Well, my refrigerator is toast. I'm guessing that it went out when I parked on a hill overnight. I'm now learning that's a no-no. Expensive lesson I guess. It's a Norcold N641. What options do I have? Repair? Replace? change to a different brand/model?The propane on the back is burning blue, but it doesn't get cold. When I switch over to electric, the heating element is pulling amps, but still no cooling. Also, I'm not getting any errors and everything seems to be functioning except for the important part of it getting cold.Let me know what my options are. I hate to shell out a grand if I there is an alternative.Tom

you may have a blockage. others have had success clearing the blockage simply by driving for a few hours. I did as you did way back in '86 on our very first RV trip. the blockage cleared overnight simply by leveling the RV. for future reference you don't need to keep the RV perfectly level. as long as the human occupants are comfy the fridge will be perfectly fine. good luck.

I'll give it another try. We parked it at a friends overnight and stayed in their house. It was on quite the hill. Probably a 10%+ neighborhood grade. :-(Any way to remove a blockage besides just driving it around?Tom

Dachristianman wrote:I'll give it another try. We parked it at a friends overnight and stayed in their house. It was on quite the hill. Probably a 10%+ neighborhood grade. :-(Any way to remove a blockage besides just driving it around?Tomtry driving for a few hours. beyond that i'd contact Norcold and see what they suggest. you may have to remove the cooling unit...not the entire fridge. I can guarantee you're not the first to have this problem so i'd also try a google search. something like...clearing a norcold n641 blockage.good luck.

If driving doesn't fix it some have taken it out and turned it over and sometimes the blockage has broken up. The last fix is a new cooling unit for the back if that is the route you want to go I'd get the amish unit and you'd fix the possible fire problem the Norcold unit has. Or you buy a whole new unit OR you put in a residential unit.

I have heard that if you remove and set it upside down for a day or so that sometimes this will help, I have not talked to anyone that has done this, but it is better than all that money. Another idea is to install a house type refrig and have inverter to keep running when not plugged in.

Refrigerator and Toast | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jul 28, 2013
Turn it upside done MAY clear some blockage and allow for adequate flow......for a while

BUT

No amount of turning it upside down, shaking it, kicking it etc will remove the blockage......it is permanent

Even if it starts cooling........budget for replacement. Sooner than later (later usually comes at the most inconvenient time)

Besides it's 20+ yrs old...that is pretty darn good service life for an RV fridge
Dachristianman
Explorer
Jul 28, 2013
Ken, That's promising. I hope mine works out like yours did.

Tom
kenbert
Explorer
Jul 28, 2013
I have done the upside down trick and it does work. When you turn it you will here the liquid in the pipes. I turned over several times and let it sit upside down overnight. Put it right side up in the morning and everything was okay, still going strong.

Ken
donhoward49
Explorer
Jul 28, 2013
On YOUTUBE I saw a bunch of pictures of a guy replacing his cooling unit with the Amish built.. I have not dune this but the pictures explained step by step.
Dachristianman
Explorer
Jul 28, 2013
I'm pretty handy, so how many hours should I expect to replace the cooling unit? I found an Amish-build cooling unit for a little over $600. That's a little easier on the pocket than a grand. And since I Wallydock overnight frequently, a residential won't work for me, unless I get a big enough inverter. Not sure how big I'd need or if that's even possible as someone mentioned.

I will try to turn it upside-down to try to clear the blockage before I buy a replacement. It's worth a shot.

I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I think that if Norcold designed a sensor to let you know when the door is left open, they'd design a sensor to automatically shut the fridge down when it's parked on too steep of a hill for too long. A fridge full of spoiled food is better than a fridge full of spoiled food and a broken fridge. But that's just a small rant.

Thanks for the all the advice so far.

Tom
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jul 28, 2013
That one night killed it..........read on.

Off level operation causes 'accumulative' damage.
And I would bet that the fridge in that 1992 Winnebago has been run off level several times over the past 20+ yrs. (Absorption fridges work off gravity....off level causes inadequate/proper flow.....blockage occurs/builds up)

Time for a new fridge or maybe a new cooling unit.
sdianel_-acct_c
Explorer
Jul 28, 2013
When ours died we bought another Dometic and now wish we had got a residential one. Residential one will work if you don't boondock.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jul 28, 2013
Hi,

If you can't get it working I'd move to a residential fridge.
ScottG
Nomad
Jul 28, 2013
Be prepared for the worst. The blockage from running out of level is nearly as hard as ceramic.
nytrorcr
Explorer
Jul 28, 2013
hermandutchman wrote:
I have heard that if you remove and set it upside down for a day or so that sometimes this will help, I have not talked to anyone that has done this, but it is better than all that money

What he said.....does work but no guarantee

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Refrigerator and Toast

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