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07-20-2014, 09:09 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Abington, Ma
Posts: 194
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Changing Norcold refrigerator heater element
My norcold n821 refrigerator is blowing the shore power gfi. All the information I've read points to a bad heater element. I haven't measured the resistance of the element, but I will. If the element is bad, Is this a do it yourself job? I see where the heater is located can it be removed and replaced without removing the unit? The fridge works fine on gas.
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2002 Diplomat 38 PDD ISC330
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07-20-2014, 09:18 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: St. Augustine, FL
Posts: 3,595
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tomgagne
My norcold n821 refrigerator is blowing the shore power gfi. All the information I've read points to a bad heater element. I haven't measured the resistance of the element, but I will. Disco th heater element from the board...then try it on electric. If it doesn't trip the shore breaker then replace the heater element. If the element is bad, Is this a do it yourself job? I see where the heater is located can it be removed and replaced without removing the unit? The fridge works fine on gas.
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To replace the element you will need to raise the element upward from the "sleeve" it's in. If there's room to raise it then it will be easy. Worst case is you'll need to pull the reefer to access the element. It's just labor......not technical.
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KIX
'02 Ultimate Advantage 40J Spartan MM - Cummins ISC
2013 Jeep Rubicon JK Unlimited
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07-20-2014, 09:22 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,414
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You will find above the burner a pair of wires going into insulation on the chimney portion of your cooling unit. Remove just enough insulation to expose the end of the heater element. Unplug wires as they go into the pc board then work the element out. If the chimney is really rusted it may be time for a new cooling unit as a lot of rust is a sign of an overheating chimney. If your heater comes out just install the new heater, replace insulation and plug wires into control board.
I would check for other things that might set off a gfci as the heater is protected by a fuse on the control board.
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Dave and Laura & two cats
02 Discovery with Accord toad
retired auto rv tech and teacher, wife rt nurse
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07-20-2014, 09:34 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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There are YouTube videos on replacing the element. Here's one:
They are pretty much the same.
Here's more on replacing the whole cooling unit:
There are others too.
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Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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07-20-2014, 09:59 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: E WA or S TX
Posts: 4,046
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Disconnect the heater and see if your problem goes away. If so then replace the heater, else keep looking.
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04 Horizon QD, 12 Ford Flex, Excalibar, Brakemaster, Winter Texan, RVin! since 1974
Norm, Donna & Tinker Kat(RIP) 01 Z3
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07-21-2014, 03:55 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Abington, Ma
Posts: 194
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Thank you all for the information. Will let everyone know what I find
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2002 Diplomat 38 PDD ISC330
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07-22-2014, 07:14 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Abington, Ma
Posts: 194
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I plugged the fridge directly to the house Gfci and it popped. I removed the element connectors from the board, plugged it in again and it didn't pop. I measured the resistance and it's around 44 ohms. I purchased a new element and it too measures 44ohms and infinite resistance to the case. New element goes in tomorrow after the unit cools off as I was running it on gas to ensure it actually functioned. Hopefully that fixes the problem.
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2002 Diplomat 38 PDD ISC330
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07-22-2014, 07:20 PM
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#8
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Varies Depending on The Weather
Posts: 8,517
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According to the Norcold Service Manual a good working heater element should have a ohms reading of 58-68 ohms.
44 ohms would point to a defective heater based on their information.
Dr4Film ----- Richard
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07-23-2014, 11:24 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: St. Augustine, FL
Posts: 3,595
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tomgagne
....................I purchased a new element and it too measures 44ohms and infinite resistance to the case. New element goes in tomorrow after the unit cools off as I was running it on gas to ensure it actually functioned. Hopefully that fixes the problem.
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I would agree with Richard in that a new element should show about 65 ohms. 65 ohms has been my experience too.
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KIX
'02 Ultimate Advantage 40J Spartan MM - Cummins ISC
2013 Jeep Rubicon JK Unlimited
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07-23-2014, 08:09 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Abington, Ma
Posts: 194
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I saw the 68 ohms mentioned in several posts, however this fridge calls for a resistance of 48 as documented in this manual http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/ncoldnnewnseries.pdf. I got the part number from theft fords site parts listing 621702. I removed and replaced the probe tonight and it no longer pops the Gfci and it is getting cooler. It did take some extra effort to wiggle it out. It had some surface rust which would have easily been cleaned with steel wool. The new probe slid right in. As mentioned above not difficult and I didn't need to move the fridge to get at it. So all appears to be well. Thanks for the help and guidance. As I said to my wife, the Declaration of Independence if written today would have a phrase, life liberty and the pursuit of fixing all the broken stuff
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2002 Diplomat 38 PDD ISC330
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07-23-2014, 08:37 PM
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#11
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Varies Depending on The Weather
Posts: 8,517
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Good catch - sorry about the mis-information. Yup the 58-68 is for the NotSoCold 1200 and other like models.
Glad you have resolved the problem.
Dr4Film ----- Richard
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09-19-2021, 01:19 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 25
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My Norcold N821 heating element is testing at 38.9 ohms. Is this an indication of a bad power board or bad AC heater? Error code is "H".
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09-19-2021, 01:42 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,643
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Norcold N821 'H' code is AC Heater failed Open
2 causes;
Bad Element
Bad circuit board
Tests are check heater resistance....S/B 38-53 ohms
**Lower the ohms the more likely element is failing
Per Norcold
Refrigerators with serial number lower than 854647 heater is rated for 300 Watts/2.7 amps @ 110Vac and has a resistance of 41.25 ohms.
Refrigerators with serial number 854647 and higher heater is rated
for 300 Watts/2.5 amps @ 120 Vac and has a resistance is 48 ohms
With Fridge in AC MANUAL
Check the amp draw when heater element is energized
OR
Unplug the 2 element leads from circuit board
*AC HT Hi1 (Hot) and AC HT Lo1 (Neutral)
Measure AC Voltage at those terminals
*NO AC Voltage ....Bad K2 relay....replace the board (UNLESS 5A Fuse is bad)
*Got AC Voltage....replace element
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