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Old 08-05-2011, 12:14 PM   #15
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We had the recall done last November and got a letter about a month ago that we needed the same recall done. Norcold needs a whole new management team.

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Old 08-05-2011, 07:25 PM   #16
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I don't wait for letters or notifications to show up before I get a recall done. These Norcold frig fires are way too dangerous and if it were to happen the coach would be history in 4-5 minutes, totaled.

Because I full-time and the coach is R HOME, I check in the rear access compartment often to look things over and also to make sure the Halon Fire Suppression system remains fully charged.

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Old 08-05-2011, 10:48 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolJourney View Post
Oldtymer, we had this issue as well with our Norcold 1200LRIM. For us the fix was a simple one, hopefully it works for you.

We travel with our inverter switched on. Our refrigerator stopped switching to LP when on Auto after we had the Norcold recall done. Initially, I thought the loss of functionality had to do with the recall fix, but it did not. Prior to the recall fix the refrigerator was not on an inverter controlled circuit, but the ice maker was. The folks doing the recall plugged the refer and ice maker plugs into the wrong plugs. The result was that the refer ended up on the inverter controlled circuit and the ice maker was not.

Behind the lower access door to the back of the refrigerator you will find a standard two plug receptacle. The refrigerator and the ice maker are plugged into the receptacle. Unplug them and replug them into the opposite plug (I suggest you turn your refer off first). That solved the problem for me. I am glad I caught this in time, because operating the refer on AC off of the batteries (inverter controlled circuit) for an extended period of time would have drawn them down quite a bit.

Bill
Wow I love this forum. This is exactly how our frig was operating but not knowing any better I thought it was normal as this is a new to us coach. Upon checking the plug ins it was as you said our refer was plugged into the inverter outlet and the ice maker was into the ac plug in. It doesnt matter when plugged into shore power as both plugs are energized whether the inverter is on or not but when you unplug from shore power the ac plug goes dead thus no ice maker and the refer was running off the inverter powered plug. When in auto it went straight to inverter AC and yes it sucked the batteries fast. Swapped the plug ins and now it goes to LP automatically when unplugging shore power. Thanks alot for this info.

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Old 08-06-2011, 11:20 AM   #18
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Dr4Film, thankyou for this input. I contacted Norcold and asked them to verify all recalls for my refrigerator were completed. They informed that the recall for a High Temperature Sensor (issued Oct 2010) still needed to be performed. Norcold has me listed as the owner but I do not recall getting a letter on this recall. Needless to say, I would likely have overlooked this recall if you had not correctly brought this to my attention, thanks again.

I had the October recall done yesterday and I never receive a notice. Working good now. I also had a recall done last April and that one failed.
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Old 10-26-2011, 01:41 PM   #19
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We pilot a 2006 Fleetwood Revolution with a Norcold 1200LRIMD fridge. I too noticed that it did not automatically convert to propane when not connnected to shore power since we got the RV 3 years ago.

Our Norcold in the last month quit working on 110V power, but works on propane. I pulled off the control panel cover on the back of the fridge, and found the round 5amp fuse blown. I replaced this fuse and it blew again when I tried to restart the fridge. I replaced it one more time with the same 5amp rated fuse, and when I applied 110V to the fridge by plutgging it in, I could detect a faint smell of burning wiring, but none of the wires on the back of the fridge felt warm. I promptly unplugged it. The control panel reads no AC, no flow (propane valve is shut), and HE. Reading the owners manual for the fridge, it says that HE code is not serivceable and the fridge needs to be looked at by Norcold.

I checked the cost of a new fridge, and found it to be roughly $4K. The recall has not been done yet. Any chance the recall and my problem are related?! More importantly, any chance the service for the recall will fix my problem??

Tom
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Old 10-26-2011, 05:38 PM   #20
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We had similar problems with our Norcold . . . $4000 for a new one?! Somewhere around that price will get you a residential refer and installation! We just put a Samsung in our Country Coach and could not be happier!
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Old 10-26-2011, 07:06 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SpudRacer View Post
We pilot a 2006 Fleetwood Revolution with a Norcold 1200LRIMD fridge. I too noticed that it did not automatically convert to propane when not connnected to shore power since we got the RV 3 years ago.

Our Norcold in the last month quit working on 110V power, but works on propane. I pulled off the control panel cover on the back of the fridge, and found the round 5amp fuse blown. I replaced this fuse and it blew again when I tried to restart the fridge. I replaced it one more time with the same 5amp rated fuse, and when I applied 110V to the fridge by plutgging it in, I could detect a faint smell of burning wiring, but none of the wires on the back of the fridge felt warm. I promptly unplugged it. The control panel reads no AC, no flow (propane valve is shut), and HE. Reading the owners manual for the fridge, it says that HE code is not serivceable and the fridge needs to be looked at by Norcold.

I checked the cost of a new fridge, and found it to be roughly $4K. The recall has not been done yet. Any chance the recall and my problem are related?! More importantly, any chance the service for the recall will fix my problem??

