Every year I read a lot of posts about clogged cooling unit tubes. Every year when my 18 year old Norcold 682IM is above 40 degrees in the refer compartment I wonder if it is getting clogged. It was 90 degrees the other day and I was shooting the tubes and boiler in the back with my HF IR temp gun looking for cold spots, thinking that this would be a blocked section. Is this a way to check for blocked sections of tubing? I don't know what temps the tubes or boiler section should be at for optimal cooling. Also I was thinking if you knew what the optimal temps should be at for various sections of the refer cooling unit I would think that by taking temperature readings at certain reference points this would be a better way to level the unit assuming that the lowest temp is the best condition, and once you find the lowest reading then set a bubble leveler inside the MH to match this lowest temperature reading. Any thoughts?

If the tubes are blocked it is a permanent condition and leveling is too late.Good Luck, Mike

Some have had success by turning the refer upside dowm for several hours, which may free the blockage. Its worth a try.

harold1946 wrote:Some have had success by turning the refer upside dowm for several hours, which may free the blockage. Its worth a try.X2I was referring to permanent as reguards to leveling not helping as this condition is caused by operating out of level.

You can check for a blockage by feeling the coolant tubing when the fridge is on. The tubing should be warm to hot. If the tubing suddenly turns cold your blockage is at that point. You can try taping that point "gently" with a piece of wood. This often works. As someone else mention you can also remove the fridge and tune it upside down for a day or two but that is a lot of work. Try lightly taping as I mention above first.Use the diagram below to see what areas should be cool and hot. The coolant cools as it flows back to the absorber tank.Good luck and repost on your progress. -Tom, W3TLN

popeyemth wrote:harold1946 wrote:Some have had success by turning the refer upside dowm for several hours, which may free the blockage. Its worth a try.X2I was referring to permanent as reguards to leveling not helping as this condition is caused by operating out of level.An "out of level" condition normally does not cause a blockage. A blockage is mostly caused by inadequate airflow. A blockage can be cured by turning upside down as someone mentioned above. There is no greater "out of level" condition that turning the fridge "upside down". -Tom, W3TLN

How to check a refer cooling unit for blockage | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

ScottG
Nomad
Jul 13, 2014
Running it too far out of level keeps the liquids from moving inside the tubes because there just isn't enough power from the convection process to force it like a compressor based fridge has.
If you have a blockage and manage to move it enough for the fridge to work, that blockage will still exist - just someplace else. The blockage wont ever just go away, it is rock hard.
At that point the cooling unit is extremely marginal in it's capacity and you can expect a short life from it.
Gjac
Explorer III
Jul 13, 2014
popeyemth wrote:
harold1946 wrote:
Some have had success by turning the refer upside dowm for several hours, which may free the blockage. Its worth a try.

X2
I was referring to permanent as reguards to leveling not helping as this condition is caused by operating out of level.
My question was not how to free a blockage but rather how to check to see if there is a blockage. My hand can't get past the baffle to feel but I can shoot about 4 tubes up from the bottom to check temps, and if this is a valid way to check I could reach the other tube sections from the top. I was reading about 95 on the tubes and 125 on the lower section of the boiler closest to the burner tube.
popeyemth
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
It's my understanding that operating out of level causes inadequate airflow .
Tom_N
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
popeyemth wrote:
harold1946 wrote:
Some have had success by turning the refer upside dowm for several hours, which may free the blockage. Its worth a try.

X2
I was referring to permanent as reguards to leveling not helping as this condition is caused by operating out of level.

An "out of level" condition normally does not cause a blockage. A blockage is mostly caused by inadequate airflow. A blockage can be cured by turning upside down as someone mentioned above. There is no greater "out of level" condition that turning the fridge "upside down".

-Tom, W3TLN
Tom_N
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
You can check for a blockage by feeling the coolant tubing when the fridge is on. The tubing should be warm to hot. If the tubing suddenly turns cold your blockage is at that point. You can try taping that point "gently" with a piece of wood. This often works. As someone else mention you can also remove the fridge and tune it upside down for a day or two but that is a lot of work. Try lightly taping as I mention above first.

Use the diagram below to see what areas should be cool and hot. The coolant cools as it flows back to the absorber tank.

Good luck and repost on your progress.

-Tom, W3TLN
popeyemth
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
harold1946 wrote:
Some have had success by turning the refer upside dowm for several hours, which may free the blockage. Its worth a try.

X2
I was referring to permanent as reguards to leveling not helping as this condition is caused by operating out of level.
harold1946
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
Some have had success by turning the refer upside dowm for several hours, which may free the blockage. Its worth a try.
popeyemth
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
If the tubes are blocked it is a permanent condition and leveling is too late.
Good Luck, Mike

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How to check a refer cooling unit for blockage

18 Replies

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