jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 64
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Post by jc on Mar 8, 2021 16:25:16 GMT
Hello all,
For years I have wanted a monitor top and this weekend I think we may have found one a CA-2-B16. It is far from perfect but its running! We are picking it up this weekend from a retired GE appliance tech! (He is in his mid 80's). He is replacing the door gasket for me and wanted to run it for a bit. The cabinet is porcelain and in great shape except for one chunk out of the side. The top is in need of a cleaning and paint job, but I will focus on that later.
My question(s) are, what is the best way to transport? He has it on a pallet and can set the whole thing in a truck bed for me. But getting it off the truck will be impossible.
Also, does anyone have a source for the old style bristol key I will need? I have read a few threads, but all the discussions are a few years old.
Same goes for the heater. I would like to have a spare heater on hand. Does anyone have a recent part number?
The wiring looks very rough coming out of the compressor. So that may need my attention sooner rather than later. This guy really isn't interested in doing much anymore and I was curious if any members here were in the Kentucky area?
Thanks all!
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Post by Travis on Mar 8, 2021 22:19:10 GMT
Hi,
Welcome.
The easiest way to transport this is to remove the unit from the cabinet. You can find dimensions for the unit on this forum. Most of us build an open crate to support the unit during transport.
The bristol key has been discussed many times. Again, search here. There's a company that sells the right one. It's designated as OS, old style.
The heaters have also been discussed at length. I typically order 12mm diameter, 12 watt. The well hole is likely 1/2", but I've had difficulty with using 1/2" heaters. There are many vendors that will make them for you. I've used Nordic. Others have had difficulty with Nordic and have gone elsewhere.
Yes, the wiring on the CA2B's are usually well past time to replace.
I am not aware of any members in Kentucky.
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 64
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Post by jc on Mar 9, 2021 12:52:06 GMT
Travis, Thank you for your help! I have found a lot of info on here, but there has also been a lot of back and forth about suppliers and heater sizes, etc. So I was just looking to see if anyone had recent luck and where they got their parts from. I will be calling Max Gain today and ordering my key and will try Nordic for a heater first and see where I get. The fridge is running now but I would like to have some stuff on hand, I am not afraid to tear into things and have done wiring and mechanical stuff all my life so I will at least give everything the good old college try. I was hoping the gentleman I am purchasing it from would be willing to help some, but I think he is just looking to get out of the game completely.
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Post by turbokinetic on Mar 9, 2021 13:49:44 GMT
Travis, Thank you for your help! I have found a lot of info on here, but there has also been a lot of back and forth about suppliers and heater sizes, etc. So I was just looking to see if anyone had recent luck and where they got their parts from. I will be calling Max Gain today and ordering my key and will try Nordic for a heater first and see where I get. The fridge is running now but I would like to have some stuff on hand, I am not afraid to tear into things and have done wiring and mechanical stuff all my life so I will at least give everything the good old college try. I was hoping the gentleman I am purchasing it from would be willing to help some, but I think he is just looking to get out of the game completely. Heaters have been a big topic here. What Travis said is all very good info but as you found, searching leads to a bunch of back and forth discussions and not a lot of concrete info. A few years back, a member bought a "lot" of heaters in a group buy. That, at first, appeared to work well because people could get a known-to-fit heater. Unfortunately, some people took advantage of that member and he was left with a "bad taste" after this. I have considered another group buy but not done it yet. Would not try to get people to pre-commit to buying them but would keep them as I would eventually use them up on repair jobs. Eventually is the problem. The problem with this is that GE used a couple different size heaters. Those of us who work on a variety of Monitor Top units have found out that the heater is very important. Changing the power of the heater can dramatically change the operating characteristics of the unit. Different types and sizes of machines actually can be optimized to operate best with different wattages of heaters other than the few offered by GE. So that would mean buying multiple wattages of heaters speculatively; which I might not use for many years. |
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 64
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Post by jc on Mar 9, 2021 14:18:08 GMT
Turbokinetic,
Thanks for the info. Yes, I got lost in all the discussions and was hoping to find a quick answer. I will start with the 12 watt and go from there. Like I said, the unit is currently running but I would like to have a few things on hand. The top half will eventually need paint but I want to do some maintenance on it and try to figure out a safe way to inspect the wiring first, I could tell the wire coming from the bottom of the compressor out of the switch was very cracked. I am worried about the heater wire also....but I have to get it home first.
By chance are you the one who posts the videos on Youtube about working on the old monitor tops and various other old fridges? (I wanted to ask since I noticed you are in Alabama) If so, I have watched MANY of your videos to try and learn before buying a fridge and I GREATLY appreciate the time you took to share your knowledge! And, I may have a few questions down the road for you if you are willing to deal with a novice.
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Post by turbokinetic on Mar 9, 2021 14:41:28 GMT
Turbokinetic, Thanks for the info. Yes, I got lost in all the discussions and was hoping to find a quick answer. I will start with the 12 watt and go from there. Like I said, the unit is currently running but I would like to have a few things on hand. The top half will eventually need paint but I want to do some maintenance on it and try to figure out a safe way to inspect the wiring first, I could tell the wire coming from the bottom of the compressor out of the switch was very cracked. I am worried about the heater wire also....but I have to get it home first. By chance are you the one who posts the videos on Youtube about working on the old monitor tops and various other old fridges? (I wanted to ask since I noticed you are in Alabama) If so, I have watched MANY of your videos to try and learn before buying a fridge and I GREATLY appreciate the time you took to share your knowledge! And, I may have a few questions down the road for you if you are willing to deal with a novice. It's good that your CA is running as it should! They can run without the oil heater but it's hard on them. Just be sure the heater isn't open-circuit. The internal wiring will most definitely need replacement, that is really a given. It will crumble to nothing when disturbed. There is a good thread in the CK section about rewiring. That applies to the CA-x-B16 models as well They rewire the same as a CK. The pictures will be very helpful. And yes I've posted a lot of repair videos on YouTube, of these and other fridges! |
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jc
5 Cubic Foot
Posts: 64
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Post by jc on Mar 9, 2021 14:50:35 GMT
Well, I am sure he didn't check the heater. But I plan on doing that immediately once I get it in my possession. It seems with the top off the wiring is pretty straight forward. I really need to get some dimensions and build a stand so I can access everything easily. He has a forklift and its already on a pallet so I will be renting a u-haul trailer most likely and transporting it in one piece. Or in the truck bed and then have some friends over to help lift the top off once it is home.
I thought that might be you! Very glad to be speaking with you. Your videos have been most helpful and really the reason I decided to bite the bullet and dive in. I have no refrigeration experience but a fair amount of mechanical and some wiring.
I have a GE type LD-10-HB currently in use as my bar fridge. It is all original. I am planning on having the CA in the garage due to its weight and the fact that I will be working on it a fair amount I suspect.
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