Norcold refrigerator temps

[AFChap]

Our coach was in the shop for a few days recently and the Norcold 1200 was empty and turned off. Outside temps are 100-108 daily. When the refer got cold after 30 hr, the temp on the upper shelf by the fins was 27. Freezer was around 7. (controls set on 9, coldest setting). We put the food back in the refer, and in addition to the normal wireless thermometer on the upper shelf I put one on the lowest shelf/drawer where the milk sits (and spoils way too soon). A couple of days later I check the temps and the upper shelf was 34 while the milk drawer was 56. The freezer temp has remained pretty much around 7 or less. We DO have a battery operated fan in the food box, normally sitting on the top shelf on the right side.

I moved the fan to the milk drawer and added a second one just like it. That made virtually no difference. After experimenting for a couple of days I ended up the both fans UPSIDE DOWN on the left near the top blowing downward. That has resulted in top temp of 36 and bottom temp of 44 ...much better, but still a surprising difference to me.

Has anyone else experimented with TWO inside thermometers in the food box? For folks who use just one thermometer, where do you normally have it located?

[deaton]

AFChap -

You have the right idea. It's all about circulation. Those fins at the top being the heat sink, that's pulling the heat from the box and it tends to make the thing colder at the top. The initial temps you gave (27 and 7) are just about right. The "30 hours to cool down" is also not unusual for an absorption unit.

That said, one of the most serious sins that a lot of us commit in dealing with these boxes is opening the door too much. I was at a refridgerator seminar at PPL here in Houston last Saturday (so now I'm an expert, right?) and the guy teaching that class really emphasized that for every one minute the door is open, it take at least an hour to pull the temp back down. He also emphasized the importance of adding at least one fan on the outside of the back of the box (if you don't already have one) to keep the airflow going across the fins at the top of the stack. Convection is supposed to move the air and cool those fins, but that often does not work very well for a variety of reasons.

The fans inside the box - as you alreaedy know - are a good add, but only part of the overall solution. One other point this guy made was not to overload the box. An empty box is harder to cool, but an overloaded box creates problems by interfering with the airflow.

To answer your question, I don't have a thermometer in mine, but I rely on the temp indicator on the idiot bar at the top of the box (Dometic), which is probably not too accurate, but I don't have my milk spoiling either - knock on wood.

[SUMDALUS]

AFChap,

Not sure what you are refering to by "milk drawer." Are you referring to one of the 'crisper' drawers at the bottom. If you are, there is a good reason why your milk spoils so quick. The solid plastic shelf above the drawer(s) is there to keep the cold air out.

You may want to read my Understanding the RV Refrigerator blog series (Part V).

Hope this helps.

[AFChap]

Quote:

Not sure what you are refering to by "milk drawer."

in my Norcold 1200 there are two crisper drawers on the bottom left with glass shelf tops, and a milk, etc drawer on the bottom right with space for a few tall items. The shelf above it is a normal wire shelf.