I'm 65, and have never seen an ice box up close like this. I love old refrigeration systems, and the way things used to be done to cool things. I commend your talent.
A friend of mine lives in a 1920s 3-flat apartment building. Each apartment has a pantry on the far back wall, and each pantry has an ice delivery door that goes through the outside wall. They're closed up on the inside, by now, of course. My old apartment building was also built this way. But one more curiosity of his place is that it also had a drainage system for the iceboxes. All that's left of it is a 2" iron pipe in the basement running vertically against the same outside wall that just ends a few inches above the floor, very near a floor drain.
Can’t thank you enough for making these videos. Hope your creation finds a good home by someone who’ll appreciate your creativity and talent. I love watching and learning from you.
@@JohnWilliams-fg7fo My grandparents did not have electricity in the 1980's, when they died. It did go near them, but they did not want to pay the cost of installing the power lines from the closest line to them, instead relying on paraffin lamps and a wood burning stove, though water was delivered from a diesel engine powered borehole into a large steel tank near the farm.
My daddy who was a retired refrigeration tech had an ice box that he wanted to do this to but his was too small. He would have loved seeing this video. Thanks for making this.
Thanks for the comment! I have been looking for a small (ish) icebox to build this project with. They have been available around here but the prices are outrageous. Building a smaller version would be more challenging but also rewarding. I am sure your dad would have been able to succeed with his project had he had access to the more miniaturized components we have now.
Thanks! It will be a frosted evaporator / manual defrost design. The only time it will go above freezing and defrost is when the power is off. Good idea about the beer keg for an evaporator. That would stay cold for a long time!
So glad you enjoyed it! Will keep all posted. The summer will be a true test. I am not entirely confident as to the condition of the insulation of the box. The cooling system isn't going to be a problem, but it may need to have all the insulation inspected and replaced if it has deteriorated.
Great build there. I would recommend the next one to build in a condensate evaporator pan under the drain with some of the hot gas line going on the bottom attached like you did with the condenser or in the condensate with a copper/nickel line to keep it from corroding unlike some of the other units I have seen out there. I remember seeing some articles about converting the old ice boxes to having a compressor system like you did but at that time it was like SO2 or worst stuff they were playing with.
Thanks for the comment! I could have built a condensate evaporator pan as you describe, and may do that eventually on another project. In this build I plan to hang a receptacle of some sort under the cabinet so that defrost water will run down the exterior of the lines, and drop down into the container. Because this is a manual defrost design, it won't be that hard to manage, I think. Yep, Frigidaire and Kelvinator both made conversion systems for large, built-in iceboxes! Most of them had remote compressor systems. The Frigidaire were all SO2; while Kelvinator used R600A or SO2. There have been a few of them shown on the various forums or Facebook groups, too. Love this old stuff.
R600a would be pretty easy to source in the camping section of you wanted to go extra authentic. Probably not the driest out there. @@davida1hiwaaynet
To be honest, I used experience repairing similar capacity antique fridges. Used similar length tubing and surface area of condenser; and for the evaporator I used similar tubing length, plus about 20% to make up for no suction accumulator. The cap tube came from the cap tube charts available from suppliers. I did have to add cap tube to get the pressures in line, so it's using the R134A cap tube chart, for static cooled systems, plus an additional 20% needed to dial it in. This system is completely custom so there was really no established guideline for it, I hate to say.
Thanks for the comment! I wasn't looking specifically for a Chinese one. I was looking for one which doesn't require a body fan (static cooled) and is 1/8 HP. I was really hoping for an R600A compressor meeting those criteria, but couldn't find anything in a reasonable price range and not a used salvage part. (Whole 'nother story about buying salvage parts off eBay! ua-cam.com/video/iJhjt1PI1SE/v-deo.html) The Bautzen comrpessor came with POE oil and is designed for R134A. I used R152A with it which is fully compatible and puts a little less stress on it.
I thought I heard back in the 40’s, some of these were converted to refrigerators. Maybe for your next one, see if you can convert it to a fridge using authentic refrigeration components from the 30’s making it look like it was converted from that time
There were some very nice 30's era Frigidiare and Kelvinator systems which could be added to the larger iceboxes which were built-in and not easily replaceable with a stand-alone fridge. Many of them had remote compressors, as well. I don't think many of the small apartment-size iceboxes like this were converted because a stand-alone fridge could be used to replace it, very easily.
In 1980s when I got my first house a friend gave me an old Frigidaire with crown on the door to use in my kitchen. It was dirty and beat up but I really liked it so I cleaned it up, painted it and made a new door seal. It was fabulous but old and after a few years the ancient compressor gave up the ghost. I wished I could put newer guts in it and use it forever. I had no means at that time. It was real simple with the freezer box in the middle.
