I have a 1947 GE fridge I restored. I only restored the aesthetic; painted the exterior and adjusted the seals. That was it. They made quality things that really last. This fridge was never broken since it was made almost 75 years ago. It gets really cold and it’s so quiet that you can’t hardly hear it. I don’t really know if it uses a lot of electricity but I love very much. I would not trade it even for a brand new top of the line fridge. Also mine don’t need defrosting for more than a year. I defrost it when the drawer directly under the freezer gets difficult to slide open due to ice build up. Just don’t understand why they don’t make them last like they used to. I had almost new fridges breaking several times but my antique GE keeps on going.
As somebody who works in this business, I can support here maybe: The old fridges are relatively efficient, because they use very good coolants. Example: R12 aka Freon (totally inert and nonflammable) has a thermal heat capacity of 0.96 kJ/(kg.K) . A "modern" coolant like R32/Difluoromethane has only 0,0349 kj/(kg.K) and is flammable and not inert(reacts with other parts/metals/substances). R12 thus can store heat energy more than 27 times better. So even if you´re using ancient old compressors and a capillary pipe for evaporation only , instead of a modern electronically controlled evaporation valve and an inverter controlled compressor, your cooling performance is still better:) Regarding the insulation , I have to disagree: modern Pentanefoam has a lower heat conductivity( 0.01 W/(m.K)) vs Phenol formaldehyde resin ( 0.089W/(m.K))-, with which the Saturn V rocket was insulated , as an example. BR from Germany
On my old one doors I just have a timer which turns the unit off nightly for long enough to keep it frost free. The length of time varies during the year due to more humidity in the summer. When done daily you don’t have that much to deal with, it dribbles down and into the pan and evaporates from the heat of the compressor. The freezer compartment is good for ice trays and stuff that doesn’t require very low temps while the box stays between 33 and 40 degrees per the thermometer I keep in there.
cool! i came here after seeing alice mention defrosting the refrigerator in an episode of honeymooners. i hope to have vintage or vintage inspired appliances one day when i own a house. i love the look of them, and i wasn't aware the fridges were highly efficient.
As cool as these vintage refrigerators are, they sort of freak me out. I grew up in the late 50's and early 60's when these were everywhere. For me, the biggest problem is that if a child climbed in and the door would shut, he or she was trapped inside with only a few minutes of air to breath. This mostly happened when they were discarded for pickup. Many children my age died this way back in my time. Some states require you to take off the door when placed outside. Justin, maybe you should mention this when talking about these old gems?
Why? This is a video on how to defrost a fridge….Sheesh. Of all the things in our sometimes very scary world, vintage refrigerators are what “freak you out”? Wow…
Kids will not be climbing into a fridge in use. The problem was with improper discarding like you mentioned. (And lack of supervision) there just aren't enough of these being discarded anymore to warrant a disclaimer on every video. My daughter is probably the most "in danger" of that every happening given her proximity to so many of em and she's been educated on it :) I AM doing a video soon on that very topic though
We have a Frigidaire ML-77 from around 1949.We live in a tropical climate so we just turn it off and leave the door open.If you want to speed it up a little just put a bowl of hot water in the freezer compartment.The first bowl gets cold quick so repeat this if necessary.Works fine and no scraping and you won't damage the little feeler tube of the thermostat/cold control.
Ha, I grew up in New Orleans with the humidity. As a kid I remember my mom defrosting the fridge like every week 'cause of the frost fusing all our food in a block of ice if she didn't.
Nice video. You need to get together with the history channel and make a show. Kind of like American Pickers meets Counts cars restoration. I’d watch it.😀 This is John Moore from Alabama. Just purchased the shelves from you. Cool stuff
What should I clean the metal grates inside the fridge with. We acquired an old 1960ish Frigidaire. We defrosted it and now I would like to clean the metal grates inside. Anything that will get those things shiny and spiffy again?
I have a vintage admiral fridge that has one door and small freezer compartment inside. It ices up and I have to thaw it every few months. Is it possible to remove the freezer box?
Help help. I got a what I believe is a 1957 hotpoint refrigerator. It's a beer fridge but it its not cooling this season. It's a top and bottom door style. It sounds like the motor turns on the lights turn on it sound like it's dripping water some where no leaks but it's not getting cold not sure what to do ? thanks again
I have a 1947 GE fridge I restored. I only restored the aesthetic; painted the exterior and adjusted the seals. That was it. They made quality things that really last. This fridge was never broken since it was made almost 75 years ago. It gets really cold and it’s so quiet that you can’t hardly hear it. I don’t really know if it uses a lot of electricity but I love very much. I would not trade it even for a brand new top of the line fridge. Also mine don’t need defrosting for more than a year. I defrost it when the drawer directly under the freezer gets difficult to slide open due to ice build up. Just don’t understand why they don’t make them last like they used to. I had almost new fridges breaking several times but my antique GE keeps on going.
As somebody who works in this business, I can support here maybe:
The old fridges are relatively efficient, because they use very good coolants.
