Norcold 12 Volt Dilemma

[Journey cat]

I have Nor Cold 1210. Side mounted in a Winnebago 34H . Not in a slide
My problem started on our last trip home . I was getting a Lo DC code on the push button panel.

I came to find out it was due to a loose connection . Now I have the frig running for a couple days . Fin Temperature is in the Low 30's down to mid 24's . Depending on the time of day or night .

Heres where the dilemma is ! Now the cooling fans are not coming on . And down here in the Fl heat that is not how it operated prior .

First I check for 12V from the board to the Fans . Its OK .
Next I remove the grill on the roof to check the thermostat .
Having spares , first I check them all to monitor there on & off cycles using heat and continuity , They are with in speck !

Then I by pass thermostat . Wa La , the Fans work ?
Ok , maybe heat is escaping , having the grill & top off ?
Temporally re install it . Im waiting , and waiting !

I will install a switch to be able to operate either through the thermostat of manually just turn the fans on .

Correct me if im wrong . But my plan is to piggy back , 2 wires down from both sides of the thermostat . That should over ride the thermostat .

Although Id like to find a reason it doing this . Could it be possible that now with proper 12 V current its not required to start the fans ? Although I check the upper coil with an infrared Thermometer . Temp there is 130 -132 .

Whats going on here ? Am i missing something ?

[Skip426]

The temps your seeing , I believe is below the cut in temp , I'll see if I can locate the spec.

Your wiring idea to bypass is correct. BUT , you could just pick up power from the main 12v supply , fuse a wire to a switch and run a single wire directly to the fans , or up to the t'stat output side.


EDIT: Found the info , manual says APPROX 130 for on and off when temp drops below APPROX 115. so no definitive temp.
I'd say if temp exceeds 140, with no fans , then the thermal switch probably defective.

[Journey cat]

My Bad ! In checking connections for Lo Dc .
I must have reversed the 2 wires from the Fans to the PC board .
In reading the instructions . 12 V is fed through the upper terminal .
With that being said . One would think the thermostat itself , would be marked TOP
Never less I reversed the 2 connections at the power board . . Once again WA LA .
Problem Solved
I will monitor it for a few days in both modes , Electric & Propane .
And hope I get a good nights sleep tonight !

[Journey cat]

Ive read much about people installing additional fans . Ill give one a try in the near future . And place it behind the outside access door
To see if theres any benefit in doing so .

[Skip426]

While your at it , check the whole fridge installation against the manual , I've been involved in a half dozen swaps to residential and seen some pretty sloppy RV fridge installs and one that looked like they'd never seen the install manual.

JMHO: These box fans pull better than they push , as far as airflow is concerned , I've got two mounted under my roof vent cover.

[Journey cat]

Box fans really do that ? One learns something every day !
That being said . 2 fans above the mid coils , and 2 under the roof vent ?
I like that idea . I do have another fan , and now would be the time to do it as the roof vent is not proper as yet .

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by Journey cat

Box fans really do that ? One learns something every day !

In an enclosed area , it's better to have the fan draw the hot air out of the area instead of pushing cool air into it .
Learned this years ago when living in a 14x 66 mobile home . Fan blowing from window into master bedroom would barely keep that room comfortable ( and it was noisy to boot) on advice , I put the fan at the far end of the trailer , tight to the screen blowing out , most nights by 2 am , I'd be looking for a blanket or down the hall to turn the fan off; whole mobile home was cool. Do the same today in my S&B.

[Journey cat]

Frig 101 Skip
Temp placed the 3rd fan behind the out door side access .
Its now 12AM
My readings , Freezer - 14 deg . Refrigerator - 45 deg . Control panel states frig fin temp is 36 deg . Out side temp - 76 deg .
Normally id see lower temps than this ,
Ill check again in the AM .
Then disconnect the 3rd fan for the next 24 hr .
I believe you Sir are correct .
The fan blowing on the boiler is not a good thing !
Next update in the morning .

[Journey cat]

Update , The fan i used is a factory installed type that is mounted above the coils .
Ive monitored it for the past 2 days now .
The morning after my last post is .

Outside temp was - 75deg
Fin temp - 40 deg
Frig temo -40 deg
Freezer - 11 deg

Next i removed the 3rd fan from behind the outside door. And gave it another 24 hours running time.

In the Am . Without the 3 fan
Outside temp -74 deg
Fin temp - 26 deg
Frezer temp - 6 deg
Frig temp - 38 deg

Not a whole lot of difference . Although Id still like to know about the thermostat .
Not having a mark to identify the mounting position .
How would it know if I had the wires reversed at the PC board ?
Similar to an electrical outlet . If you had the black & white reversed . The outlet would still work . Although It would not be correct .

I may , and may not . For chit & grins . Try to install 2 fans up top under the roof vent .
As I believe , there is a limit to what these absorption units will deliver .
It is what it is !

[Journey cat]

I checked once again . The temps are normal . In the past few days Ive noticed droplets on the celing of the frig . And I have been noticing that the drip cup has been full , more than normal .
At present I do not have the fan that you see on the fins operational .
I will say that the coach is closed up out in the Fl sun with day time temps being up to 95 deg . It may be just a thought . But could there be any issue with the divider heater ?

[Skip426]

I don't have heaters that I'm aware of .So I won't comment .
I do have a high humidity switch ; but; because the 5 months I spend in the coach is in the desert SW, I don't use it. RH gauge reads LOW 95% of the time.

Have you checked the door seals for a tight fit , drain tube open ?

[Journey cat]

Originally Posted by Skip426

I don't have heaters that I'm aware of .So I won't comment .
I do have a high humidity switch ; but; because the 5 months I spend in the coach is in the desert SW, I don't use it. RH gauge reads LOW 95% of the time.

Have you checked the door seals for a tight fit , drain tube open ?

Once again Skip , Thanks for following me on this topic .
Ive gone through everything on this coach ! At this point in time . Im board being locked down .

Im just trying to master the no cool dilemma everyone talks about . I had acquired a 1210 unit that I dissected for spare parts .

Yes to your question of door seals . No problem there . There are no items in the frig at this time . Once again I have spare doors if needed .
I have not gone in and out of the frige , except to do a quick check of thermometer's a couple times a day .
The drain clear , and has the black plastic at the end of the line on it .

Is it a remote thought , YES !
Im not familiar with the model you may have . Mine being a 1210 .
there is a divider heater .

Im trying to do my best , just to make sure the unit performs as well as it can .
That in itself is like trying to get to another planet !

[Skip426]

Continuously on ! but no mention if it's 12 volt or 120 volt.... but I'm thinking in order to be continuous when the fridge is on propane, the heater must be 12 volt .
Does it have it's own fuse on the control board ? I can't blow up the wiring picture up enough to read it.
FYI:
My own fridge is Dometic ( fridge is original to the coach , but cooling unit was replaced the year before I bought it) , but I've helped an number of neighbors with both types of fridges , if memory serves , I'm at 6 residential installs ( to replace leaking units of both brands ) and one Norcold replacement , due to ammonia leak.
Had another neighbor say that he was so mad at Norcold ; when told he had to buy doors to get the seals he threw the fridge out and installed a Dometic.

[Journey cat]

I do believe its 12V powered ,

As you state , continuous . It was wired to small gauge wire . It is 1,1/2 to 2 in long about the diameter of a cigarette , buried in the foam .
it makes me wonder if it really heats anything , but if I remember it was attached to a strip of aluminum , At this time I cant seem to find it to post a picture .