Norcold Refrigerator not cooling at higher elevations

[NoDakKid]

In our 2004 motorhome, the Norcold Refrigerator 1201 LRIM stopped cooling while on electricity when we were at 8,000' elevation, and propane only kept it at 50 degrees. It had worked properly at 5500' elevation. A Tech checked it out and said it needed new coils which would take 2 weeks to get. We had a trip planned, so went from Colorado to Seattle. On the way, the fridge started working and cooled down to 30 degrees at lower elevations(both electricity and propane). Worked for 3 weeks; now back in higher elevation, the unit has started to fail again. Does anyone know of a solution other than replacing the coils?

["007"]

The Norcold Manuel says to only operate on AC at higher elevations, PG-8, that would mean using your Gen. You could also have to adjust Gen altitude adjustment also.
I would say you have no problem with your coils, its the thin air affecting gas operation.

[Gary RVRoamer]

As 007 says, the only thing affected by altitude is the efficiency of the gas flame. The fridge will work fine as long as there is an adequate heat source to activate the absorption cycle. To operate properly up around 8000 feet, you would need to change the propane jet orifice and the air/fuel mixture but neither of those is practical on the fridge (Norcold has no high altitude kit to install).

[NoDakKid]

Thanks for responding, 007. We are located in Denver most of the time so it's always run at high altitude, but when we went to 8,000 feet we were on electricity and the refrigerator was between 37-38 degrees while the switch was set at 7. Then the temperature started reading 50 degrees at a "9" setting and we switched to propane at that time and it would cool to 45 to 48. A Norcold technician was at the campground we stayed at and he performed numerous tests and determined that the coils were bad, but it started working again on both electricity and propane when we started traveling to a lower elevation (below 3000 feet) When we plugged into electricity or used the propane while traveling (at the lower elevation) everything worked ok at 37-38 degrees on a 6 or 7 setting. Now that we are returning to Colorado and stopped near Park City, Utah (evlevation above 5600 feet) we are experiencing the same problems as before on both ac and gas- barely cooling!

[RV Wizard]

It sounds as though your cooling unit is experiencing a restriction in the sealed refrigerant system. When you travel the blockage is shaken loose and the unit can operate but soon fails due to flaking sodium chromate; a corrosion inhibitor in the system. A new or rebuilt cooling unit will fix this problem. To prevent flaking of this compound in the future, make certain the coach is level when parked. This will not fix the current unit, just prevent the new on from being damaged.

[NoDakKid]

Thanks, Mike. That sounds reasonable. However, this is our 4th m/h and we always try to park level, except while on the road and/or stopping for short periods. We had been parked in a level site for almost 2 weeks when this first started. Could this have been caused by something else, like the coils going bad. It seems to work off and on.

[RV Wizard]

Wire the heating elements directly to 120 vac cord and plug into receptacle the refrigerator normally uses. If you do not have a problem of it always working, then you may have a control issue instead of a cooling unit problem.

["007"]

NoDakKid, if you look further down the Norcold Manual you will find "ART01340 PICTURE" the 110 part of refrigerator is just that has nothing to do with control of fridge, its separate unto itself. LPgas is separate also but with control from circuit board.
One thing common to both 110 AC and LP gas is the thermistor on your fin in the box of your fridge. Does your freezer stay cold with frost and are your two fans cycling on and off. If the answer is yes I'd say as Mike says something wrong with board or thermistor.
Or sorry to say a cooling unit but do not see how that could be with a sealed coil unit.