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Post by cableguystl on Aug 17, 2018 23:01:44 GMT
I just purchased my first antique monitor top this past Monday while vacationing in North Dakota (I live in St Louis) from the son of the original owner. He is an old friend of the family and ran it until a year ago. I'm completely new and soaking up information. I found this site using Google and learned how to decipher the plate near the controls. It's a DR-1 Ser#1294495. I have 2 questions: 1. Would someone please tell me when this was manufactured? 2. Can this be transported laying on its side/backside or need be upright during transport? Thank you!!
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Post by ckfan on Aug 18, 2018 0:30:52 GMT
Hi there and welcome to the forum. That is a real funny coincidence. You are in me and Travis’s back yard.
As far as transporting it goes you can lay it over on its side if you strap the unit to the cabinet first. This isn’t the preferred method for a long distance journey though. You run the risk of damage to the compressor from too many bumps. Just be aware that the top is designed to come off so you will need to strap the unit to the cabinet.
That model was made from 29 to 32. I have one just like it. Probably the most reliable DR machine. Doesn’t mean they don’t develop problems though. The fact that it has been used all its life can actually be a good thing in some ways. The first things I would check would be the heater located in the crankcase and the top and door seals. There is lots of info in different threads in this section. You just have to dig around a little.
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Post by turbokinetic on Aug 18, 2018 2:28:15 GMT
I just purchased my first antique monitor top this past Monday while vacationing in North Dakota (I live in St Louis) from the son of the original owner. He is an old friend of the family and ran it until a year ago. I'm completely new and soaking up information. I found this site using Google and learned how to decipher the plate near the controls. It's a DR-1 Ser#1294495. I have 2 questions: 1. Would someone please tell me when this was manufactured? 2. Can this be transported laying on its side/backside or need be upright during transport? Thank you!!
Hey welcome to the forum!
Glad you've found a good running DR. It's fun to have the original MT design since they are so historically significant.
As for transportation - it's very, very important to study all the advice given here about this. I have personally had to repair broken lines on two Monitor Tops which were transported or handled improperly. Thankfully these were newer CK models. The DR evaporator is much more difficult to fix than the stainless ones of the newer models.
The entire top plate, with the compressor and evaporator on it, is only sitting on the cabinet by gravity. The top weighs about 150 pounds. If the unit is carelessly laid over, the top will separate from the cabinet, in an uncontrolled manner. The evaporator, lines, or the condenser coil can be broken - and people can be hurt badly. I have always preferred strapping the top onto the cabinet with ratchet straps; and then setting the machine upright on the trailer. Then the entire machine is strapped down. As you know already, the refrigerant used is not Freon. It is sulphur dioxide. If there is an accident and a line is broken, it will necessitate getting people and pets out of the gas cloud. Very unlikely to happen, but you need to be aware of it and have a contingency if an accident were to happen.
Sincerely, David
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Post by solarmike on Aug 18, 2018 2:51:50 GMT
I was wondering if anyone has transported the tops sitting on a tire? I've done it several times and I haven't broken anything....
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Post by turbokinetic on Aug 18, 2018 2:55:09 GMT
I was wondering if anyone has transported the tops sitting on a tire? I've done it several times and I haven't broken anything.... As in , with the evaporator sitting in the center of the tire? That sounds like it might work.... if the tire was deep enough. I feel as if the tires I have left over from my cars would not provide a deep enough space for the evaporator. But a large truck tire, now that is an idea.... |
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Post by solarmike on Aug 18, 2018 2:59:00 GMT
I was wondering if anyone has transported the tops sitting on a tire? I've done it several times and I haven't broken anything.... As in , with the evaporator sitting in the center of the tire? That sounds like it might work.... if the tire was deep enough. I feel as if the tires I have left over from my cars would not provide a deep enough space for the evaporator. But a large truck tire, now that is an idea.... It has to be at least a 17in tire... Many tires are deep enough these days.... Many cars have very wide tires... Vettes, ect, |
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Post by elec573 on Aug 18, 2018 3:07:07 GMT
Not sure how far you’re going but the safes way is to have the top pulled off setting on a crate / box . The moters are setting on springs / shock dempeners .
So setting on there side negates this . And it was designed to be setting up right. I have transported them on there back with no problems but if you’re going any
distance I would’t .
What you have to remember this fridg is 80 plus years old so it needs some TLC
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Post by birkie on Aug 18, 2018 3:35:14 GMT
Congratulations on your find. You are certainly in the backyard of some of the collectors on this forum.
I tend to build crates for mine, as I find it much easier to handle when the top is off the unit - even the smaller ones like the DR-1. I have an engine hoist which makes short work of taking the unit off the cabinet and on to the crate.
As far as the unit itself, of I were to guess from the serial number, there is a good chance it is a form B from ~1931.
