Challenge for historians

[Optimist?]

Hello again folks, I’ll try to be briefer this time…

Looking at my options again, having decided that my Bosch FF needs compressor replacement, which I believe would be rather costly (see sig. for its model number). By the way, thanks due to a member for helping me realise that this is my (most likely) situation.

So the other option is to ‘improve’ the older FF which is not a frost-free design, and suffers horribly ‘cos of knakked door seals etc. It has the following info on the data sticker;

Zanussi Model Z20/15 PR Type B1861 No. 800 301305

I have no idea how old it is, but its very old and scruffy-looking compared with my (really mint) Bosch 12-year-old! But apart from the icing prob it works fine.

So the question is, what if any, spares might I be able to track down for this (Zanussi) model? Oh, and how old is it actually, approx?

Any info gratefully received,

Pete

[kwatt]

It’s old… very old, if memory serves mid-eighties at the youngest. Too old to do anything with IMO, certainly not worth spending money on.

K.

[Optimist?]

Re: Challenge for historians

Thanks kwatt, I think that age is very likely. We acquired it from the garage of a previous rented house that the landlord sold from under us. Least we got a working FF out of it!

I wouldn’t spend more than about £50 on it, but if the door-seal of the freezer could be improved for that sort of cash, I’d do it.

I’m guessing you/anyone would think it unwise to spend the necessary cash on compressor replacement for the Bosch 12-year-old? I mean in terms of the probability of it lasting long enough into the future to ‘pay back’?

Cheers,

Pete

[kwatt]

Re: Challenge for historians

Na, not worth the time/effort/hassle on the Zanussi TBH, if parts are even still available.

Pretty much the same on the Bosch, at the age to consider replacing the compressor would be a folly as I wouldn’t expect too long after that.

K.

[Alex]

Re: Challenge for historians

March 1980 this one was made, getting on a bit. Seals are still available at £18.39 plus vat & postage.

Alex

[Optimist?]

Re: Challenge for historians

Wow, that is old!

Thanks; to kwatt for the realistic appraisal of what’s worth doing, and Alex for the encouraging news about the seals.

Anyone with the skills/time/spare compressor want an old Bosch FF as a ‘project’? 😆

Pete

[Optimist?]

Re: Challenge for historians

Apologies for ‘keeping on’ 😆 , but I have one more question…

Consigned the troublesome 12-year-old Bosch to the Council facilities.

Disassembled and thoroughly dried out and re-sealed the freezer door on my dinosaur Zanussi. (Happily a neighbour was simultaneously chucking out a Carlton branded identical FF, so I’ve robbed that of lots of internal bits to make mine nicer).

(The Zanussi is) Working fine in just about every way, except the freezer seems to be rather colder than reaally necessary, reading -25C on a cheap and cheerful fridge thermometer.

I think this may be adjustable? There’s something at the bottom of the FF, behind the panel where the power switches are, that looks like it might adjust something. Would this be freezer temperature?

Many thanks in anticipation,

Pete

[Alex]

Re: Challenge for historians

Yes that is the freezer stat, will possibly fail if tampered with as been inert for a long time.

-25 isnt too bad, optimum is -18, but once it gets to the -25, it will cost little more to keep it running. Choice is yours if you want to trim it down a bit, obviously anti-clockwise will take it towards a warmer temperature.

Alex

[Optimist?]

Re: Challenge for historians

Cheers Alex 😀 .

And thanks for the warning about meddling with it. I shall get a ‘good’ thermometer and see what the (real) average temps are at different heights in the fridge and freezer sections, and optimise if really really reqd (carefully!). It would be a simple bi-metallic thermostat I guess?

Thanks to all who have helped in this long-drawn out process of sorting out my FFs. I shall be sufficiently honest to post back up on here if the thing packs in any time soon, for the amusement of all those that said “Why the heck are you bothering” or words to that effect!

Had a moment’s panic after reconditioning the freezer door/seal, when it went back on it looked to be a really bad fit; at my girlfriend’s suggestion I taped it closed overnight to ‘teach’ the seal what shape it should take up- worked a treat :).

Pete

P.S. Can’t be bothered to edit my sig. but it should now say “Really Old Zanussis Rock” or words to that effect…

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