I picked a 1940 Frigidaire over the summer at a local garage sale for $25. She is in decent shape but had to be rewired. I took care of that and all was good until a few weeks ago. I go to get a beer and everything is frozen solid. I unplugged her and waited a few days. Plugged her back in and same problem. All research states it is a thermostat issue but before I go down Pandora's box of taking everything apart I wanted to throw it out to you guys.
Vintage garage refrigerator help
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Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Have you tested the thermostat? It should be easy enough, put it in the house fridge and and measure across the contacts with an ohmmeter to see if it opens and closes at the proper set point.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
The thermostat is basically a switch - you measure across the switch contacts (where the wires were connected.) The contacts open to turn the fridge off, they close to turn it on. If you listen closely while the thermostat is heating up or cooling down you may be able to hear the switch go click when it passes the set point. You also may be able to manually push on the mechanism with your finger to make it switch on and off as well, but don't force things as you don't want to damage it.
If you do determine it's not working, there are universal replacement thermostats available but you may have to do some adapting to get it mounted. Here's one example but there are others. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYJ1FN3/?tag=atomicindus08-20
If you do determine it's not working, there are universal replacement thermostats available but you may have to do some adapting to get it mounted. Here's one example but there are others. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FYJ1FN3/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
Those old refrigerators had to be defrosted regularly.
dgithens1
Well-known member
I have the exact same fridge, when I replaced the door seal I went from defrosting every couple weeks to twice a year. Nice find!
Does that fridge door have a latch. Back before they went to magnetic latches kids would crawl in them playing not realizing the latch wouldn't let them out and suffocate. Not trying to alarm you but it was a serious problem. I remember the tv cop show Dragnet having an episode where they were looking for a lost kid and showed the problem with that type of latch. I'm showing my age but that has stuck with me all these years.
The time honored fix for that kind of switch is a nail file across the contact points and a good spray of WD40
The contact points get burned and the pivot points get mucked up.
If that fixes it, I would start shopping for a door gasket.
The contact points get burned and the pivot points get mucked up.
If that fixes it, I would start shopping for a door gasket.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
I grew up in a house with a fridge older than that one. If you look at the photos it does have a latched door. However, those stories about kids suffocating were mainly with old fridges that had been left outside with no grates or shelves in them. It would be pretty difficult for a kid to crawl into a full refrigerator and close the door behind him.
Milton Shaw
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Some of those old refrigs have problems freezing when the compressor has worn out. What happens is the thermostat is on a line that when everything is working right the line reaches freezing temp and the thermostat cycles. When the compressor is worn that line never reaches freezing so the refrig never cuts off and everything freezes. Sounds like that is wrong but don't think just replacing the thermostat will fix it. If the thermostat sensing bulb is on the suction line past the coil that is the style control. . If the sensing bulb is elsewhere in the refrig then it may sense inside temp only and be bad.
Your right. It makes my skin crawl thinking about a kid getting stuck in there. You can't be too careful. That is why I brought it up. Not trying to cause trouble.
J
Problem solved. Thanks to a fellow GJ member I rewired the remaining electrical and used window sealer from Home Depot to reseal the door and we are good to go. The ice box hasn’t iced over, the compressor runs much less frequently and everything stays nice and cold.
Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app
Problem solved. Thanks to a fellow GJ member I rewired the remaining electrical and used window sealer from Home Depot to reseal the door and we are good to go. The ice box hasn’t iced over, the compressor runs much less frequently and everything stays nice and cold.
Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app
Attachments
JC23
Well-known member
I think the problem is you have no stickers on the door.
onewheat
Well-known member
I never liked putting stickers on my fridge. I would always put my stickers on magnets and stick the magnet on my fridge. That way, when my fridge dies, I didn't lose all my cool stickers.
Johnny Generic
Well-known member
Why curb it? Gut it, make shelves for the inside or use the current ones and use it for a storage area for tools. Stickers would still be there also. Glad you fixed it.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
Glad you solved the problem and the coolies are chillin. But don’t ever curb it. My Grandfather made a smoker out of an old fridge. Some of my best memories are playing cards and eating smoked Jack. Delicious