Norcold model 1200LRIM Friday ammonia smell

Ivylog wrote:
Here is my DIY installation of a 21 cuft Whirlpool refer that came within 1/2" too tall fitting perfectly in the 1200 hole. I had to take the drivers side window out to get it into the motorhome... easy enough to do.

Yes the Samsung is often used and it does not need a PSW inverter as it has D.C. compressors BUT it's 6" taller than a 1200. The DW did not want to loose the drawer underneath so I was able to save it with the Whirlpool.

One of the reasons I put off going residential is because we Boondock often. Amazing how energy efficient an energy star refrigerator is today... 8 amps D.C. Into my PSW inverter or 96 watts when running less than half the time. Would have saved $$$$ if I had given up on my POS NoCold five years ago. Going residential is the best thing I've done to my MH.

Do not even think about fixing or going back with another 1200... Like I did. :S

How do I find out if the new fridge will run on the existing PSW inverter? The one I have picked out is a GE model.

Quick update, The fridge finally gave up yesterday afternoon, I fortunately had time to borrow a dorm fridge and put it on a table outside, and eat what wasn't going to fit. Several trips to Home Depot and Lowes with a tape measure. Found the GE 15.5 Model #GTS16GSHSS should slide in with very little mod. Appointment Scheduled with tree way campers for install on 25APR. I will post a pic when done. thanks for all the reply's and ideas.

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Fleetwood Couple wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Sorry.........

But you can NOT have an ammonia smell coming from fridge and it still be working correctly.

Cooling unit is under 300 psi......crack in tube allowing ammonia to leak out also allows the hydrogen to leak out and the sodium chromate (yellowish residue)

Coolant solution leak and loss of PSI would cause fridge to QUIT cooling & overheat---high temp switch opens shutting down DC to fridge...no workie


Ammonia smell that then goes away.....that is because ammonia/hydrogen has leaked out and has dissipated (happens quickly)

As I type this fridge should have stopped cooling and shut down IF it had a leak

well I am not sure what to think then, I heard it making ice most of the night and its still cold, maybe the leak somehow plugged itself?

A leak under 300 psi does NOT self heal.

So maybe it was a smell from your batteries, or waste tanks or something else.
But if it was ammonia from that fridge..it would be suffering today of lack of cooling

Ok so the smell came and went until yesterday around 2 pm, then I noticed the freezer started to thaw. Basically it lasted 3 days from the time I first smelled the ammonia, must have been a very small leak and only happened at a certain point in the cycle? Not sure.

Fleetwood Couple wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Sorry.........

But you can NOT have an ammonia smell coming from fridge and it still be working correctly.

Cooling unit is under 300 psi......crack in tube allowing ammonia to leak out also allows the hydrogen to leak out and the sodium chromate (yellowish residue)

Coolant solution leak and loss of PSI would cause fridge to QUIT cooling & overheat---high temp switch opens shutting down DC to fridge...no workie


Ammonia smell that then goes away.....that is because ammonia/hydrogen has leaked out and has dissipated (happens quickly)

As I type this fridge should have stopped cooling and shut down IF it had a leak

well I am not sure what to think then, I heard it making ice most of the night and its still cold, maybe the leak somehow plugged itself?

A leak under 300 psi does NOT self heal.

So maybe it was a smell from your batteries, or waste tanks or something else.
But if it was ammonia from that fridge..it would be suffering today of lack of cooling

Ivylog wrote:
Here is my DIY installation of a 21 cuft Whirlpool refer that came within 1/2" too tall fitting perfectly in the 1200 hole. I had to take the drivers side window out to get it into the motorhome... easy enough to do.

Yes the Samsung is often used and it does not need a PSW inverter as it has D.C. compressors BUT it's 6" taller than a 1200. The DW did not want to loose the drawer underneath so I was able to save it with the Whirlpool.

One of the reasons I put off going residential is because we Boondock often. Amazing how energy efficient an energy star refrigerator is today... 8 amps D.C. Into my PSW inverter or 96 watts when running less than half the time. Would have saved $$$$ if I had given up on my POS NoCold five years ago. Going residential is the best thing I've done to my MH.

Do not even think about fixing or going back with another 1200... Like I did. :S

Thanks for posting, looks like my delima is not the drawer underneath but the heater vent next to the drawer.

Click For Full-Size Image.


One of the best improvement we ever made in our Discovery was removing the 1200 Norcold and replacing it with a Samsung 18. :)

sehunter wrote:
My Samsung RF18

This is the one I replaced the Norcold 1210 with.

Looks really good, thanks for the link

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Sorry.........

But you can NOT have an ammonia smell coming from fridge and it still be working correctly.

Cooling unit is under 300 psi......crack in tube allowing ammonia to leak out also allows the hydrogen to leak out and the sodium chromate (yellowish residue)

Coolant solution leak and loss of PSI would cause fridge to QUIT cooling & overheat---high temp switch opens shutting down DC to fridge...no workie


Ammonia smell that then goes away.....that is because ammonia/hydrogen has leaked out and has dissipated (happens quickly)

As I type this fridge should have stopped cooling and shut down IF it had a leak

well I am not sure what to think then, I heard it making ice most of the night and its still cold, maybe the leak somehow plugged itself?

Sorry.........

But you can NOT have an ammonia smell coming from fridge and it still be working correctly.

Cooling unit is under 300 psi......crack in tube allowing ammonia to leak out also allows the hydrogen to leak out and the sodium chromate (yellowish residue)

Coolant solution leak and loss of PSI would cause fridge to QUIT cooling & overheat---high temp switch opens shutting down DC to fridge...no workie


Ammonia smell that then goes away.....that is because ammonia/hydrogen has leaked out and has dissipated (happens quickly)

As I type this fridge should have stopped cooling and shut down IF it had a leak

My Samsung RF18

This is the one I replaced the Norcold 1210 with.