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Post by 100yearfridge on Feb 27, 2017 1:21:34 GMT
Wow! I can't believe someone hasn't bought that. I bet if it were in the US, someone would. I just added some books I scanned into pdf. The file sizes are kind of large- sorry about that Ray, but I think you all will find it well worth the space. This stuff is mainly MT related, but I included some Audiffren stuff too. I added the covers of two other books I highly recommend on the profession of Home Economics which covers the education of the public on refrigerators, and another on the New Deal and covers some of the government programs to electrify and modernize American homes with appliances like refrigerators. Very good reading. You all will want to look at "Heat and Cold" closely because it highlights the Audiffren through the OC compressor, DR, and later Monitor Tops. If anyone is looking for stuff on other brands of refrigerators, PM me. There's a lot more where this came from. I have several copies of "Audels" and "Althouse and Turnquist", but I figure many of you have seen that stuff. drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0leHj0_q8Trdl9fOUdOME8wQWc
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Post by cablehack on Feb 27, 2017 2:24:35 GMT
Many thanks for your uploads, 100yearfridge. The OC-2 stuff is particularly interesting in "Heat & Cold". It answers my previous query of what happened between the OC-2 experimental phase and DR introduction. So...they actually sold 2000 of them to the general public. That actually puts finding one into the realm of possibility. There appears to be no oil heater in the OC-2, so I suppose it's possible any surviving machines could still be in use.
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Post by ckfan on Feb 27, 2017 13:06:10 GMT
Sorry for not saying anything. All day yesterday I was helping Travis move a CK into his house. I'm sure he will post about that at some point.
Did I just read that we now have the link between the oc2 and the DR?! Now I have lots more reading to do. Your a peach 100year! I love this place.
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Post by coldspaces on Feb 27, 2017 13:35:51 GMT
I can't find time to read all this,so much info on the oc2 that I never dreamed existed, its great!!! I have only made it through the first 150 pages of the document cablehack linked. So much info I will never remember it all at once. Found it interesting the the electric motor cost less than 1/3 the price of the control. I did take a look at Heat and Cool link also but so much more to read. Thanks for all the links!
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Post by 100yearfridge on Feb 28, 2017 1:01:06 GMT
I'll slow down on the uploads here soon, unless I get some requests. Ray, you asked for books and resources, and that I can provide! I added the pertinent excerpt from "More Work For Mother". You should all try to find a copy, as it is a very interesting read. Check the library. This pdf is more pages, but lower quality as there are no pictures. drive.google.com/file/d/0B0leHj0_q8TrSEVsdllEYXpRYU0/view?usp=sharing
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Post by ckfan on Feb 28, 2017 1:11:24 GMT
Thank you once again. I browsed through a few pages of "heat and cold" today and was very impressed by what I saw. Now I know what that patent drawing of the OC-2 was referencing. The water cooled oc2 was a strange beast indeed. So ugly looking on top of the pretty cabinet. I guess they had to start somewhere though! You are being a tremendous help. I have Wednesday off and should have more time to look through all of this and start (start) to piece together this fantastic story.
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Post by cablehack on Feb 28, 2017 4:20:59 GMT
I'll slow down on the uploads here soon, unless I get some requests. Ray, you asked for books and resources, and that I can provide! I added the pertinent excerpt from "More Work For Mother". You should all try to find a copy, as it is a very interesting read. Check the library. This pdf is more pages, but lower quality as there are no pictures. drive.google.com/file/d/0B0leHj0_q8TrSEVsdllEYXpRYU0/view?usp=sharingThis is just fascinating stuff! It gives an interesting background to the Stevenson report, as well as an insight to a few other things. The social commentary in the conclusion brings up some interesting points too. At last, I understand the origin on this photo drive.google.com/open?id=0B8_jm7K-ahMaTTBZaVYxUjlTajg (it was the promotion of the all steel cabinet). Another interesting thing is the name, "Monitor Top". "More Work For Mother" calls the OC-2 by this name, so was it always known as this by GE from the beginning, only to be released as an official name in later advertisements? Most (if not all) DR ads that I recall don't use the MT name, but it's certainly established with the CK. I couldn't help but be amused to be reminded that GE wanted to develop the air cooled model, instead of the water cooled one, because it consumed more power. That would be seen as very politically incorrect in the modern day.
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Post by 100yearfridge on Feb 28, 2017 4:52:02 GMT
That's a beautiful photo! I've seen that before somewhere.
I really dig this history of refrigerators in general. The individual technologies are fascinating in their own right, as there was such incredible diversity. I'll have to scan some of the 1924 book. There were some unusual (and heavy) machines. As much as the technology though, like what this book presents, is the social impact, and the business and marketing decisions that had to be made.
As far as the origins of the name Monitor Top. I read somewhere that it was one of the engineers who coined the term. I don't know when. It often is told that it looks like the USS Monitor from the Civil War, but I think it was actually from the monitor on top of old barns, which is probably where the civil war ship got its name too. It's a fuzzy history.
The attempts to increase power consumption through this period were rampant. From GE's perspective, sure they wanted to increase consumption because that would benefit their other divisions like power generators, but there was also a concerted effort through the 30s to increase consumption to bring down rates. The government worked with appliance manufacturers and utilities to increase consumption in order to expand the electrical infrastructure to rural areas, where the rates didn't justify the expenditures to get power to remote areas. It was also very wise to avoid a water cooled condenser for simplicity of installation, and because water cooled refrigerators wasted a tremendous amount of water, adding cost to operation. Some of my older books highlight this problem.
