> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: A water cooler with a DC motor is
>> interesting; but did you ever see a _refrigerator_ powered by -gas-
>> rather than -electricity-? I had one of those in a long since for-
>> gotten apartment in Chicago back in the 1960's. No motor of course, no
>> compressor, etc, but it was a refrigerator, freezer, etc, and I think
>> (cannot remember for sure) it was manufactured by 'Frigidaire
>> Company'. Totally silent of course. I have no idea how it worked; if
>> I ever knew, I have since forgotten. PAT]
Just to muddy the waters a bit -- in some cities, San Francisco for instance, some apartment blocks had ammonia-cycle cold boxes in each apartment. These were supplied by an ammonia compressor in the basement. ISTR that maybe once a year, the SF fire department finds a leak. Even though the system might have been turned off years ago, there's stll gas in the pipes. A friend lived in one of these place for a while.
Unfortunately, I can't find a good cite for this.
z!