Ken, I plan to hang a container under the original drain port, so that defrost water will run down the exterior of the lines and run out into the container. Because of the evaporator design, it won't defrost during the off-cycle but will require a manual defrost every now and then.
I plan to hang a container under the original drain port, so that defrost water will run down the exterior of the lines and run out into the container. Because of the evaporator design, it won't defrost during the off-cycle but will require a manual defrost every now and then.
I wonder how many of these were converted to electric refrigeration in the past if that was even done back when refrigeration started to become mainstream?
There were some very nice 30's era Frigidiare and Kelvinator systems which could be added to the larger iceboxes which were built-in and not easily replaceable with a stand-alone fridge. Many of them had remote compressors, as well. I don't think many of the small apartment-size iceboxes like this were converted because a stand-alone fridge could be used to replace it, very easily.
DAVID VERRY GOOD JOB IVE BEEN WAITING FOR A VIDEO LIKE THIS IVE HEARD ABOUT CONVERSIONS BUT YOU ARE A GOOD REFRIGERATION ENGINEER. BILL MESZAROS
Thank you Bill!
I'm 65, and have never seen an ice box up close like this. I love old refrigeration systems, and the way things used to be done to cool things. I commend your talent.
Thank you Bruce. Many of those who grew up in cities where power was available in the 20's and 30's have probably never seen one to be honest.
A friend of mine lives in a 1920s 3-flat apartment building. Each apartment has a pantry on the far back wall, and each pantry has an ice delivery door that goes through the outside wall. They're closed up on the inside, by now, of course. My old apartment building was also built this way. But one more curiosity of his place is that it also had a drainage system for the iceboxes. All that's left of it is a 2" iron pipe in the basement running vertically against the same outside wall that just ends a few inches above the floor, very near a floor drain.
Very nice to think about the good old days when that was the way of life, and everything else was much simpler but people had to be a lot tougher.
Can’t thank you enough for making these videos.
Hope your creation finds a good home by someone who’ll appreciate your creativity and talent.
I love watching and learning from you.
Thank you!
That’s so cool ,that must have been close to the end of iceboxes
In some rural areas, iceboxes were used into the 50's actually!
@@davida1hiwaaynet You know I had forgotten about that,mama reminded me that where I live now didn’t get electricity till right after WW2
Cold, too! ;)
@@JohnWilliams-fg7fo My grandparents did not have electricity in the 1980's, when they died. It did go near them, but they did not want to pay the cost of installing the power lines from the closest line to them, instead relying on paraffin lamps and a wood burning stove, though water was delivered from a diesel engine powered borehole into a large steel tank near the farm.
My daddy who was a retired refrigeration tech had an ice box that he wanted to do this to but his was too small. He would have loved seeing this video. Thanks for making this.
Thanks for the comment! I have been looking for a small (ish) icebox to build this project with. They have been available around here but the prices are outrageous. Building a smaller version would be more challenging but also rewarding. I am sure your dad would have been able to succeed with his project had he had access to the more miniaturized components we have now.
Great job like always David! Very awesome and creative design! I really enjoy these types of videos
Thank you Steve!
Fantastic work David!. I am awe of your talent and skills,knowledge. Thanks for making these videos. So interesting
Thanks Steve!
I love the look of the hammer finished copper drum as an evaporator! Good Choice 👍
Thanks!
Thank you for including us in your adventure David !
Nice work!
What a great project.
Thanks for posting this.
Thanks; I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Nicley executed Dave. A round of applause 👏
Thanks Reed!
That's really cool! Kind of like a perma ice block or perma frost model. Try a small beer keg maybe for a evaporator? I like it.
Thanks! It will be a frosted evaporator / manual defrost design. The only time it will go above freezing and defrost is when the power is off. Good idea about the beer keg for an evaporator. That would stay cold for a long time!
That is NICE! very funny project. Beatiful icebox now can be used daily like a modern refrigerator. Thanks for share!
I'm happy that you enjoyed it!
Wow man. Excellent work. Keep us informed as we get into summer how it works out. Always look forward to your videos. Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed it! Will keep all posted. The summer will be a true test. I am not entirely confident as to the condition of the insulation of the box. The cooling system isn't going to be a problem, but it may need to have all the insulation inspected and replaced if it has deteriorated.
You sure do nice work.
Thanks!
Looks like a fun project
Thanks!
The drain can go to a small tray through which several turns of the compressor discharge pipe are passed to evaporate.
