrictions.

 

[sarahperdue]

Rats!

My new fridge has a beautiful pink interior. There is a lovely GE kitchen with fridge available in Arkansas that appears to be in fantastic condition, but I don't think the shelves and interior trim are compatible with mine. I'm posting pictures. Please let me know what you think.

There is one in Detroit that has the pink interior and looks like it's compatible with mine, but the seller sounds like an ass, and it's twice as far away.

The one in Arkansas has the original compressor, but...

Here come pictures and links

Sarah

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[sarahperdue]

interiors side by side

Here are pictures of the interior door of mine and the one in Arkansas...

Does anyone know if the interior shelves are compatible? The door shelves do not appear to be.

 

[chachp]

Turquoise hating Husbands....

 

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Must be in the handbook of which mine follows front to back.........  Sarah, your kitchen is going to be so cool.</span>

 

[spacepig]

Sarah, did you see this one in KY? https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2244024402531796/?surface=product_details

 

[turquoisedude]

That white interior wall refrigerator in Arkansas could either be a 1955 model or one of the 1959/1960 models. First or last series made, perhaps!! The shelves and door shelf accessories were not compatible from one model year to another - I do still have some 1955 door shelf parts (found out the hard way they don't fit the '57 models...)