Who would have manufactured this 70s Sears Fridge?

[ken]

Who would have been the manufacturer of this Sears Coldspot refrigerator? The reversible doors would date it to no earlier than the mid to late 70s in my estimation. If the Avocado green finish is the original was that still being offered that late? Something about the appearance makes me think it might be a repaint.

 

[vacerator]

To the best

of my knowledge, Coldspot's were all sourced from Whirlpool. If you could show the bottom grille, we could be certain.
If it is a repaint, it's a very good job of shadowing as done by the factory.
The Coldspot name was retired by Sears before any of their refrigerators were sourced from GE, and certainly Frigidaire.

 

[ken]

Thanks for the quick answer

I was thinking Whirlpool myself but wasn't sure.

 

[vacerator]

My pleasure Ken!

My folks had a harvest gold fridge just like it. The next one they got was a Kenmore with soft handles and was made by GE.
My dad repaired for Sears back in the day and said he knew it was GE because the compressor clicked when it shut off.
I could always tell by the bottom grille. The Whirlpool fins were flat. The GE fins were slanted down, as were the ends.

 

[vacerator]

Ken,

oops, I deleted my e-mails before I could reply. LoL
Their gold Coldspot was 18 c.f. and no glass shelves. The next one yes.
Mike.

 

[rp2813]

During the '70s I'm pretty sure all Coldspots were manufactured by Whirlpool.

 

I don't think the pictured fridge with shading around the edges is a repaint. 

 

[ken]

Something about the transition of the shading and also I got the impression there was maybe some overspray on the lower part of the bottom handle. That's what gave me the idea of a possible repaint.

 

[vacerator]

Wire rack sehelves

allow cold air to circulate better, but glass shelves stay cold and keep the bottoms of things cold.

 

[goatfarmer]

I'm thinking that's WP sourced, too.

 

[combo52]

Diffently A Whirlpool Built Ref

Probably built between 73 and 76, some refs had reversible handles as early as 1970 and a few before.

 

Many smaller Coldspot refs were built by Gibson from the mid 60s on.

 

Mike, I don't know where you come up with stuff like glass shelves keep thing cooler on the bottom, but you diffidently gave me a laugh with that one.

 

[vacerator]

Because the glass stays in the fridge and stays cold

I guess. Of course, if you put a warm item in, it does warm up the glass until it cools back down.
Most newer models at least SxS have a cold air outlet for each shelf.

 

[combo52]

The air in the ref is just as cool as the shelf, yes if you place a warm item on the cold shelf it might cool it a little quicker but it won't keep the item any cooler, LOL

 

[ken]

I got the fridge yesterday. Its a 13 CF. Data plate also makes reference to Simpson. The paint is the factory original. Serial number dates it to Oct 1972. I'm surprised to learn reversible doors were being produced that early. I know GE didn't produce refrigerators with that feature that early.

After loading the fridge the seller asks if I might be interested in any other stuff he has. As we walked around a storage trailer to get to the doors at the other end there up against the side of it are a Whirlpool washer and dryer. I commented on them. He said I can have them and that he planned on scrapping them. The top of both were covered in soot. He said they had been on the lower floor of an apartment that had a fire upstairs but they were unharmed by the fire. He said both worked fine. I took the washer. After I got home I noticed its a direct drive model. Serial number dates it to 1989. Model number is LA54COXTNO. Must be a lower model as there are only small and large water level selections. It has regular, perm press and short cycles and three temp settings. [this post was last edited: 10/27/2016-12:04]

 

[rp2813]

Ken, does the fridge have the "Space Master" shelving system?  If so, that really helps with efficient use of capacity in the fresh food section.

 

[ken]

Ralph

The paper label is still attached to the inside the freezer door with all the specifications. It mentions two shelves in the fresh food section with one being adjustable. Could that be what you're referring to even though the term "Space Master" is not mentioned? Maybe it was offered only on larger models? Funny thing at the bottom of the label it states remove after delivery to consumer. I wouldn't think it would survive well in that location but its in very good condition.

 

[supersuds]

Can you tell if it has the Seeger rotary compressor? I've always been unclear on how long Whirlpool-Coldspot kept using it.

 

[ken]

Seeger compressor

I'm sure someone here can tell me what to look for to determine compressor design or they will just know whether or not that design was still being used in 1972?

