Community Forums

LeeB · 06-10-2012, 03:13 PM

While on vacation in March and April I had refrigerator problems maybe some of you remember. It would not cool below 40* and would jump to 47*. I have done all that was suggested at the time. I have replaced the thermistor, added the 2 fans to the coils inside, and checked the back to make sure the vent was not blocked. Also made sure the fans on the outside were coming on. Which they are!

I took it to Paul Everts RV in Fresno to have them check it. I have a extended warranty and they were going to see about getting it repaired. Well low and behold they did the checks on it and it worked flawless. They cleaned and serviced the burner chamber and adjusted the ignitor probes and ran a test on Elec AND Gas for 4 days and it held 27 in the fridge and 9.4 in the freezer.
Sure enough I get it home and it is now sitting plugged in to Electric and in 2 days it dropped to 38 (with it being in the 70's outside) now it is in the high 80's outside and the fridge is 45*......... The fridge is empty and I do not open the unless I am checking the 2 thermostats.

Not sure what I more I can do. Short of buying the Amish Cooling unit for $1100.00 of which that kind of money I do not have...

Does Anyone have a suggestions?

clyon51 · 06-10-2012, 03:54 PM

Short of taking it back for more work or spending $1100, only thing I can think of is a residential frig.

Hipshot · 06-10-2012, 04:02 PM

My Norcold 1200 is mounted on a slide, not the best place to mount one. It would not cool below 40 set to 9. It was missing a baffle in the back at the top that let most of the air from the cooling fans bypass the condensor. I installed a baffle I made from a peice of sheet metal. It now cools to 34 frig and 8 freezer set on 4, outside temp 94.

87Rockwood · 06-10-2012, 04:04 PM

Empty refrig do not cool well-they need a mass in them. Try a few gallons of water to test with. Make ice cubes.

Radarman · 06-10-2012, 04:07 PM

Lee,
Sounds like that thing is acting alittle crazy. Not sure why the difference in operation between Fresno and your driveway. You have already done the most common things to get it working better, and it appears it works quite well when it want to. Sounds like the cooling unit operation is intermittent. I have heard of the cooling unit tubing getting "Plugged" at the bottom with a piece of rust that came off from the inside, then coming free when the tubing lines near the burner are thumped around. Possibly someone else can help you, but sure sounds like some sort of blockage in your cooling unit?? Your upper condenser coils near the fans should be quite warm/hot if they are trying to get caught up that far, and you already said your fans are working---they should cycle on and off. Guess I'm not much help. Maybe someone else will be. Let us know if you find something.
I bit the bullet and ordered the GE GTK17JBDBS 16.5 cu. ft. clean steel frig/freezer with ice maker kit on-line thru AJ Madison for just under $800. I won't start that project yet. Still have 1 more trip with the Norcold. It should fit into the Norcold 1200LRIM opening with little modification. So I will go all 120VAC w/Inverter with the frig. next year.

Dutch Star Don · 06-10-2012, 06:55 PM

LeeB.....When everyone was doing the Samsung installs, I was ready and was waiting for the Norcold to act up one more time and it was gone. We had a trip planned to Yellowstone and I wouldn't have time to do the Amish repair or Samsung replace so I changed my fan setup. Our last trip to Yellowstone is when it really acted up and would not cool. I thought the altitude was the issue.

Before we left on the second trip to Yellowstone, I added a second fan to the outside of the refer. I had a small 3" computer fan previously. I added a second 5" to the 3" and have them connected to a thermal switch. On the Yellowstone trip I bypassed the thermal switch and the two fans were left on for the entire trip. The refer worked fine. Since then, unless it's really cold, I turn those fans on and leave them on the entire trip. The Norcold must have known I was ready to replace it because it's been working well. It still leaves the ice cream a little soft, but the refer stays between 27-32.

As stated above, you do need items in the refer to make it operate properly.

LeeB · 06-10-2012, 08:35 PM

I turned it up to 9 when I did my first post. It is now 5 hours later and the temp has dropped to 38. The Temp outside is 90* the fans in the back are running. Tomorrow the outside is going to 99. I am going to leave this set-up and will check it tomorrow. I understand it being empty is not helping the situation.

What Radarman said makes since being my MH sat for many years in the Central Valley of California hot summers. It only had 11,000 miles on it when we bought it in 2010. So it was not used much. That will be in the back of my mind.

Now as far as adding fans Dan where did you install them? Right now I have a 120volt fan (which is not on) in the bottom facing up. I guess I could turn on my inverter and run that fan all the time. But 12volt would do better and I could run that all the time. The 120v fan was NOT in there while the dealer was doing the testing. We are going to Oregon next week going up I-5 through Redding. So that will be a good test.

We are going to a rally in Coos Bay so we will be on the coast. I think what I am going to do is AFTER we get back from Oregon is tear off the roof shroud and look down. I know there is one baffle at the bottom because I can notsee it but from the ground looking up using a mirror I can see the fans or another baffle. My fridge is NOT mounted on a slide.

One good thing is my wife knows how frustrated I am and if this continues she may find the $$$$$ for the Amish Cooling unit. Installing a Residential Fridge will not work in my coach. There is WAY to many Mods I would have to make in order to make it right. Trust me I have checked. Besides my coach is all ready 11yrs old...

Thank You All Soooooooo Much.......... Lee

Dutch Star Don · 06-10-2012, 09:36 PM

LeeB.....Never turn these Norcold's past 4 or 5. 9 does nothing for them.

Here is how I mounted mine. It's a tight fit. I mounted both fans to a strip of aluminum bar and then bolted the bar on.

LeeB · 06-10-2012, 10:17 PM

Ah Ha...... I see thanks Don. Right where your fans are mounted there is a flat strip of (guessing here) 16 gauge 6" x 12" piece of galvanized metal that looks like they may be using it as a baffle????...... Now I need to find some 12v fans.

I do need to ask why should I not turn the fridge to 9?

crah · 06-10-2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diplomat Don

LeeB.....Never turn these Norcold's past 4 or 5. 9 does nothing for them.

Here is how I mounted mine. It's a tight fit. I mounted both fans to a strip of aluminum bar and then bolted the bar on.

Don,

Did you remove the stock Norcold fans or disconnect them? I can hear the fans on mine which are petty loud but I can't see them. Are the stock fans not as good as the computer fans?

steelheadbluesman · 06-10-2012, 11:13 PM

Don, I like the fan mounting job.

Thanks for the pic.

Arch Hoagland · 06-10-2012, 11:24 PM

How many thermometers have you used?

Mr_D · 06-11-2012, 12:12 AM

Fans should be mounted to draw air through, not blow from the bottom, this is per Dometic's notes. Fantastic vent also states the same thing, better to suck out, then push in.

LeeB · 06-11-2012, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

How many thermometers have you used?

To answer your question I use 2 one digital and a analog.

With it still set on 9 the because I was to lazy to turn it down last night, the Fridge temp is 34 and outside temp is 74..... OK so the darn thing IS working but not good enough!!!!!!

I turned the setting to to 6 and it is suppose to be in the high 90's today. Close to 100. Yes it is still empty but I plan on not opening it until 5 or 6 this afternoon.

I am going to try a locate some fans and have them on hand for when I return from Oregon.....