Norcold fridge - clogged drain tube?
Under the fins inside the fridge there is a tray to collect dripping water. There is a hole at the back of the tray, with a flexible tube going to the outside. Somehow it stopped draining. No wa...
Forum Discussion
The Checkvalve/plug is designed to NOT allow warm air migration back up to the refer. So, the plug is necessary to help keep temps colder. Norcold refers are designed to self defrost the evap fans when icing happens. ICE on evap fins is BAD. Ice is a insulator and will not allow convection air inside the refer to flow over the fins and remove the heat. The Defrost cycle is built in. ONLY for Norcold refers left ON continuously. If left ON, every 48 to 54 hours the refer shuts OFF, for 2 to 3 hours. This allows any ice build up to thaw and drain out the drain pan and tube. Ice build up inside the refer is a product of humidity in the air. So, opening and closing the refer too often will increase the instance of ice build up.
1. Has the refer Cooling unit been replaced?
2. Did it drain before and just stopped?
3. 0 to 10 degrees is the normal operating range of the freezer. 0 is best. But, as you have found, ANY heat source to the RV on the outside will degrade the cooling performance. So, yes, in hotter climates you may have to go to 5 for max coldness. When it gets cooler, you go to 3 or 4.
4. Regardless, you have a drain tube problem. FIX the problem and you will not have frozen ice build up on the drain tray giving you problems
5. The reason I ask about the cooling unit is simple. The USUAL reason a drain tube fails to drain is because the person replacing the cooling unit was not a professional and kinked the drain tube when installing the new cooling unit. VERY COMMON. Dometic refers have a different drain tube design thru the insulation of the cooling unit. Doug
1. Has the refer Cooling unit been replaced?
2. Did it drain before and just stopped?
3. 0 to 10 degrees is the normal operating range of the freezer. 0 is best. But, as you have found, ANY heat source to the RV on the outside will degrade the cooling performance. So, yes, in hotter climates you may have to go to 5 for max coldness. When it gets cooler, you go to 3 or 4.
4. Regardless, you have a drain tube problem. FIX the problem and you will not have frozen ice build up on the drain tray giving you problems
5. The reason I ask about the cooling unit is simple. The USUAL reason a drain tube fails to drain is because the person replacing the cooling unit was not a professional and kinked the drain tube when installing the new cooling unit. VERY COMMON. Dometic refers have a different drain tube design thru the insulation of the cooling unit. Doug
