Norcold 1210 Not Cooling

[Gtoms]

Thanks everyone for the help. I guess I have to face the reality that I have a bad cooling unit and the refer has to come out to have it replaced. I've replaced cooling units before but on smaller and more basic fridges that are easier to get to. Think I'm going to swallow my pride and pay a mobile tech to do it. Ouch!



I've also exacerbated the problem by doing something to the 12v refer input to cause only 7 volts. Seems like a bad connection, or short causing a power bleed??? I did the basic troubleshooting and I can't find the problem. All fuses are good. Connections I can reach are good. All 5th wheel 12v systems work except the refer and slideout ceiling light - which share the same wire. The 12v to the slideout motor is a different circuit and works fine. Once the refer is out, at least the wire (which runs behind the micro and/or stove/oven in the slideout) will be easier to get to and will hopefully uncover the problem.

[Journey cat]

Where are you located at present ?

[Gtoms]

Olympia, WA

[Journey cat]

We are on opposite sides of the country . I thought I may be some help to you as I had a similar problem with low voltage also . .
If you have the recall box . A small square black box attached to the coils on the cooling unit .First be sure the Red light is not lit.
Your 12V from the coach first goes into to the power board. Then out to the black box .
Then back to the power board .I believe that is the Blue wire . I battled this also for several days . I found the low voltage problem by removing the cover from the power board . And found a loose connection their coming in from the black box . I hope this may help you .
Good luck !

[Gtoms]

Thanks Journey cat for the offer to help. The red light on the black box is not lit. I've not looked at the way power goes in and out of that box. I will do that. The low voltage wire is the one that plugs into the lower right of the power board. It comes from behind the range/micro area in the slideout. I've gone on the assumption that this is DC power to the refer. What I can't figure out is what I did to it in unplugging from the power board that would have dropped the voltage? Maybe it touched something or shorted on something (there are a lot of wires close to each other). But even that it seems wouldn't cause low voltage. I'd think it would blow a fuse or do nothing. Maybe it could have burned up or degraded a connection I can't see or get to. A mystery to me.

[Journey cat]

Mine is an 05 Journey 34H Not knowing what model you have .
My frig is on passenger side and exhausts through the roof , Not on the slide .
My 12V wire was clearly visable . It tested good from that end so I had to follow it to the black box and to the board . It seems you're on the hunt . As you have a different model . Good Luck !

[Old-Biscuit]

Have you opened the slide out and looked underneath for a Junction Box

Wiring for DC Light should have junction box under slideout
Loose/bad connections would be cause of Low Voltage

Shorts...that would blow the Source Fuse

Where did you measure this 7VDC at....
On the circuit board with the DC Leads plugged in
OR
DC Leads not plugged onto board

If on the board...did you connect them backwards??
Polarity can not be reversed...
12VDC POS Lead to the 12VDC Terminal
12VDC NEG Lead to the GND Terminal

Did you verify you have 12VDC TO & THRU the Source Fuse for fridge/slideout ceiling light (you said they were both on same Fuse)

[Gtoms]

I've been meaning to "finish up" on this thread... My low voltage problem was a fuse. I'm still baffled by this. I've always viewed fuses as "digital" in that they flow voltage or they don't. In this case, the fuse failure light was not on and the fuse looked OK, but when replaced my problem went away. Go figure.



My cooling unit was bad, as all tests seemed to indicate. I paid a mobile tech company to replace it, which was expensive and emotionally painful. But after watching 2 strong young men grunt and strain getting the refer in and out over the kitchen island, I realized I never could have done it myself, even with help.


What I've learned from this: If my wife and I are going to live full time in an RV (which we are currently doing) it probably makes sense to get an extended service plan. The premium and deductibles start to look like a pretty good deal after replacing a cooling unit...


Thanks again everyone for the help. It's sure nice to have this resource available.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Gtoms

I've been meaning to "finish up" on this thread... My low voltage problem was a fuse. I'm still baffled by this. I've always viewed fuses as "digital" in that they flow voltage or they don't. In this case, the fuse failure light was not on and the fuse looked OK, but when replaced my problem went away. Go figure.



My cooling unit was bad, as all tests seemed to indicate. I paid a mobile tech company to replace it, which was expensive and emotionally painful. But after watching 2 strong young men grunt and strain getting the refer in and out over the kitchen island, I realized I never could have done it myself, even with help.


What I've learned from this: If my wife and I are going to live full time in an RV (which we are currently doing) it probably makes sense to get an extended service plan. The premium and deductibles start to look like a pretty good deal after replacing a cooling unit...


Thanks again everyone for the help. It's sure nice to have this resource available.

Extended Service Plan.........
How do you think they continue to stay in business and be profitable??
Denying Claims...Exclusion Clause is written to give them an OUT



As for DC Fuses
As you have learned a Fuse can not be verified as good by looking
**Unless Blackened

Always Verify DC on both sides and thru a fuse with a voltmeter


Thanks for posting resolution.
Glad it was just a fuse
Sorry it was a bad cooling unit