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CP598 · 04-07-2014, 04:49 PM

I have a 2001 Holiday Rambler Vacationer. I am going camping in two days, and have no power to my Norcold refrigerator, "when I push the power button, nothing, no lights etc". There is supposed to be a circuit breaker somewhere, but I have no idea where. Please help, going camping in 2 days.

Thanks,

Vern

mrboyer · 04-07-2014, 05:05 PM

Sounds like the 12 volt DC power is turned off. The frig will not work without 12 volt DC even though it is using shore power. Look for a battery shut off switch near the entry door. There is usually two switches: 1) For the chassis batteries and 2) For the coach batteries. These switches are easy to accidentally turn off.

98FPA · 04-07-2014, 05:09 PM

Do you have power to the outlet box that the frig is plugged into? I assuming this is 110 (?). If there isn't any power to the box you can probably eliminate problems with the frig. I would certainly try to find the your breaker box and check this area too. Where it is located is anybodys guess, it's in your camper somewhere.

Great suggestion by mrboyer.

87Rockwood · 04-07-2014, 05:21 PM

Hello and welcome to the group. It will help everyone if we knew what model number the Norcold is.

marcham · 04-07-2014, 05:53 PM

What model is your fridge?

Richard rv · 04-07-2014, 06:31 PM

Have you"googled " norcold refrigerator on the net?I just checked and there are several sites that offer the best way to go.

CP598 · 04-07-2014, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 98FPA

Do you have power to the outlet box that the frig is plugged into? I assuming this is 110 (?). If there isn't any power to the box you can probably eliminate problems with the frig. I would certainly try to find the your breaker box and check this area too. Where it is located is anybodys guess, it's in your camper somewhere.

Great suggestion by mrboyer.

Thanks for the replys and suggestions, much appreciated. I did a google search and didn't find anything, but will check again. I haven't checked the 110v plug in yet. I will do that next. I have looked in the circuit breaker panel above the bed, and there are no tripped breakers. I looked in the fuse panel in the left front basement bay, and see on the fuse panel diagram that the refrig. is listed as 5/30 but does not give the locations. I would assume this to be 5 amp dc to supply 12v to the panel, and 30 amp AC when plugged into shore power. Unfortunately the fuse location isn't listed.

Thanks again.

Vern

chawkins99 · 04-07-2014, 07:14 PM

The Norcold does not require 110V to operate on propane. What would be the point???
The problem is either in the 12V supply or you have a bigger problem like a bad circuit board. My money's on the 12V supply. Chase that down first.

CP598 · 04-07-2014, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87Rockwood

Hello and welcome to the group. It will help everyone if we knew what model number the Norcold is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chawkins99

The Norcold does not require 110V to operate on propane. What would be the point???
The problem is either in the 12V supply or you have a bigger problem like a bad circuit board. My money's on the 12V supply. Chase that down first.

Yeah, I agree. I don't think there is 12v supply. Hopefully just the F1 fuse, on the circuit board. Now I just need to find it.

Thanks,

jesilvas · 04-07-2014, 08:40 PM

Finally, someone got it. If there are NO lights on the front of the refr, then there is either bad communication to the lower board, or (more likely) NO 12V power into or out of the lower main circuit board. That's what all your appliances use, 12V power. The WH, furnace, A/C even all use 12V power to run circuit boards.
You can not just look at fuses. Get either a test light to just check for power, or a volt meter to look at actual voltage power.

CP598 · 04-07-2014, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesilvas

Finally, someone got it. If there are NO lights on the front of the refr, then there is either bad communication to the lower board, or (more likely) NO 12V power into or out of the lower main circuit board. That's what all your appliances use, 12V power. The WH, furnace, A/C even all use 12V power to run circuit boards.
You can not just look at fuses. Get either a test light to just check for power, or a volt meter to look at actual voltage power.

OK, the model is N821, I checked the fuse in position F1 on the circuit board, with a multi-meter and it is fine. Also check a 5 amp blade fuse with a multi-meter and it is fine. There is a terminal on the circuit board labled 12vdc, with a 10-12 gauge wire attached, I checked voltage on this wire and it is only 2.5v, I believe this to be the problem, now I need to figure out where this wire comes from, and why it only has 2.5 volts. Any ideas?

Thanks again,

Vern

Robin_M · 04-07-2014, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CP598

I have a 2001 Holiday Rambler Vacationer. I am going camping in two days, and have no power to my Norcold refrigerator, "when I push the power button, nothing, no lights etc". There is supposed to be a circuit breaker somewhere, but I have no idea where. Please help, going camping in 2 days.

Here's on possibility I was thinking until you mentioned the 2.5V. Perhaps it's worth mentioning anyway...

Don't know if your Norcold calls for the recall, but has the Norcold recall kit been added to the back of your refer inside the vent cover that monitors the temperature at the boiler? If so, is there a red light shining on the recall box. That means the box has interrupted the power to the refer for both AC and LP and you won't be able to turn it on until the recall box is bypassed, reset, or replaced. This will happen if the recall box gets wet even if the refer itself is fine. (Would not recommend bypassing it.)

jesilvas · 04-08-2014, 09:43 AM

An N821 probably does not have the recall box; very few did. However, it can have a type of recall. Some of those do have thermal disc breakers on the flue.

Find where the 12V main comes in, and check it there. If it's low there, then it's a coach issue. If it's good, keep following it until you lose voltage.

Scottspence · 04-08-2014, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CP598

I have a 2001 Holiday Rambler Vacationer. I am going camping in two days, and have no power to my Norcold refrigerator, "when I push the power button, nothing, no lights etc". There is supposed to be a circuit breaker somewhere, but I have no idea where. Please help, going camping in 2 days.

Thanks,

Vern

Did you confirm there is no HT/SD Relay on it ( it is a clip on black box that was a recall). If there is a High Temp Shut Down Relay on the fridge (added), it is quite simple to fix. Let me know if you have this relay and I can help you from there. Scott