As far as shelving system is concerned a quick check here gives me the impression the "Space Master" shelf was the split, half width adjustable shelf design. The shelves in this one are full width.

Forgot to mention that when I first saw the CL ad Monday the fridge was priced at $50.00. I didn't know but just before I called Tuesday night the seller dropped the price to $25.00. We didn't discuss price when I called. I happened to look at the ad again yesterday and then saw the price drop. Glad I did as I would have gone there still thinking the price was $50.00. I was already thinking I would make an offer but wasn't thinking of offering half.

 

[rp2813]

Ken, the "Space Master" system employed half-width shelving that attached to mounting strips on the rear wall.   The elongated holes in the mounting strips were an inch or two apart, and the L-shaped brackets on the backs of each shelf rack could be locked into them at any desired point, providing a split shelf option as well as full width (see picture).

 

It sounds like your fridge has standard full-width shelves, with an additional guide or two for the one that can be adjusted.

 

 

[supersuds]

Sorry, Ken, there's a picture of the Seeger rotary compressor in replies 12, 22, and 23 in this thread.

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?61196

 

[combo52]

Whirlpool Seeger rotary compressors

Where are used in most but not all whirlpool built refrigerators till sometime in 1984 when the St. Paul Minnesota whirlpool plant was closed and compressor production of that very good unit quit forever

 

[supersuds]

Thanks, John.

Congrats on a great buy, Ken!

 

[vacerator]

My folks

first new Coldspot was a 1967 Spacemaster 16 bottom freezer. It looked identical inside to the photo, but had an ice maker. Same white and turquoise interior. Same bottom grille.
The compressor failed in it's 4th year, covered by the 5 year parts warranty.

 

[ken]

Compressor

The compressor in the fridge definitely looks like the one in Paul's 1955 Coldspot freezer. Only difference I see on mine is that all three lines (1. discharge to the rear mounted condenser 2. discharge to a small folded, underneath mounted condenser to cool compressor and 3. the suction line) all attach on same side of the compressor. [this post was last edited: 10/28/2016-13:17]

 

[vacerator]

Oh,

I've seen the third line from the compressor, but it was just crimped off, connected to nothing. Is that the one that cooled the compressor?
I thought that was how they charged them at the factory.

 

[ken]

Mike

I believe you're right concerning the crimped line. I don't see one on mine but I didn't get down on the floor well enough to see all of the compressor. Maybe there's a crimped line on it too.

I plugged it in yesterday to test it and got a little concerned for a short time. As soon as I plugged it in I could hear the defrost timer running but the compressor didn't start. I had to take the doors off to get it in the house so I thought maybe it wouldn't run with the light switch in the on position so I tried pushing that in and no difference. I started to get concerned I had done something to it in moving it. I then remembered it wasn't running when I looked at it before we loaded it even though it was plugged in and the seller had made some ice cubes to show it was working correctly. The end of the defrost timer and the shaft was visible beside one of the two light bulbs at the back. I turned the shaft slightly and the compressor started. From the appearance of as much of the defrost timer I could see I think it may have been replaced because it doesn't seem to be mounted but just sitting loosely behind the control panel. I need to remove the panel cover to see all of it and the wires to determine if its a replacement.

 

[panthera]

Overspray/defrost timer

I recollect buying a two-can kit in the mid-70's to touch up some scratches on the hideous harvest gold refrigerator my folks had. So it could be both - factory original and touched up.

We had to put a new defrost timer in our 1967 Frigidaire Custom Deluxe (sunny yellow, last year, I believe) and went with a generic from the local parts store. It works fine (and yes, I know the early-end system isn't used). Sometimes, it's cheaper and easier to replace those dratted timers than to fix them.

 

 

[combo52]

Whirlpool Seger rotary compressors

All whirlpool refrigerator and freezer rotary compressors have four lines connecting to them, and they may have a fifth line which is pinched off which was used at the factory.

A replacement compressor will not have the stub which was pinched off.

The loose defrost timer means it was replaced with a non- Whirlpool timer doesn't make a bit of difference, I've never seen a defrost timer that's worth repairing we always replace them and only cost 10 to 15 bucks

 

[davey7]

I just noticed that in the first picture you can see the reflection of what looks like two people.

 

[ken]

Hope I didn't bring home a possessed refrigerator.