Vintage Air Conditioners. The Holy Grail of vintage appliances?

[austinado16]

A vintage window air conditioner. It's the only thing I've not yet scored for our home. Are these things just unobtainium, or have I not been living right?

Anyone have one and if so, care to show it off?

 

[rp2813]

I think I remember reading about a Chrysler AirTemp that somebody here was still using.  Not sure how vintage you mean, but it does seem that A/C units don't enjoy the same longevity as refrigerators, probably because they're out in the elements all their lives.

When I worked for a HVAC contractor I was amazed at how often even the larger rooftop A/C units would fail, even when properly maintained.  Clearly, they're cooling a lot more volume than the 20 or so cubic feet of a refrigerator/freezer, but you'd think they would be built to last longer than they do.

 

[danmantn]

It would be great to see some pics...please share if anyone has some...I can still remember our huge 80s wood grain Kenmore.

 

[launderess]

Methinks

Older units were run to death and or improperly maintained, so when they failed off to the rubbish heap they went.

OTHO those whom do own vintage units, may know what they've got and are hanging on.

Searching locally such as estate sales and Craigslist type offerings may yield better results when looking for vintage AC units. The things aren't exactly light, and the shipping would likely deter both sellers and potential buyers.

We have an older Friedrich "WallMaster",and dread the day it goes. Pumps out cold air and while not terribly efficient, gets the job done better than the electronic units sold today.

Only fly in the ointment is taking the unit out of the wall for cleaning at least every other year, and to oil the motor.

Many persons did not realise then or didn't appreciate the directions to clean and maintain older ACs, and this includes oiling the motor, along with removing built up dust,dirt and gunk.

So many people chuck an AC because it "won't cool" when the thing really needs a good steam cleaning and new filter.

 

[chachp]

Older A/C Units

I remember working in an office in Green Bay, Wisconsin that had a water cooled A/C system. That thing was so loud and when it would kick on you would hear the water running through it.

Was it recirculating that water or was it just running in and then out? That office was never cool but I think I remember them saying it was too small for the size room. The unit itself was enourmous. It took the better part of a hallway as I recall and I think there was some component on the roof too.

I think it was from sometime in the 50's and it ran until the late 80's when they replaced it.

 

[norgeway]

In Lenoir

My hometown, the building that housed the Carrier dealer is still cooled by a Carrier unit that has a water cooled condenser, if you stand in front of it it will make your teeth hurt it is so cold,I think it is about 5 tons or so, but really, window units are fairly common, I have a 64 Frigidaire 7500 btu unit that works great.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Window units were not usually repaired when they failed. It was cheaper to buy a new one. The best preserved ones were removed from the window during the winter. Many areas that had early ac units really needed them due to high humidity which could really do a number on the steel. Add in the salt air in many of the coastal regions and it is easy to see why they sort of crumbled away.

I remember those big units in restaurants and offices in the Southeast in the 50s and 60s. When they were new, they were usually a soft aqua green. The compressor was in the big inside unit which is why they were noisy, but everyone preferred to talk louder than wipe sweat. I remember the big discharge grille at the top. The indoor units were connected to a cooling tower outside with a pump and fan and wooden louvers. Outside some Howard Johnson restaurants, they were at ground level behind the restaurant and on the way back to the car, I always tried to get a close up view of the tower with the water cascading down the inward tipped wooden louvers to try to see what was in the base of the tank. That was hard to do quickly when I was being called to come to the car. I did not want to get into trouble with all of us in the car and no way to escape, but on the other hand, it was a chance to see something with water splashing and spraying and it was very hard to resist.

 

[58limited]

One of the old Oil Money mansions down here has a cool late '30s/early 40's window unit on the enclosed "patio" but I don't think it has been turned on in over 30 years.

There was a green '50s Hotpoint window unit on ebay a couple of months ago that didn't sell. The seller never relisted it.It was posted here on the Super forum at the time. Here's the auction link:

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[3beltwesty]

Maybe better to collect than run?

Vintage window AC units if too old are somewhat energy hogs, thus often they got scrapped. An 8000 BTUH unit a friend bought used for 50 bucks in 1980 was OK for occasional usage, but a 1970 AC that has an EER of 6 when new can be only 4 or 5 today with corroded fins. It is sort of like owning an old car that gets 6 to 10 miles per gallon. Here in the deep south the outside fins on the coils disappear with time.

At my plant there is an 18000 BTUH AC unit that is in the ceiling from the 1960's, one for a computer room. Its EER was about 4 when new in 1968. Today its fins are a mess, it cools about like a 5500 BTUH unit now , but runs off 240 volts and draws about 20 + amp.

 

[austinado16]

Yeah, that Hotpoint is exactly what I'm talking about. Thanks for posting that link. Umpteen years ago, there was an equally beautiful Vornado on ebay and I wanted it sooooo bad. Typical though, always on the wrong side of the country and it would be a real challenge to get shipped.

 

[rp2813]

Todd, I have to ask.  You live in SLO, where the climate is moderate and uncomfortably hot days are few and far between.  Do you actually have a need for a window A/C unit or is this just a collector's item for you?

 

[norgeway]

They !!

Might be energy hogs, but they are much colder and usually quieter than what is out there now.

 

[sudsmaster]

There's a 70's wood grain big GE window unit in the enclosed patio. It will run for a minute or so, then it trips the breaker. I'd pull it down and replace it (even if temporarily) with a modern unit, but it's stuck on top of an eight foot high wall; difficult to get to and I still haven't figured out the best way to get at it. Plus generally I don't wish to try to A/C that space anyway, since it's not air-tight (by design) and would be quite a waste of energy.

I posted a photo here of it a few years ago; will have to see if I still have a copy on the computer...

Besides the overload problem, it needs new dials/knobs. I have to kind of guess what the setting is. Sometimes I run it just for the fan. It's one of the few units I've seen that can actually exhaust room air to the outside. Useful on real hot days when all I want to do is get rid of the heat at the ceiling level.

 

[sudsmaster]

Found the photos

I could have taken more shots, but this was quicker... once I found them!!!

 

[sudsmaster]

Doesn't look bad even up close. Anybody know where I could find replacement knobs?

 

[sudsmaster]

The cryptic settings list...

 

[sudsmaster]

Full view. It sticks out even more (about 1.5 feet) on the outside. Somebody fashioned a rain cover for the outer section, which looks like it's sturdy steel - if not stainless steel painted over. The problem I have is in trying to figure out how to remove the unit for repair. Due to the height it will take two strong bodies on ladders to remove it from the inside.

 

[sudsmaster]

Final quasi isometric view...

 

[sudsmaster]

PS-Anybody know if anyone makes a window unit that will exhaust room air to the outside? All the ones I've seen in stores don't allow that. The most they do is allow one to recirculate room air.