The largest monitor top I have seen is here

[travis]

This isn't the largest model made, but the largest I have seen still around.  This is the smallest of the commercial sized models.  It was likely installed in a large home or possibly a store.

 

[travis]

These are the pictures I have before it was disassembled and shipped.  I am now figuring out how to move in inside.  I am told it runs, but doesn't cool well.

 

 

 

[ken]

Beautiful

Never saw one in that configuration before. Is the outer cabinet porcelain? How many cubic feet would you say it is?

Back at the time the nice thing with Monitor Tops was that if something went wrong with the sealed system or compressor you just lifted off and replaced with a new/good one. Unfortunately that twin evaporator configuration is rare today.

 

[travis]

Porcelain and 23 cubic feet.  The monitor unit is weighs about 400 lbs.

 

[appnut]

I've never sen anything like this before.  I'm curious--are all 4 doors access to the fridge portion?  Or is there an area that's a "freezer"?  It's beautiful btw. 

 

[goatfarmer]

That thing looks HUGE!

 

[toploader55]

Just Beautiful.

 

[ken]

23 CF is as big as many new fridges. And that was the smallest commercial size?

 

[travis]

Yes, there were larger models.  I am betting the largest ones went down with the store buildings that had them.  I was told that the larger DR monitor tops, open coils, didn't survive that well.  Many of the larger cabinets had newer refrigeration systems installed once the original failed.  I suspect many went to WWII scrap drives.

 

I certainly didn't need this, but they're rare.  This is the only one I have seen in my twenty years or watching.  I recently got a GE product manual from 1930.  I'll try and post some of the pictures.  It's only their refrigerator division.

 

[a440]

What a beast! You can truly say they don't build them like that anymore!

Are those pad locks on each door? Was it originally configured for locks? I would say that it was meant for some type of commercial application if so.

I wonder what was the selling price when it was new. I bet is was not cheap by any means.

 

[travis]

Brent,

 

It's the smallest of the commercial cabinets.  The latches were designed to use padlocks.  It would have been sold to a business or possibly a large mansion.  It came to me from California.

 

[goatfarmer]

That'll fit right in with the rest of the wayward Monitors that show up on your doorstep....

 

[ea56]

I've seen Monitor top refrigerators like this in many 1930's movies. If I'm not mistaken I believe there was one like this in one of the Thin Man movies, but I'm not sure which one. These were probably pretty popular with the wealthy. It is really very cool.
Eddie

 

[58limited]

Awesome find!

 

[mieleforever]

I am curiuous is that a type of heat exchanger/radiator on top of the system? I have noted that there is no heat exchanger/radiator at the back, hence my question. Sorry in advance for seeming somewhat ill informed.

Regards

 

[travis]

Picture 1 on the second post show the refrigeration unit on top of the cabinet. The condenser is outside.

 

[travis]

It made it inside today

We removed the doors to lighten the cabinet. They way 40-50 lbs each. Here it is in my back room. The hinge holes need to be filled a bit, so I left the doors off. It's in good shape overall, but needs some work everywhere.

 

[a440]

It looks even larger inside!  It is beautiful!   How many of you did it take to move it?

 

[artcurus]

Great find!

 

[travis]

It was primarily two men. I was acting as engineer and cheerleader. A fourth guy helped control the cabinet when it was lowered off my driveway onto the patio, an 18" drop.

I knew the bakelite part of the control was broken. The bellows tube that senses temperature is missing. I have contacted the seller to be certain that it's broken and gone. I can likely make one from a similar unit work.

The wiring is fine for 1930 wiring. The oil heater still works. I am going to plug the heater in and allow it to boil refrigerant out of the oil for a day or two before turning it on.

I was told it runs and tries to cool. It likely has a restricted float and the refrigerant can't circulate, constipated in a simpler term. If that's the case, the unit will go to another friend that will reclaim the so2, clear the blockage and recharge with so2 or something else. We're trying to determine what modern refrigerant is most like so2 in pressure.