Tom
Tom, From what I read in your post, it sounds like you most likely have a bad thermal limiting switch. Some of the Norcold 1200 models came from the factory with this so called recall fix already installed. Once tripped, it cannot be reset and should be checked out by a RV tech to make sure your cooling unit is not going bad. I have the same Norcold 1200 in my Winnebago Journey and decided that all the recall fixes were just a big pain in the A$$$. Also the fear of potential fire from the poorly constructed Norcold cooling unit was the final straw.

Spending $4000 for a new Norcold refrigerator was not an option and switching to a residential refrigerator sounded to me like a real pain also. That's when I decided to remove the existing Norcold cooling unit and install an Amish Built cooling unit. They are built to last and do not need any recall fixes. You can see whats involved in the installation in the video I made while converting my cooling unit. I am now a happy camper once again.

Sammie

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Old 10-27-2011, 03:35 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by SpudRacer View Post

Our Norcold in the last month quit working on 110V power, but works on propane. I pulled off the control panel cover on the back of the fridge, and found the round 5amp fuse blown. I replaced this fuse and it blew again when I tried to restart the fridge. I replaced it one more time with the same 5amp rated fuse, and when I applied 110V to the fridge by plutgging it in, I could detect a faint smell of burning wiring, but none of the wires on the back of the fridge felt warm. I promptly unplugged it. The control panel reads no AC, no flow (propane valve is shut), and HE. Reading the owners manual for the fridge, it says that HE code is not serivceable and the fridge needs to be looked at by Norcold.

I checked the cost of a new fridge, and found it to be roughly $4K. The recall has not been done yet. Any chance the recall and my problem are related?! More importantly, any chance the service for the recall will fix my problem??

Tom
Based on the ERROR message, you may have one or both 120 VAC heaters that have shorted out or a serious problem on your Norcold Control Board. If it is the heaters, you have dodged a bullet as there have been numerous fires with total loss of the coach as a result.

Have a CERTIFIED Norcold RV Technician check this out carefully, then decide what to do. If you don't want to spend the money to fix it and install a residential, you can decide that when you have more information. My Norcold 1200LRIM is over 10 years old now and is still going but I watch it every week and I am a full-timer so that helps also. It is on 24/7.

Dr4Film ----- Richard
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Old 10-27-2011, 11:45 AM   #23
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I found a troubleshooting document yesterday on-line, and found you can test the heaters with an ohm meter. The first heater checked out at 63 ohms (normal is 58-68), the second heater registered 88 ohms, so I disconnected it. This time the fridge stayed on, did not register "No AC" and did not blow any fuses or smell burning. Now I just need to replace that heater element.

I'm thinking I don't trust my fidge anymore...
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Old 05-24-2012, 03:41 PM   #24
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I finally got around to getting to work on the fridge today. I decided it was best to just pull the whole unit out of it's compartment to get a better look at the back side and ease the replacement of the defective heating element.

What I saw shocked me. It appears as though the heating unit that zig-zags up the back of the fridge had seriously overheated. The insulation and foil covering on the lower 1/2 was crumbled and fried, there was a strip of masking tape that appeared to have actually caught fire. Lastly, the main wire harness running up the back of the unit had a big melted hole in it's wire looming, and one of the wires had the insulation charred.

It seems we were very lucky to have not lost the entire coach. I don't see how a fire in this location would NOT result in loss of the coach. The location behind the fridge is a narrow space with no way to really get to it. Anyone with a fridge fire, seems the best way to attack would be spraying water down from the top of the coach at the fridge vent, but I wouldn't be going up there if the coach were on fire! The fridge compartment is lined with insulation and constructed entirely of wood. Seems a fire here would destroy everything.

I removed both Norcold 618872 heater elements and retested them. The good one still reads 63.8 ohms, or 0.063 K ohms. The bad one now registers 529 ohms or 0.529 K ohms!! Wow, no wonder the fridge stopped working.

I looked them up on-line, and found them selling for around $30-45 apiece. I decided it would be smartest to replace both of them and will test both new elements before installing them and subsequently the fridge. I plan to do a better job with the insulation around the heating core before reinstallation. Suggestions?

Here's some photos of what I found...









Tom
Bryson City, NC
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Old 05-24-2012, 03:58 PM   #25
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the 1200 seires has had a few recalls for fire problems-and the fixes do not seem to help. You maybe best to replace the cooling unit in it with the one called the Amish unit. They make one that fits right in.
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Old 05-24-2012, 04:04 PM   #26
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I replaced mine with the Amish Cooling unit last year and we are VERY happy with it. Our ice cream is hard and we sleep better!
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Old 05-24-2012, 10:43 PM   #27
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Tom did you install those 12volt fans or do they come with the frig? deSanford
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Old 05-25-2012, 03:06 AM   #28
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Tom did you install those 12volt fans or do they come with the frig? deSanford
The fans are factory installed on the 1200.
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