technology

keith

is fantastic. Came across an article today from 1953. It had a picture of a G.E. boiler. The article stated that a 9 room house that had previuosly used 3215 gallons (.22Cents per gallon)for heat and hot water now used 2185 annually with the new G.E. downfire boiler. The house appeared to be about 2800 sq.ft. it would probably use about 1100 gallons annually with a fairly common system today. No wonder there won't ever really be an energy shortage. When fuel prices get high enough people are willing to spend $ on efficiency as well as comfort.

Mark Hunt

They were ahead of their time.

I wish they could have figured a way to make them lighter!!!!!!!!!

I do quite a bit of work in Schenectady, New York, Home of GE.

There are still a bunch of them out there.

Mark H

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j_4

G.E. goes way back

i pulled out a National Geographic from June, 1935...full page ad for G.E. All-Steel Refrigerator..."Whether your income be $20 a week or unlimited, there is a G-E refigerator to exactly meet your requirements" ... from $77.50 f.o.b. cleveland...

same issue:

American Radiator Company: "No down payment...The Arcola-simplest most inexpensive kind of American Radiator Heating. Needs no cellar. Heats 2 to 6 rooms. Completely installed, including radiators for as little as $10 a month"

Hamilton watch: 14k gold , 17 jewels $50 ; raised gold figure dial, $52.50

Plymouth : "HERE IT IS...sixteen feet (lacking an inch)of streamlined beauty that has taken America by storm...$510 & up f.o.b. detroit

Parker pen: "A brain harassed by a pen that runs dry, loses it's brilliance..power...and experience." junior size $5, oversize $10...write us for a 20,000-word Trial Bottle on Parker Quink FREE- the new ink that cleans any pen as it writes.

Dutch Boy White Lead paint: "When your dream house comes true...don't let CHEAP paint make it a nightmare"

Macgregor "PaceMaker" dry-ice center golf balls "Just a pellet of dry ice is inserted in the ball's special liquid center. This generates carbon dioxide gas, 'pumps up' the liquid center, increases the tension of the strong rubber winding and makes the ball super-resilient....try one, 75 cents"

...article about Rhodesia, classic photo of a guy pulling apart freshly mined asbestos chunks to test for fiber spinning length....

article on Ethiopia, great photo of Emperor Haille Selassie the 1st (formerly known as Ras Tafari Makonnen)


National Geographic volume LXVII, number 6, 50 cents the copy, $3.50 a year

ScottMP

GE Boiler

I had one in my house. The burner sat on top firing down into a bottom rear flue. It trap left over heat in the chamber. I beleive they where a steel boiler and mine was still running. Sometimes the heat would play havoc with the burner and required alot of service.

Scott

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keith

weight

is deceptive. I have changed a couple out,they weigh a ton. Never changed one from a hole in the water jacket,steel 1/4" thick.

eleft_4

GE

Guy's it's not only the burners fault so much oil was used back then. 1.) the service was supplied by the oil supplier. 2.) you had to be an auto tune up expert to set all the points and cam timing on the burner control. 3.) there was not an aquastat to turn off the circulators when the return water got below 140. 4.) who insulated when oil was 19 cents. 5.) the hot water storage tank was insulated but not much thicker than 3 coats of paint.

My house @ 3400sq ft & used 3000+ gals in the 60's now it's closer to 1200.
My GE is converted to a carlin. I insulated the attic & installed a phase III .

The GE was installed in 1946. I think it was put in before they set the joists and sub floor, there was no hatchway.

al

keith

56 years

old and still chugging away. I dont envey you when you have to swap out the boiler. Where are you located?

eleft_4

56 yrs Why

Keith,

Do you want to help?

Fairfield CT

I sure like the design of the Opus!

PS. I have it beat by 10

al