1910 refrigerator

[mygarageone]

I have a GE ball top refrigerator 1910 I believe , I was told before I do anything to have a appliance tech remove the ammonia refrigerant .
No one I have talk to knows anything about this stuff .
Any ideas ?

 

[troyks]

Gas powered RV refrigerators still use ammonia for a refrigerant, so try calling around RV service places and they may be able to point you towards someone who knows how to work with it.

 

[Tweeker]

Who's genius advise is it to remove the ammonia? Are they just chicken-**** about something they dont understand? I think so. Leave it alone and use it.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I'm not sure what the retrofit procedure would be for an ammonia machine, but if it's a sealed system and it still works properly, my guess would be just use it til it has a problem, then look into retrofit.

Tommy

 

[Jrican]

Still somewhat common in the industrial world. If it's still in there after 105 years I would leave it in there. Plus a retrofit will not be straight forward.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

...If it's still in there after 105 years I would leave it...

'Ya think?!

Freaking piece 'o ****, only ONE hundred-five years? Bastards!

 

[mygarageone]

Well the refrigerator is not running , I want to restore it and use it in my shop .
I pd $25.00 for it , was offered $1000.00 site unseen and know once it restored it's value rises to $5000+ as a collectable. They made very , very few of this and that's where the value come from.

 

[mygarageone]

There's a running unit locally for $350.
I don't know what year but it's the kind with the round tank on the top of it.

I can't find a use for it.
If anyone is truly interested let me know and I'll get pictures the next time I'm in town.

That's a monitor top unit and it's worth more as a collectable , mine is a ball top as in ball . Very collectable .

 

[mygarageone]

Who's genius advise is it to remove the ammonia? Are they just chicken-**** about something they dont understand? I think so. Leave it alone and use it.

Well there advice was for my safety , they said if It is should develop a leak durning my restoring it and I breath it , I could die very quickly.
That's why ?

 

[tyjoja]

those are very cool. Hope you can find someone who knows the ammonia system and fix... those things run forever.

 

[mygarageone]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ge-...217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463d934091

one day left, no bids.
You might want to call that $1000 guy....

That doesn't mean anything , the kind of people who want these , want them restored already and there willing to pay for them.
Besides , I have no interest in selling it .

 

[Wood'nMetal]

There are places that rebuild RV refrigerator cooling units....Adco or Atco, maybe it was Acme. Anyway, I'd Google them and see if they can help.

An RV service center won't touch it...you need somebody who actually works on the guts of the cooling unit.

 

[JonBoehman]

Don't remove the ammonia referidgerant. It will last and keep cool for a long time. The ammonia also will keep the system sealed. My dad has one he swears by and has outlasted any other refer that him and I have ever owned.

 

[WQ59B]

Pretty sure '1910' is too early a year.

General Motors's Frigidaire didn't start selling units until 1919 and it looks like the General Electric Monitor Top was first sold in 1927 : http://www.antiqueappliances.com/monitor_top_refrigerators.htm

I know: it looks way older than the late 20s.

 

[Warrenator]

The people who died back in the day from inhaling ammonia, and there were many, generally got exposed to a big cloud of it and breathed it in an enclosed space, like they were chippin ice off, punctured a line and got a faceful of gas. So be aware, and don't do that. They do make respirator masks for ammonia, i think the organic vapor ones don't quite cut it.

Anyway, if you are workjng on it at least do it in a well vented space with a fan going, might be bettermto wear the respirator if you are going to do any mechanical work.

Cool fridge.

 

[mygarageone]

Pretty sure '1910' is too early a year.

General Motors's Frigidaire didn't start selling units until 1919 and it looks like the General Electric Monitor Top was first sold in 1927 : http://www.antiqueappliances.com/monitor_top_refrigerators.htm

I know: it looks way older than the late 20s.

It maybe a little newer than 1910 , I do know it predates the monitor top unit.
Mine is a GE unit .

 

[Tim37]

I think your doing the right thing by having it evacted before restoring it. I wouldn't try to convert it over to any kind of freon.
As others have stated start with a rvservice place see if they can help.

 

[Nick Danger]

Six people were killed last month in India when a whole truckload of ammonia gas leaked out. But there are only a few pounds of ammonia in your refrigerator. US regulations say that you can work 8 hours a day around 25 ppm of ammonia, so a little leak isn't going to kill you.

I've read that those monitor tops were overengineered to make sure the refrigerant didn't leak.

A Google search turned up this:
http://monitortop.freeforums.net/board/14/reference-section

 

[Tim37]

Nick you are correct a small leaked on a refrigerator will run you out of your house before it will kill you, but breaking a line and having liquid ammonia hit you will cause serious harm. So it would be best to pump down the system during restoration

 

[bgarrett]

ammonia eats up the pipes and leaks out. Its doubtful that any is left. The only repair is a complete new cooling unit (all the tubes). A leak will force you to run away long before you get enough to kill you

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Nordic cooling units rebuilds cooling units for RV refrigerators. Not 100% sure they deal with the public, but they have been in business a long time, and do great work. Not the cheapest, but great work.

 

[Flat-rate]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ge-...217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463d934091

one day left, no bids.
You might want to call that $1000 guy....

Might have sold if they spell checked before listing it....

 

[ZRX1040]

Just saw a GE identical to that in immaculate working order at an estate sale last week for $550.....may have to go back.

 

[mygarageone]

Well the thing is , I bought it cause it's cool not because I thought it was worth anything.
It will look great in my shop and should be a great conversation PC.
I also have a 1967 Triumph 650 Tiger Cycle , I have been offered a few thousand for it and other people think it's worth nothing , so this kind of stuff is always only worth what some one is willing to pay .

 

[ZRX1040]

Just realized your in Munising. This one is in Iron Mtn and it's probably still there.

 

[Tweeker]

I dont think its a $5,000 dollar collectible. Beautiful running one above for 550

 

[Davefr]

Good luck getting someone to work on it. Just the service tools/fittings alone are extremely scarce. (liability will likely prevent anyone from taking on the project).

I converted mine to R134. It's the unit on the left. The original gas was SO2 which started leaking.

I cheated. The entire refrigeration unit was transplanted from a small fridge to this unit. Works great!

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Got any commercial places around that have large refrigerated buildings? Possibly a dairy or place that packages frozen foods? Talk to their maintenance guys.

 

[bottom feeder]

Ship it to Vegas and have this guy do it:

Have that five grand ready when you drop by to pick it back up.

 

[Bronson]

I have worked on a Monitor top, but never even seen a Ball top. Cool!