They Simply Do Not Make Em Like This Anymore

[launderess]

And it still runs!

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[tolivac]

The compressor of that is certainly "worn in"Wonder what it uses as a refrigerant?In those early days they were using all kinds of gases as refrigerants.

 

[polkanut]

My guess would be sulpher dioxide, very dangerous stuff!

 

[goatfarmer]

I don't know if Frigidaire ever used SD as a refrigerant.GE certainly did,though.

kennyGF

 

[tomturbomatic]

The compressor is completely missing in this ebay box. It might have had a remote compressor, but it does not have anything now. It was not a sealed system, but rather had an external motor that had a belt that ran a big flywheel to evenly power the piston compressor. We picked up one like this at an estate sale. It was down in the basement, not running. As soon as we started to move it, it started leaking poisonous refrigerant. We opened the basement doors and got it outside as fast as possible and pulled it to a corner of the yard. Just before we left, John darted out of the van with something in his hand. He reached in and clipped the refrigerant line, which resulted in a cloud that rose through the trees and we headed for home to wash the awful smell off our bodies and out of our clothes. The next day we went back to pick up the box and the tree near it was covered in dead leaves. Jeff put a modern refrigeration system in it and put back the original mechanism for show. The construction is oak. The ice trays are tinned copper.

 

[tolivac]

I was starting to wonder on these early fridges -the compresser mounted externally to the cabinet.If thats the case-the "ghost town one" in another topic isn't complete.They forgot the compresser-and with that released the refrigerant.Hope they got out of the way in time.It sounded like the system Tomtubomatic encountered was Sulpher dioxide .It is nasty toxic stuff-just as well you went home right away and changed clothes and washed-when Sulpher dioxide reacts with the moisture in air,your skin-or moisture in your lungs-creates sulphuric acid!The moisture in the trees leaves caused them to get burned.Its just as well you went home and washed-changed your clothes-saved you from acid burns.Too-lucky you didn't breathe any-would have caused edema in your lungs.Applianceville collectors have to be careful out there with those old but cool looking fridges.Sulper dioxide is no longer used as a refrigerant today.-esp in food handling and storage equipment.Slow leaks of that stuff will poison your food!also I don't know if I would want to prepare ice in unlined copper ice pans-you could get acute copper poisoning.Keep 'em for show and use modern ice trays.the theory of the copper is good one-its a good conductor of heat or cold.