RV Residential Refrigerators

Went Residential when the NorCrap crapped out many years ago. I like to wake up alive. I agree that it is an issue that is limited to the NorCrap 1200 and it is a shame it had to happen. Propane refrigerators have served the RV and survivalist communities safely for many years. The 1200 just is not a safe design.

I have had a residential for 4 years now. No issues with it and I never arrive with dead batteries. I can boondock all night and run two Cpaps and use electricity as normal. No issues going all night. Turn on the generator in the morning for a bit to make coffee and to cook and it also charges up the batteries for the day.

The propane units have changed from the originals and they do not last as long and are a fire hazard as well as uneven cooling. I have not had that issue with my residential and by putting in an induction burners, I pulled my propane and added an extra 8D and have room for another too.

DSDP Don wrote:
Millions?????.....maybe thousands of the LRIM's. You make the "heat sensor" sound like something they added as a bonus for their customers. It wasn't, it was a shut down device that went through at least 8 revisions before they quit failing, to prevent the refer from catching fire. During the same time that all the issues were occurring, they never changed the design and continued to build them with the thin piping.

Again, glad yours is working well, I liked mine too, when it was cooling properly, but that was a rare occasion. And I know with a certainty that your refer doesn't stay at 38 degrees on a 90 degree plus travel day. I just got tired of having to pack it perfectly and hope that it cooled down overnight when it was hot out. Maybe it was more of an issue with west coast coaches because we see more outside heat, more often.

Don I go to Las Vegas a lot because I have a daughter that lives there, and in the summer it gets pretty hot. So when I say that my Norcold stays at 38 degrees, that is what it is. Now you can adjust how cold that refrigerator cools by moving the thermistor up or down. If your fridge is not cooling enough with the knob control, just move the thermistor up an inch and you will see a difference.

But I do have a friend in Florida that had problems with the cooling on his Norcold and what he found was that the door had a slight twist and the seal was not sealing proper. So maybe that is what you might have had if it could not maintain 38 degrees. Actually I had set it where it was down to 34 degrees and the wife complained that things were starting to where it was almost freezing. So I had to readjust the thermistor.

RayChez wrote:

MrWizard wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:
Also, I wanted to mention, most inverters have a setting to start the generator if the batteries reach a certain 'low' level.

We also have a setting that if the electric power is ever interrupted, the generator will come on immediately. Once power is restored, the generator will turn off.

MM.

i would NOT say most have it, however it is an option with some power management systems to have generator auto-start

I have the Auto-start on my coach, but it is news to me that it is on the inverter on some coaches. All it is a sensor that detects when your batteries fall below a certain setting. The generator will start automatically.

Ray, what I am referring to is the controller inside the coach that shows your battery condition, etc. (talking about our '08 Monaco Dynasty setup). I could set the genny to come on or stay off from that control panel. So, not the physical converter per se'.

MM.

Millions?????.....maybe thousands of the LRIM's. You make the "heat sensor" sound like something they added as a bonus for their customers. It wasn't, it was a shut down device that went through at least 8 revisions before they quit failing, to prevent the refer from catching fire. During the same time that all the issues were occurring, they never changed the design and continued to build them with the thin piping.

Again, glad yours is working well, I liked mine too, when it was cooling properly, but that was a rare occasion. And I know with a certainty that your refer doesn't stay at 38 degrees on a 90 degree plus travel day. I just got tired of having to pack it perfectly and hope that it cooled down overnight when it was hot out. Maybe it was more of an issue with west coast coaches because we see more outside heat, more often.

MrWizard wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:
Also, I wanted to mention, most inverters have a setting to start the generator if the batteries reach a certain 'low' level.

We also have a setting that if the electric power is ever interrupted, the generator will come on immediately. Once power is restored, the generator will turn off.

MM.

i would NOT say most have it, however it is an option with some power management systems to have generator auto-start

I have the Auto-start on my coach, but it is news to me that it is on the inverter on some coaches. All it is a sensor that detects when your batteries fall below a certain setting. The generator will start automatically.

Fifty4F100 wrote:
When did the trouble with RV fridges start? I'm thinking this is a newer problem. RV fridges have been running gas and electric for years. I don't remember long ago any catching fire. Every time propane is introduced into an appliance, there is a chance of problems. A lot of homes way outside an urban area run off propane. Cooking and heating. I know as well that introducing mobility presents problems. But again until recently I've never heard of many problems.

Actually if you compare how many millions of these type refrigerators that use propane and electric sold, the problem has been minimal. But it has been well publicized to where people do get scared. I would say the problem started about twelve years ago with some units Norcold sold that sprung leaks in the coils because the type of tubing used was not thick enough. Panic spread across RVers and many have decided to switch to an all electric refrigerator same as used in residential usage. But to say that the greater percentage of the Norcold 1200 LRIM series have given problems is an over statement. Millions are still out there being used with no problems what so ever. The heat sensor that was applied on the recalls made was just a safety measure just in case the coils start to over heat, it will shut the whole system down until the problem is solved as to why it was overheating in the first place.

Mr.Mark wrote:
Also, I wanted to mention, most inverters have a setting to start the generator if the batteries reach a certain 'low' level.

We also have a setting that if the electric power is ever interrupted, the generator will come on immediately. Once power is restored, the generator will turn off.

MM.

i would NOT say most have it, however it is an option with some power management systems to have generator auto-start

When did the trouble with RV fridges start? I'm thinking this is a newer problem. RV fridges have been running gas and electric for years. I don't remember long ago any catching fire. Every time propane is introduced into an appliance, there is a chance of problems. A lot of homes way outside an urban area run off propane. Cooking and heating. I know as well that introducing mobility presents problems. But again until recently I've never heard of many problems.

Also, I wanted to mention, most inverters have a setting to start the generator if the batteries reach a certain 'low' level.

We also have a setting that if the electric power is ever interrupted, the generator will come on immediately. Once power is restored, the generator will turn off.

MM.