Amish Built Cooling Unit Replacement for Norcold

[Dr4Film]

My 10 year old Norcold Frig is still working OK however, I am seriously considering having the cooling unit replaced with the Amish built unit before the Norcold one craps out or catches fire.

However, I would like to hear from those that have already changed out your cooling units for the Amish built one to see if you are completely satisfied with its performance and its ability to keep both the freezer and frig compartments colder than the Norcold one.

I really would like to install a Samsung French double door, bottom freezer in the same space but it would require that I lose the storage cabinet below the current Norcold and do some rebuilding to reinforce the floor and trim finish to make it look professional.

The Amish unit is a better alternative for me right now as I need every bit of storage I have available to me.

Please let me know what you Amish Cooling unit owners have to say.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

[BobGed]

I just had one installed in my 1210 Norcold last week. Haven't been on a trip yet but did do some testing while parked at home. At 9:00 AM starting temperature in the refer was 55 degrees. I put 1/2 cup of water in a plastic cup in the freezer and set the temp to level 3. At 4:00 PM the refer box was at 38 degrees, freezer was at 16 degrees and the cup was solid ice. This was on SP. I haven't tried it on LP yet but the shop that installed it did and got similar temperature results, but I don't know over what period of time.

Total cost for unit and installation was $1,350. I figured I would try this before jumping to a RR, because there is only one shop in Red Bay, AL, that I would have do the installation, and that would be over 4,000 miles round trip.

[bdaball]

Please keep us posted on what you find. Something tells me there are a few people interested in this subject. Including me!

[FreeByrd]

Been a while since I chimed in but we've spent the last 4 months boondocking on LP or rarely hooked up to shore power and the Amish Cooling Unit is still "Kicking Butt"!

Had temperatures down in Congress, AZ in the mid-upper 80's and ran the fridge on 4 for weeks, while one day it was 90*+ and turned it up to 5 (mostly because our fridge is in a slideout and the warm rising air doesn't like making the 90* turn to exit the relatively small upper wall mounted vent).
We're now just outside the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and it's in the upper 70's and the fridge is making ice and running on 3. IT"S GREAT!

Looks like David Force at the rvcoolingunit.net is now carrying the SS-30 Halon Fire Extinguisher units for "1 stop shopping". I installed one in ours and it provides us with a little more peace of mind should something ever go wrong. I was told by a wise man that "anything made by man, regardless of it's quality, may eventually fail" and if it ever does, we're just a little more prepared.

Julie still smiles when she hears the unit dropping ice! Seriously, this is the single best investment we've made in our 8 years of RV'ing.

Hope to see you Out There !
Mike & Julie Swain

["007"]

Thanks Richard for starting this thread and for those that have replied so far.
I'm adding FreeByrd's "Mike" Amish install to this thread for people that are just finding out about Norcold problems.
The more we talk about this problem the more will be alerted.

[Tide Guy]

All, Have posted other comments about the Amish Cooling units, Have had my for approx. a month. Working great. Perhaps Norcold wil do something about their very poor cooling units. Problably not, they are just not interested in customer satisfaction.

Highly recommend the Amish unit.

Tide Guy

[Dr4Film]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeByrd While one day it was 90F and I turned it up to 5, mostly because our fridge is in a slide-out and the warm rising air doesn't like making the 90 degree turn to exit the relatively small upper wall mounted vent. Mike & Julie Swain

Mike,

Bottom-line, RV manufacturers should not have installed RV frig's in slide-outs. They weren't designed to work in that type of space.

You can vastly improve the venting of your rear Norcold cavity by installing one or two 120 MM 12 volt computer type fans at the top vent blowing out. Do not install them at the lower intake vent. If you do they will not work as well. Install a switch to turn them on and off when needed.

My two OEM fans in the rear decided to quit working and I installed four of these at the roof-top vent and it makes a 5-6 degree difference in my freezer & box temp's whenever I have them running. I use them 24/7 usually when the outside temps get really hot.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

["007"]

As a added note at top of vent opening a piece of sheet metal curved to make a smooth exit for heat to get out and not collect at top of vent opening.
Can also fill void on top of fridge with insulation so heat can not collect.

[Tide Guy]

Followup:

Concur with Dr4film comments. My frig. is located in a slide. Not good but what can I do. Along with the amish cooling unit, had a new computer board, two addition OEM fans installed in the top vent and new sensors as well. Another items which I addressed was the baffles adjusted to insure the air flow was over/thru the cooling fins.

Tide Guy

[FreeByrd]

Dr4Film, 007,
Thanks for adding the Install Video Link & Richard must have physic powers because after the 90* day in Congress, AZ I took one of the old "stock" fans that was gathering dust and mounted it at the top of the upper slide out vent and installed a 3 position switch in the lower vent. I do have 1 old stock fan left and may add it to increase air movement. . . . a very good idea.
The 3 new fans that are mounted in the video use more amperage but move 50% more cfm than the stock fans and was going to "jump" the condenser thermostat with 2 wires and use the other "position" on the switch so I could run the 3 larger fans manually for a really warm day.

[two gone rvn]

I installed the amish unit a year ago and its the single best investment ever for my motorhome. I would recommend it to anyone with the Norcold Frig. Not only does it work better then the old unit but it also gave me piece of mind and thats certainly worth alot. It's a shame Norcold cannot get its act together and stop making the crummy piece of &^$% it does. They should be contacting The Amish factory and have them make their cooling units instead of the Chinese. Just my tow cents worth.

["007"]

Your post has it right two gone rvn, thanks for the advise.

[snowsurfer56]

Our Monaco had a fridge fire, replaced with a refurbished Norcold 1200 that never worked right. We replaced the contro lboard with a new Dinosaur board, and the cooling unit with the Amish design from RV cooling unit warehouse. We are very happy with both. I shot a how to video for the cooling unit change out. Hope this helps.

YouTube - ‪How to replace RV cooling unit‬‏