I collect these books for the amazing history, but also for the references that it leads me to- so I can find other obscure books. I haven't gotten as deep as I would like. Once you get to books like "More Work For Mother", "Heat and Cold", and "Technology as Freedom", I find the authors really did a lot of digging in old magazines and corporate documents. So if you guys find anything of interest, please do share! I know I'm enjoying it!
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Post by ckfan on Feb 28, 2017 17:27:46 GMT
I didn't think this thread would become such a treasure trove of great information. I highly underestimated you smart cookies!
As far as the water cooling vs air. Yes, the air cooled condenser model used more power but it wasn't that much more. I'll have to look back at the paper to make sure but I think the difference in power consumption came out to about $1.90 worth of electricity for 6 months of usage. Of course this was at 1920s power rates. However, the same water usage cost of the water cooled model was something like $.80. Add to that the complexity of installation, especially in an apartment, leaky water valves or water valves that wouldn't turn on, and even back then they were concerned about water usage. It just made more sense to make it air cooled. Many of the problems GE was having with the oc2 was related to using a water cooled condenser. One associate they gave a unit to turned it off during the winter. The coils froze up and it busted. I imagine when it thawed out there was quite the surprise! Besides, let's be honest, the water cooled oc2 kind of looked ugly. The air cooled model looks so cool in comparison. Of course I would sell off body parts to get either of them!
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Post by 100yearfridge on Mar 1, 2017 1:30:57 GMT
I would sell your body parts too! Haha. I think it is also astounding that GE was able to pull off a static condenser when it took other manufacturers several more years to offer a refrigerator without a fan. They didn't have an exposed compressor motor or a flywheel, so an added fan would have been more complication and expense. Besides, the symmetry of the thing is astonishing. I don't know if they invented, or acquired the patent, of the roll bond type evaporator and condenser that would come in later MTs, but that would be an interesting addition to the list of GE innovations. I'll have to do a little digging. The available air heat exchange technology of the time was pretty limited, especially if you look at what Frigidaire and Kelvinator continued to do for some years after the MT was released. Much of it was just coils of copper pipe, sometimes flattened, fitted into vertical supports. Could be an interesting point to make when describing the GE innovations.
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Post by coldspaces on Mar 1, 2017 1:47:16 GMT
Sell your body parts lol. I know what you mean, how could one of us pass one up.
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Post by cablehack on Mar 1, 2017 2:39:56 GMT
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Post by 100yearfridge on Mar 1, 2017 4:39:17 GMT
Wow! cablehack, that's quite the collection! I have stacks of patents on other stuff, but not MTs. You know, I was thinking it would be cool to host all this stuff we collect somewhere like Internet Archive. If I find that I can scan some of books and upload them to the archive, maybe I can set up a domestic refrigerator collection where all of this stuff could be found- patents, manuals, books, pictures, etc.. I know anyone can locate the patents on google patents, but this way much of the work is done already. The drive is a great place for us, but I think it would still be cool to have a public collection. Edit: I was just looking at the Archive, and found a neat Salesman Handbook. I searched the forum before posting and see that it was Vintageguy who posted it. monitortop.freeforums.net/post/9237/threadThanks! I'll have to get some of my stuff up there too!
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Post by sheeplady on Mar 1, 2017 5:04:16 GMT
Well, today was an eventful day. As I mentioned earlier I emailed the Schenectady museum and asked if they could sell me some photos of the OC2 and the audiffren machine so that I could make my next video. The response I got was very friendly to put it mildly. I got a quick response from the archives manager. He told me that he would be happy to simply give me the photos. What is the catch? He wanted a copy of my video when I was done. Are you serious?! Now the ball is in my court, I need to step up my video making skills so that I can give them a quality video. If I get the video submitted in time (before June), and it gets accepted, he told me that they would show it alongside a display that they will have which will include various antique GE refrigerators. Whats more, this will be a special occasion because starting in June they will be celebrating GE's 125th anniversary. Wow... GE is doing a special event for the 125 anniversary? Do you have any other details on this event... when it is... where it is in Schenectady? Is there a monitor top museum in Schenectady? Good luck on your video... please share it if you can! That is quite an honor to have it displayed!
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Post by ckfan on Mar 1, 2017 16:08:24 GMT
Well, today was an eventful day. As I mentioned earlier I emailed the Schenectady museum and asked if they could sell me some photos of the OC2 and the audiffren machine so that I could make my next video. The response I got was very friendly to put it mildly. I got a quick response from the archives manager. He told me that he would be happy to simply give me the photos. What is the catch? He wanted a copy of my video when I was done. Are you serious?! Now the ball is in my court, I need to step up my video making skills so that I can give them a quality video. If I get the video submitted in time (before June), and it gets accepted, he told me that they would show it alongside a display that they will have which will include various antique GE refrigerators. Whats more, this will be a special occasion because starting in June they will be celebrating GE's 125th anniversary. Wow... GE is doing a special event for the 125 anniversary? Do you have any other details on this event... when it is... where it is in Schenectady? Is there a monitor top museum in Schenectady? Good luck on your video... please share it if you can! That is quite an honor to have it displayed! Don't worry, this video will be made public on YouTube. It will take a while to make it but it will be great when it is done. This community has really stepped up to this occasion. I don't know all the details of the anniversary that the museum is doing. When I get more details I will let everyone know.
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