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Post by cableguystl on Aug 18, 2018 13:20:47 GMT
Wow... so the top just sits on the fridge and can slide off when laying it down to ship... I never would've thought that. I know nothing about refrigerators such as where or what an evaporator, condenser, compressor, or heater is. I purchased it because I like old things and now I feel I got myself into a mess with needing to figure out where the above named parts are located how to dismantle it, and getting it shipped from North Dakota to St Louis...
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Post by turbokinetic on Aug 18, 2018 13:24:17 GMT
Wow... so the top just sits on the fridge and can slide off when laying it down to ship... I never would've thought that. I know nothing about refrigerators such as where or what an evaporator, condenser, compressor, or heater is. I purchased it because I like old things and now I feel I got myself into a mess with needing to figure out where the above named parts are located how to dismantle it, and getting it shipped from North Dakota to St Louis... Yep, that top just sits there!
Will search for some pictures to help you out. Stay online a few minutes while I find them! Sincerely,
David
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Post by turbokinetic on Aug 18, 2018 13:43:44 GMT
I don't think you're in a mess! There's a massive amount of information here on this site. Several of the guys here have been collecting and restoring these machines for years. They have amassed a lot of good info.
The search function is very useful for finding information. That's the best place to start. I am a relatively new collector, and don't have as much knowledge as the older guys, but I do have a lot or technical experience in general.
The evaporator is the part of the cooling unit which sits inside the cabinet. The refrigerant gas is evaporating inside it to make it get cold.
The condenser is the round shell at the top. On your DR machine, it will be exposed coils of tubing. The refrigerant is condensing in these tubes to release the heat it collected.
The compressor is the round dome in the center of the condenser.
Here's a couple quick and dirty examples of the parts names we use. .jpg)
As you can see, it's fairly easy to run straps through the cooling fins inside the condenser, and use this for lifting the cooling unit off the cabinet. I usually work by myself and have access to an overhead hoist, so this is a safe way for me to handle these. This is by no means the only way, but it does show you what sort of job you're up against.
The most important thing to remember is, these are 80 year old antiques. The parts are not available other than locating someone who has used parts, or "differently broken" parts you can use to repair your broken assembly. The controls and tubing are particularly fragile. Take your time working on it, and treat it gently.
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Post by ckfan on Aug 18, 2018 14:06:46 GMT
The main thing to remember is that you shouldn’t be intimidated. I know it sounds like a lot to learn, and it is, but overall there is not much to learn in transporting it. As long as the unit is upright and strapped to the cabinet and the cabinet is strapped to something sturdy, go for it. Leaving the unit on the cabinet is the easiest way to transport it if you aren’t comfortable with selerating the two pieces. Then once you get it home you can begin reading old posts in this section and asking questions.
Oh, and the heater is a little 12 watt tube that is inserted into a hole located behind the badge on the neck of the compressor. They go bad normally and we have a supplier that makes new replacements that fit well. The heater is necessary to keep the oil free of liquid refrigerant. Later models did away with the heater due to having a completely different design.
Again, this is nothing to be scared of. Since you live in my backyard I would even be happy to show you what’s what once you get it.
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Post by cableguystl on Aug 20, 2018 1:04:01 GMT
Congratulations on your find. You are certainly in the backyard of some of the collectors on this forum. I tend to build crates for mine, as I find it much easier to handle when the top is off the unit - even the smaller ones like the DR-1. I have an engine hoist which makes short work of taking the unit off the cabinet and on to the crate. As far as the unit itself, of I were to guess from the serial number, there is a good chance it is a form B from ~1931. Thank you for giving me an idea what year it is. Where can I go to to track down serial numbers? |
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Post by cableguystl on Aug 20, 2018 1:07:03 GMT
I don't think you're in a mess! There's a massive amount of information here on this site. Several of the guys here have been collecting and restoring these machines for years. They have amassed a lot of good info.
The search function is very useful for finding information. That's the best place to start. I am a relatively new collector, and don't have as much knowledge as the older guys, but I do have a lot or technical experience in general.
The evaporator is the part of the cooling unit which sits inside the cabinet. The refrigerant gas is evaporating inside it to make it get cold.
The condenser is the round shell at the top. On your DR machine, it will be exposed coils of tubing. The refrigerant is condensing in these tubes to release the heat it collected.
The compressor is the round dome in the center of the condenser.
Here's a couple quick and dirty examples of the parts names we use.
As you can see, it's fairly easy to run straps through the cooling fins inside the condenser, and use this for lifting the cooling unit off the cabinet. I usually work by myself and have access to an overhead hoist, so this is a safe way for me to handle these. This is by no means the only way, but it does show you what sort of job you're up against.
The most important thing to remember is, these are 80 year old antiques. The parts are not available other than locating someone who has used parts, or "differently broken" parts you can use to repair your broken assembly. The controls and tubing are particularly fragile. Take your time working on it, and treat it gently.
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Post by cableguystl on Aug 20, 2018 1:11:33 GMT
Turbokinetic... Thank you for the photos you posted, for highlighting the names of the parts, and describing their function!!
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