Something different came thru The Pile today. GE Combo action!

[pulltostart]

1956 was the last year for the rounded styling for GE. In 1957 they introduced their "straight line styling" which was their version of Frigidaire's "sheer look". 1956 was also the first year for GE's magnetic doors. I can't address the forced-draft status for 1956.

My 1958 is frostless in the refrigerator section, and that's the reason for the shelf/diverter on the back wall - to catch water drops and send them down below the refrigerator where they can evaporate.

Lawrence

 

[pulltostart]

Defrosting

From the 1957 Service Manual for the BH models:
"The freezer should be defrosted two or three times per year. The fresh food evaporator defrosts automatically. Each time the refrigerating machine suts off, it stays off until the fresh food evaporator temperature goes above thirty-two degrees, allowing the frost accumulated during the running period to melt.
"The defrost water in BH12 refrigerator drains into a trough mounted on the rear wall, down the rear corners of the inner liner, through a drain in the liner bottom and into an evaporating pan under the refrigerator."
Lawrence

 

[pulltostart]

However

My 1958 has it's own quirks. For whatever reason, the system short-cycles; it runs for a short period of time, then shuts off and within 2-3 minutes it attempts to start again. Usually it takes 3 or 4 attempts (John Jowers at Antiqueappliances.com has said the pressure of the refrigerant is equalizing before it restarts) and then it starts cooling and repeats the cycle. Consequently, the system doesn't stay "off" long enough for the evaporator coils in the top of the refrigerator to become above 32 degrees, frost and then ice builds up and cooling efficiency drops. My solution? I purchased an appliance timer and have it programed to shut off between Midnight and 2 am every morning. This allows the frost to melt and correct the problem. This seems to be effective and I am hoping to be able to cut the "off" time back to one hour/day.

Hope this helps explain the BH-12P.

Lawrence

 

[rp2813]

This is really interesting.

The refrigerator's defrosting "cycle" is entirely passive, and the condenser coil cooling is forced draft. They had the clean-back technology outside, but not the forced air circulation and heated-defrost system inside. Truly a transitional model.

I think I'd have fun telling visitors about the fridge. Well, the few who would care.

 

[magic clean]

Usually

there is an "off" cycle heater that is clamped to the refrigerator section serpentine evaporator cooling coil.

When the refrigerator temperature control is satisfied, the compressor is turned off and the heater is turned on. This ensures that the frost is completely melted and drained away.

If the wiring diagram is legible, it should be noted there.

 

[pulltostart]

Tube Heaters

Magic Clean - you're correct. Thank you for pointing that out. I researched in the 1958 Service Manual, and here's the description:

"All combination refrigerators have two small six-watt flat, flexible heaters; one is clipped to the inlet tube, and the other is clipped to the outlet tube of the fresh food evaporator, or serpentine. Thse heaters are wired into the cabinet wiring so that the control contacts short out the heaters when the contacts are closed. Thus the heaters are on only when the machine is off, the control contacts open, and the serpentine in the defrost cycle."

I need to see if these are functioning properly in my '58.

Lawrence

 

[rp2813]

Ahh, so they did have heaters on the evaporator.

How did the 1957 differ from the 1956 (and earlier 50's) models in regard to the evaporator design?

 

[rp2813]

OK Andy

Check your e-mail.

I've got a truck lined up and my accomplice is on board. We'll be paying you a visit within the next week or two.

Ralph

 

[redcarpetdrew]

A truck, huh?

I wonder what ELSE I can pawn off... Errrr... Send home with you? A nice GE f/f washer perhaps? Hee hee hee!

Drew

 

[rp2813]

Yeah, don't think the thought of additional cargo hasn't occurred to me. Particularly if you have a KDS 22 land on the pile!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Well, funny you should ask...

I have a KDS20 and I just got a coppertone KDS18 missing the lower access panels... I also have a GE filterflo or four... Who knows what else will rear it's head in the haulaway piles before then. You said you were bringing a semi truck?!?!?

RCD

 

[rp2813]

Well, fortunately (or maybe not) it's a quad-cab so cargo space is less than on your average pick-up.

I could be tempted by that KDS 20!

 

[rp2813]

Magnetic Safety Doors

Can any of the GE experts advise on how long they used the Alnico magnet system with metal strips as opposed to incorporating the magnets into the gasketing?

Back in the mid-late 80's we got a used GE fridge through a friend and I remember it having this same Alnico system but the fridge didn't look at all retro. I'm thinking it was older than it appeared, but still late enough to have an all white interior. I usually remember ALL of my appliances but this one was MOL and came and went in a hurry and I don't know why. The magnets are about the only thing I DO remember about it.

 

[circlew]

Magnetic door seals

Don't know for sure when the change was made, but our '77 Hotpoint had the metal magnet strips. I'm thinking it was probably early to mid 80's when it took place. Seems like some models had the magnetic door gasket when others were still using the strips. One of my cousins had a '70 SXS like the Brady's, and I think it had a full magnetic gasket. Think SXS's always had magnetic gasket, while top & bottom freezer models used the strips. Sorry I don't have access to my GE catalogs at the present.

 

[rp2813]

Tom, that information is good enough for me. I think the GE fridge we had was probably one of the later ones to still have the Alnico system, and it didn't have any eye-catching design characteristics that would have placed its manufacture date any earlier than the late 60's or early 70's.

Ralph

 

[redcarpetdrew]

I could be tempted by that KDS 20!

Could and was! The combo AND the KDS-20 left Reno about an hour ago. The loading and tie down was a little Sanford and Son (yes, I'm including myself in that...) but they shouldn't blow off the truck for at least... oh... 5 miles... LOL! It was good to see everybody again and I'm told there WILL be pictures of the incredible journey. Oh, yeah! Nate was cruising the haulaway pile and found a 'hood ornament' for the Frigidaire dishwasher. Push him for pics of that...

Yay! Two more escape The Pile to live on!

RCD

 

[pulltostart]

Magnetic Seals

Ralph,

I've looked through my GE literature, and I find a mix of the magnetic bar and the magnetic seals up through about 1980. By the mid 70's only the manual defrost and the cycle defrost models had the Alnico magnets. As someone noted above, they were never used on the side-by-side models, so it looks like the magnetic seals were introduced in the late 60's with those models and gradually were incorporated over time into all of the other models.

Lawrence

 

[jetcone]

Love that fridge

my step mom has the '56 , had it since it was new. Love those roto shelves!
Great find Drew!

I like the square styling of this year too!

 

[rp2813]

Safe and Sound

OK, maybe the "sound" part is a bit of a stretch, but it'll get there.

We left Andy's place around 6:15 and got to Nate & David's around 9:30. I had a cold one there and then was on my way by 10, home by 10:30. We had a big butch Silverado quad-cab. A white one. Very comfortable.

I'll be posting pictures. I've started disassembly of the interior for cleaning and am coming up with lots of questions, which I think I'll ask in a separate thread.

Andy, you're right about those bugs. Now the combo has 'em on both sides!

We had a real nice trip, took a detour onto the old US 40 over spectacular Donner Pass on the way up and stopped for photo ops. It was a long day, but worth it. And who'da thunk, when my partner saw the KDS 20 on the truck this morning, he actually paid it some compliments. And here I was expecting howls from him. It's tucked away in the garage where Nate's basket case '72 Frigidaire was. I shoved that machine back in the corner where the rats tend to like to hang out.

More as it develops, so keep an eye out for a new thread.

 

[rp2813]

Detour Pix

Just a couple of miles down from the summit. Elevation at Donner Lake is about 5800'