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oldtrojan66's avatar
oldtrojan66
Explorer
Sep 20, 2015

Another Norcold refr issue

I'm about to pull this sucker out and throw it in the trash! It cools like a champ as long as I am stationary but whenever I move it I loose a fridge full of food before it starts working right again. I have tried gas, AC and auto. I have run diagnostics and it says for the fourth time the thermistor is at fault. I worked in domestic appliances for thirty-five years and thermistors don't normally go bad that often, I'm talking three in less than two years!
I have tried a hard reset, although the board in the picture for my model is not the board I have. I found another reset guide that seemed to work, but I never heard a click. I'm outdoors, for crying out loud, not in a soundproof garage! I get a "no" displayed sometimes, and when in "auto" mode the AC indicator won't stay on. So I go outside to look again (cause I can't see the iPad screen in the blazing sunlight so it's inside) and the tubing is getting hot and when I unplug the power cord, the gas flame goes out! What in the heck does THAT mean? I was in manual AC on the control! I know this machine feels and feeds off my confusion! I have put, yet another thermistor in place
And I will see if this works, but what is the deal with moving? It is an RV, after all! It's supposed to move! Any ideas from all you gurus who have nothing better than football for a lazy Sunday afternoon?

5 Replies

  • oldtrojan66's avatar
    oldtrojan66
    Explorer
    Sep 21, 2015
    Ok,now the refr is working normally. I determine this by using diagnostics and reading fin temp. We the unit starts to warm up, there is no fault code displayed. We usually notice warm milk first. Then, after checking for warm to hot tubing outside, I will usually turn the unit off for a couple minutes. After turning back on, I just have an "n" displayed. Not " no", or "no cold". Just "n". When I run fault code displays, there is a segment that shows there has been a thermistor fault sensed by the control. That is where I get the thermistor failing. If I knew what a normal ohm reading should be, like at room temp, or, say, 40 degrees, I could test that. I have never found that info

    I have also not found a reason the display shows "auto" and "AC", then the AC shuts off and no cooling or other operation is taking place. If I set manual AC or propane it stays lit and that's how I get cooling back. Later, while stationary, I can reset mode to auto AC and it will continue to operate.

    That's my story, and I'm stickin to it!
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Sep 20, 2015
    Is the refer in slide room? You stated when you unplug the POWER CORD, the gas flame goes OUT. WHICH Power Cord? The Shore Power or the 120 power cord on the back of the refer? RESET procedure is ONLY for the NO code, nothing else. NO code means that the refer could NOT complete a normal cool down cycle and it trips the NO code. Do NOT fix the cause and when you restart it will trip the NO code again and then lockout the controls and then you have to do the Hard reset procedure. How did you determine that the Thermisters were defective? Yes, you are correct, they do NOT go bad that often. You can disconnect the Thermister and put the refer in BOM(back up operating mode), That way you can keep the refer cooling. Once you answer my questions we can give you more direct help. Doug
  • oldtrojan66's avatar
    oldtrojan66
    Explorer
    Sep 20, 2015
    First of all, thanks for the links. Secondly, when you say one of the broads faulted, I hope you weren't referring to my wife or one of my three daughters?!? (tongue in cheek)

    To respond, it seems more the fault of the auto cycle. When it is on manual AC or propane, it seems to work fine. I don't understand, either, how folks travel with all propane shut off and lines purged. We travel with real food, and hate to loose it.

    Best wishes to you and yours, and thanks again, for answering, Old biscuit!
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Sep 20, 2015
    Which Model do you have?

    HERE is 'reset' procedures (3 different ways) for various Norcold Models.


    Unplugging AC power cord should have NO affect on propane flame and propane flame should NOT be lit when in AC manual mode

    So sounds like one of the broads has faulted

    HERE is a Troubleshooting Guide for the Power Boards and Control Panels




    Back to regular scheduled Football :B
  • oldtrojan66's avatar
    oldtrojan66
    Explorer
    Sep 20, 2015
    I have tried to post a pic from photobucket. They have either changed their tactics, or I have forgotten how to do it. I wanted to show what my board looks like.

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