Example: R12 aka Freon (totally inert and nonflammable) has a thermal heat capacity of 0.96 kJ/(kg.K) .
A "modern" coolant like R32/Difluoromethane has only 0,0349 kj/(kg.K) and is flammable and not inert(reacts with other parts/metals/substances).
R12 thus can store heat energy more than 27 times better.
So even if you´re using ancient old compressors and a capillary pipe for evaporation only , instead of a modern electronically controlled evaporation valve and an inverter controlled compressor, your cooling performance is still better:)
Regarding the insulation , I have to disagree: modern Pentanefoam has a lower heat conductivity( 0.01 W/(m.K)) vs Phenol formaldehyde resin ( 0.089W/(m.K))-, with which the Saturn V rocket was insulated , as an example.
BR from Germany
On my old one doors I just have a timer which turns the unit off nightly for long enough to keep it frost free. The length of time varies during the year due to more humidity in the summer. When done daily you don’t have that much to deal with, it dribbles down and into the pan and evaporates from the heat of the compressor. The freezer compartment is good for ice trays and stuff that doesn’t require very low temps while the box stays between 33 and 40 degrees per the thermometer I keep in there.
cool! i came here after seeing alice mention defrosting the refrigerator in an episode of honeymooners. i hope to have vintage or vintage inspired appliances one day when i own a house. i love the look of them, and i wasn't aware the fridges were highly efficient.
As cool as these vintage refrigerators are, they sort of freak me out. I grew up in the late 50's and early 60's when these were everywhere. For me, the biggest problem is that if a child climbed in and the door would shut, he or she was trapped inside with only a few minutes of air to breath. This mostly happened when they were discarded for pickup. Many children my age died this way back in my time. Some states require you to take off the door when placed outside. Justin, maybe you should mention this when talking about these old gems?
Why? This is a video on how to defrost a fridge….Sheesh. Of all the things in our sometimes very scary world, vintage refrigerators are what “freak you out”? Wow…
Kids will not be climbing into a fridge in use. The problem was with improper discarding like you mentioned. (And lack of supervision) there just aren't enough of these being discarded anymore to warrant a disclaimer on every video. My daughter is probably the most "in danger" of that every happening given her proximity to so many of em and she's been educated on it :)
I AM doing a video soon on that very topic though
No better time than now...since we're stuck at home most of the time. I'll probably do mine tomorrow. Thx Justin. Take care.
I just got one of those GE combinations. Sweet!
We have a Frigidaire ML-77 from around 1949.We live in a tropical climate so we just turn it off and leave the door open.If you want to speed it up a little just put a bowl of hot water in the freezer compartment.The first bowl gets cold quick so repeat this if necessary.Works fine and no scraping and you won't damage the little feeler tube of the thermostat/cold control.
Love to see a full fridge restoration
Thanks for this video! I'm hoping to get a vintage fridge EVENTUALLY! lol.. and so this will help a lot!
My father used to use pots of boiling water.
Great recommendations, thank you!
Ha, I grew up in New Orleans with the humidity.
As a kid I remember my mom defrosting the fridge like every week 'cause of the frost fusing all our food in a block of ice if she didn't.
This was so incredible helpful, thank u for making this 😭 (and no I wasn’t smacking ice pieces out with a hammer 🙈🫠)
Nice video. You need to get together with the history channel and make a show. Kind of like American Pickers meets Counts cars restoration. I’d watch it.😀 This is John Moore from Alabama. Just purchased the shelves from you. Cool stuff
Turned em down, just do these for fun :)
Thanks for the video. I have a question for you, Where can we get new fridge gaskets or replacement fridge gaskets?
Email us!
i just use a hairdryer. it speeds it up alot actually. twice a year on a 1950 gm frigidaire
We have an old fridge like the 2nd one in your video. Worked fine, guy defrosted it and now it doesn't cool anymore. Any trouble shooting tips?
I worked for an old couple who had a fridge that they had me defrost by blow drying it. It took FOREVEEEER! Was kinda tiring.
Have you seen a situation where the frost build-up is on the ceiling of the fridge portion?
What should I clean the metal grates inside the fridge with. We acquired an old 1960ish Frigidaire. We defrosted it and now I would like to clean the metal grates inside. Anything that will get those things shiny and spiffy again?
I have about a 1948 Westinghouse with the freezer inside the fridge. It has a defrost setting on the knob, do you know how it should be used?
Beautiful GE LB-81, could you do a video about it because it looks like it's missing a shelf or a drawer
I have a vintage admiral fridge that has one door and small freezer compartment inside. It ices up and I have to thaw it every few months. Is it possible to remove the freezer box?
Nope
@@Vintage55Restorations thanks, glad we didn’t try to then! I’ll just have to deal with defrosting it every time often!
Help help. I got a what I believe is a 1957 hotpoint refrigerator. It's a beer fridge but it its not cooling this season. It's a top and bottom door style. It sounds like the motor turns on the lights turn on it sound like it's dripping water some where no leaks but it's not getting cold not sure what to do ? thanks again