Norcold problems, freezer working on gas and propane, fridge not cooling on either.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by cruzbill

We just returned from a 4-day trip to Lake Tahoe. I can't start the fridge(Norcold 1200) until we are several blocks from home, due to the 10% slope I have to park on in front of our house. The fridge was very hot as was the outside air temp (108 when we left). I hit the on button when we were level a few blocks from the house. No error codes. Its about a 4 hour trip to Tahoe from the house, when we arrived outside temp at Tahoe was 90. The inside of the freezer had frost on it but the lower refrig section was at 55. I couldn't get the rig leveled fore to aft, off by about 3/4 bubble. Long story short, I have read all the Norcold horror stories and I figured ours was dying. On our third day, the fridge was down to a normal 40f. Fridge not dead, life's good again! Give it plenty of time to cool down.

There is the most likely problem,highlighted in green above. It takes an empty frig about 24 hrs to reach set temperature and normalize. When a warm frig is filled with food(some at room temp-like drinks, etc) then turned on, it extends the normalization time.

[VegasFoodGuy]

Originally Posted by Sandy Swede

Ah, the notorious Norcold 1200 series. Fires, recalls, class action suits - - where to begin. I assume you are substantially level when running the unit.
If not, and you go beyond the NO CO code on the door control, the board probably has to be reset. You will likely need a pro to do this.

When we bought our new to us 2004 Dutch Star I knew the Norcold would be a problem, even with the factory recall work being done. First thing I did was get the ARP thermal limit switch installed. While on our current trip from the east coast to Montana, I was out of level too long while attending to another issue and the board evidently "locked up." This occurred near Indianapolis. The repair guy I called suggested that, although he could probably get it running again, I should consider driving up to Shipshawana (near Elkhart) and get the Amish cooling unit installed. I decided to bite the bullet and did just that. In about 4 hours, the Amish guys pulled the fridge, removed the old cooling unit, and installed & tested the new one. I opted for the helium charged unit. It has now been two weeks and what a difference. At setting 7, I had 36 deg F in the fridge and 8 in the freezer. I thought this a tad too cold in the fridge, so I dropped to setting 6. 40 deg F in fridge and 8 in the freezer. Cost of the base unit was $1,000 and install was $300. Add $200 for the helium charged unit. The way I looked at the issued and justified the $1,500 was that, even if I got it running again, it will always be a problem. YMMV. Best of luck.

Sounds like the ARP did it's job, You could have just reset it.
Terry

[medarwin]

Thanks to all who replied to my origianl post. I have limited opportunities to be on the net so am delayed in responding.

To clarify my earlier post, the COOLING unit was replaced in 2014, not the entire unit. The recall work was done and the updated heat switch was installed also.

By disconnecting the thermistor, I am able to achieve 30 deg in the fridge (top shelf) and near zero in the freezers on a 70 deg day with the sun hitting the side of the MH with the fridge in it. It is not in a slideout. Of course, the unit runs constantly on either propane or electric so I will have to periodically shut it down to prevent freezing of fresh food in the fridge, especially on cool nights.

I removed the vent on the unit roof, i cannot hear any fans working at any time. I did see two temp sensors on the fins, can I assume these are controlling fans I cannot see? I really don't want to pull out the box to replace or repair these. I installed a 12v thermo-controlled fan on top of the cooling fins which immediately started running, meaning my enclosure temps were above 100 deg. I assume that will benefit me in the future but right now I cannot test the thermistor as I do not have an ohm meter in the MH. I am hoping to hit a travek trailer dealer on my route tomorrow and will hopefully be able to buy a thermistor and correct the problem.

Question, it appears that the thermistor controls the alleged cooling fans (that I cannot see) on the back of the unit? Or does it just control the resistance in the fridge fins? Both? I also plan on purchasing a 12v circulation fan for the fridge to improve cooling and even temps throughout.

Any one familiar with thermistor function that can help out, I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks, Darwin

[Ray,IN]

Here is a replacement for the OEM thermister, and it is adjustable.Norcold Thermistor Repair Kit
How to troubleshoot your Norcold thermister is also a good reference.
Norcold 1200LR series service manual is always handy to have downloaded to your laptop.

Something seldom found on the internet (but it's there) is; moving the thermister one fin to the left makes the frig cooler, one fin to the right makes the frig warmer.
Fine tuning is obtained by sliding the thermister up or down on that fin.
Corrosion on the thermister clip can hinder transmission of the aluminum fins actual temperature, and without proper testing, result in replacing a good thermister.

The service manual describes how and when the OEM fans on the back operate.

I just bought an ARP unit that includes an additional vent fan. Haven't got it installed yet. That website sells ARP units for less than the mfgrs website.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by medarwin

Thanks to all who replied to my origianl post. I have limited opportunities to be on the net so am delayed in responding.

To clarify my earlier post, the COOLING unit was replaced in 2014, not the entire unit. The recall work was done and the updated heat switch was installed also.

