Possible Frigidaire By General Motors Air Compressor?

[kngelv]

The below compressor was owned by my Grandfather and later my Uncle. I inherited it a few years ago and finally tried it out today. I don't think it has ran for at least 40 years and would guess it's originally from the 1950's I can't find any info on it. It looks like it might be a homemade compressor and someone just put the Frigidaire badge on it. It has a Wagner motor on it and they actually made compressors at one time. It also has a Westinghouse gage. Either way it's pretty cool and very quiet. It's sitting at 74db standing right next to it while my Porter Cable is at 85db and the HF Fortress is 91db.

James

 

[mv213]

I'd bet it was originally stationary, like for a big refrigerator unit or something. It looks like it was DIY converted to air compressor use with the wheels and especially the non-matching tank. Can you wipe off the data plate near the pump and post a pic of it?

One of our old refrigeration guys here should recognize it. Cool machine!

 

[The Metric System]

That is very likely an open-drive refrigeration compressor that somebody reworked into an air compressor.

Here's an example of what the unit might have looked like before being modified, at first glance the compressor castings look the same.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306328002027

 

[kngelv]

That is very likely an open-drive refrigeration compressor that somebody reworked into an air compressor.

Here's an example of what the unit might have looked like before being modified, at first glance the compressor castings look the same.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306328002027

Thanks for the link. The mount and pump look exactly the same. It looks like it was a stand-alone coolant unit at one time that fed something and my Grandfather likely modified it to what it is now. I'd really like to find out what it originally cooled.

James

 

[manwithtools]

I would bet that originally it would have had a Delco motor like the eBay example. GM was big about keeping to their brands back in that era. Pretty cool unit nonetheless.

 

[kngelv]

Just found this:

James

 

[The Metric System]

I'd really like to find out what it originally cooled.

This might be tough. In many cases a "condensing unit" like this would be sold to other companies that would then assemble it into a variety of finished systems; they were also likely shipped bare to be installed in the field.

Any chance you can get a good photo of the tag just in front of the compressor? That might have some additional details that could at least narrow things down.

 

[kngelv]

Here is the other tag.

James

 

[mv213]

Dichlorodifluoro methane is now commonly referred to as Freon 12 or R12 refrigerant, banned in 1996.

 

[Beerhippie]

Dichlorodifluoro methane is now commonly referred to as Freon 12 or R12 refrigerant, banned in 1996.

But now it's an air compressor. Air has yet to be banned anywhere I'm aware of.

 

[The Metric System]

Air has yet to be banned anywhere I'm aware of.

There is some talk about banning air-cycle cabin cooling on future passenger jets due to the possibility of entrained oil/exhaust entering the occupied space, but I think it will be a long time (if ever) before that is enacted.