Thanks! I am sure that could be done. I plan to do more of these and can add that to the next one.
Great build there. I would recommend the next one to build in a condensate evaporator pan under the drain with some of the hot gas line going on the bottom attached like you did with the condenser or in the condensate with a copper/nickel line to keep it from corroding unlike some of the other units I have seen out there. I remember seeing some articles about converting the old ice boxes to having a compressor system like you did but at that time it was like SO2 or worst stuff they were playing with.
Thanks for the comment! I could have built a condensate evaporator pan as you describe, and may do that eventually on another project. In this build I plan to hang a receptacle of some sort under the cabinet so that defrost water will run down the exterior of the lines, and drop down into the container. Because this is a manual defrost design, it won't be that hard to manage, I think.
Yep, Frigidaire and Kelvinator both made conversion systems for large, built-in iceboxes! Most of them had remote compressor systems. The Frigidaire were all SO2; while Kelvinator used R600A or SO2. There have been a few of them shown on the various forums or Facebook groups, too. Love this old stuff.
R600a would be pretty easy to source in the camping section of you wanted to go extra authentic. Probably not the driest out there.
@@davida1hiwaaynet
Nice work I have a 1930 fridge that I'm working on can I ask you how you calculated the size of the evaporator and condesor?
To be honest, I used experience repairing similar capacity antique fridges. Used similar length tubing and surface area of condenser; and for the evaporator I used similar tubing length, plus about 20% to make up for no suction accumulator. The cap tube came from the cap tube charts available from suppliers. I did have to add cap tube to get the pressures in line, so it's using the R134A cap tube chart, for static cooled systems, plus an additional 20% needed to dial it in. This system is completely custom so there was really no established guideline for it, I hate to say.
Very cool!
Thanks!
If you were looking for a Chinese compressor I would look at either Donper or GMCC. The latter is a joint venture of Toshiba and Midea.
Thanks for the comment! I wasn't looking specifically for a Chinese one. I was looking for one which doesn't require a body fan (static cooled) and is 1/8 HP. I was really hoping for an R600A compressor meeting those criteria, but couldn't find anything in a reasonable price range and not a used salvage part. (Whole 'nother story about buying salvage parts off eBay! ua-cam.com/video/iJhjt1PI1SE/v-deo.html) The Bautzen comrpessor came with POE oil and is designed for R134A. I used R152A with it which is fully compatible and puts a little less stress on it.
Amazing, keep it up
Thanks!
So awesome I love it
Thanks!
I thought I heard back in the 40’s, some of these were converted to refrigerators. Maybe for your next one, see if you can convert it to a fridge using authentic refrigeration components from the 30’s making it look like it was converted from that time
There were some very nice 30's era Frigidiare and Kelvinator systems which could be added to the larger iceboxes which were built-in and not easily replaceable with a stand-alone fridge. Many of them had remote compressors, as well. I don't think many of the small apartment-size iceboxes like this were converted because a stand-alone fridge could be used to replace it, very easily.
In 1980s when I got my first house a friend gave me an old Frigidaire with crown on the door to use in my kitchen. It was dirty and beat up but I really liked it so I cleaned it up, painted it and made a new door seal.
It was fabulous but old and after a few years the ancient compressor gave up the ghost. I wished I could put newer guts in it and use it forever. I had no means at that time.
It was real simple with the freezer box in the middle.
Out of curiosity Dave, what are your plans for handling the condensate in the off cycle?
Ken, I plan to hang a container under the original drain port, so that defrost water will run down the exterior of the lines and run out into the container. Because of the evaporator design, it won't defrost during the off-cycle but will require a manual defrost every now and then.
Your AMAZING 😮
Thank you Ronald!
I was going to ask what gas you used, but then you mentioned it :)
Would you end up putting a glass dish under the evaporator to catch drips?
I plan to hang a container under the original drain port, so that defrost water will run down the exterior of the lines and run out into the container. Because of the evaporator design, it won't defrost during the off-cycle but will require a manual defrost every now and then.
do u got those fans from years ago and when can u do updates on those
Hi, I still have most of my big industrial fans!
@@davida1hiwaaynet oh cool do u have the hunter with that plastic lakewood blade and the small one u restored
I wonder how many of these were converted to electric refrigeration in the past if that was even done back when refrigeration started to become mainstream?
There were some very nice 30's era Frigidiare and Kelvinator systems which could be added to the larger iceboxes which were built-in and not easily replaceable with a stand-alone fridge. Many of them had remote compressors, as well. I don't think many of the small apartment-size iceboxes like this were converted because a stand-alone fridge could be used to replace it, very easily.
Very cool!