By disconnecting the thermistor, I am able to achieve 30 deg in the fridge (top shelf) and near zero in the freezers on a 70 deg day with the sun hitting the side of the MH with the fridge in it. It is not in a slideout. Of course, the unit runs constantly on either propane or electric so I will have to periodically shut it down to prevent freezing of fresh food in the fridge, especially on cool nights.

I removed the vent on the unit roof, i cannot hear any fans working at any time. I did see two temp sensors on the fins, can I assume these are controlling fans I cannot see? I really don't want to pull out the box to replace or repair these. I installed a 12v thermo-controlled fan on top of the cooling fins which immediately started running, meaning my enclosure temps were above 100 deg. I assume that will benefit me in the future but right now I cannot test the thermistor as I do not have an ohm meter in the MH. I am hoping to hit a travek trailer dealer on my route tomorrow and will hopefully be able to buy a thermistor and correct the problem.

Question, it appears that the thermistor controls the alleged cooling fans (that I cannot see) on the back of the unit? Or does it just control the resistance in the fridge fins? Both? I also plan on purchasing a 12v circulation fan for the fridge to improve cooling and even temps throughout.

Any one familiar with thermistor function that can help out, I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks, Darwin

OK lets take this one at a time

Thermistor.......temp sensor 'inside' food compartment attached by clip to the evap fins. Fridge thermostat uses it to turn heat source on/off for cooling cycles.
Unplugging it will cause thermostat to keep heat source ON resulting in continuous cooling cycle due to NO temp sensor.

With thermistor unplugged (or open) the 1200 goes into BOS (Backup Operating System).
The BOS allows cooling cycles to continue based on time vs temp sensing.
If food compartment gets to cold just lower the 'temp setting' adjustment ....if not cold enough raise the temp setting
BOS will cool based on time...using temp set point as a reference ---cooling cycles will be longer duration then if temp sensing was present.

Thermistor can be easily replaced using item in LINK provided





FANS in outside compartment
S/B 2 fans mounted just above the absorber tubes (large slanted tubes) and are controlled via 'thermostats' attached to condenser fins at top of cooling unit.
Thermostats are 'snap-disc' types preset to CLOSE at 130*F fin temp starting fans and then OPEN at 115*F shutting fans down.

Fans are mounted mid level center so as to draw air in thru lower vent, up/thru absorber tubes, blow air across condenser fins and then exhaust out top vent.
Fans necessary for fridges in slides and/or for the LARGE fridges with all the bells and whistles. Large fridges have huge heat loads and need higher airflows then just natural draft can provide....especially as ambient air temps rise

Condenser fin t-stats not working, fans bad OR in-line fuse on POS wire to t-stats is blown
T-stats and fuse easy to replace....fans not so---fridge has to be pulled in order to gain access to them for R/R




Fan(s) inside food compartment can help circulate the cool air. Won't make food compartment colder just help circulate the cold air form the evap fins better

[medarwin]

Thanks very much Old Biscuit and Ray. I downloaded the manual and ordered a new thermister from Lazy Days. Looks like unplugging the existing one will solve the problem until the new one arives as I am starting a 6 day dry camp today. Hopefully this will not put me in any trouble with the control board? I just did the one and only re-set when it locked me out with the "no.co." message, I understand the next episode will require a service tech to reset.

And my clip is corroded so I will be replacing that as well. Looks like all will be good if I can live without a fridge light for a few days. And thanks for the tip about moving the thermister to adjust temps.

Happy trails,

Darwin

[Sandy Swede]

Originally Posted by VegasFoodGuy

Sounds like the ARP did it's job, You could have just reset it.
Terry

Yes, that was the other option. However, I had planned on installing the Amish cooling unit because (1) the fridge was then currently struggling to keep proper temps, and most importantly (2) the Norcold as then currently configured would likely be a continuing problem, The clincher being that we were then only a couple of hours away from the maker of the Amish cooling unit. Who knows, maybe in a year or two, I will wish I had put the $1,500 into a residential fridge. After 3 weeks, it is still working great. I did find out, however, that the ARP was installed incorrectly and Paul of ARP was able to correct this as we traveled through ARP's home base of Butte, MT. I love serendipity.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by medarwin

Thanks very much Old Biscuit and Ray. I downloaded the manual and ordered a new thermister from Lazy Days. Looks like unplugging the existing one will solve the problem until the new one arives as I am starting a 6 day dry camp today. Hopefully this will not put me in any trouble with the control board? I just did the one and only re-set when it locked me out with the "no.co." message, I understand the next episode will require a service tech to reset.

And my clip is corroded so I will be replacing that as well. Looks like all will be good if I can live without a fridge light for a few days. And thanks for the tip about moving the thermister to adjust temps.

Happy trails,

Darwin

Your corroded clip will work fine if you remove the corrosion, which acts like insulation. Fine sandpaper or small wire brush will remove the corrosion.