Forum Discussion

Explorer

Jun 09, 2015

Norcold Fridge - Ice on Fins

I have an older Norcold 1200-series unit with the cooling unit recently replaced. Always keep it level. I recently installed one of those wireless temp read-outs with remote sensors that go in the freezer and fridge. It seems to be a device whose main purpose is to give me something new to worry about. :)

My fridge normally gets to -3F in the freezer and 31F in the fridge on the highest setting. I had an issue this past weekend where the fridge wouldn't get any colder than 41F all weekend. Freezer was 24. I was thinking that my cooling unit was going bad.

I did notice that there was ice on the fins inside the fridge. I turned the fridge off and on a couple times to avoid the Norcold 49-hour defrost cycle and the inevitable warming that it causes. My question: Does the ice on the fins somehow insulate it and prevent it from cooling down?

When I got home, I let it defrost and when all moisture was gone from the fins, I started it back up again, and it was cooling as it normally did.

Any idea what is causing the warmer temperatures when in use? I know that opening the fridge does cause significant warming, but I expected it to cool back down overnight, which didn't happen.

Any good way to prevent moisture on the fins? I heard that installing fans might help with this.

Thanks for listening :)

Wayne

23 Replies

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jun 09, 2015
The thermistor measures fin temp which is what thermostat controls too....fin temp is roughly 10*F lower than food section air temp.

Ice up fins.......thermistor is reading COLD temp so thermostat is satisfied (false reading)

Circulating fan(s) in food section will help keep fins from icing up.
Wishbone51
Explorer
Jun 09, 2015
Thanks for the info. I'll take a look into that fan. The temperature was in the low 90s, but it was the same temp before and after when the fridge was cooling properly.

The only difference that I could see was ice on the fins, and wondered if that was causing the issue.
Ivylog
Explorer III
Jun 09, 2015
Like you I turn mine off every two days to stop the defrost cycle and move this fan to a different location on the fins to defrost the ice. Yes ice on the fins will lower the cooling slightly as the air is getting to 31+ degree ice instead of 27- degree fins.
Was it hotter out than normal when it would not cool as well? Was that side in the sun all day? Are both outside fans working? Does not take much to have the inside temp go up. You can have another thing to to watch by holding both the Mode and Temp buttons down until you get 88 , Then press Mode three times to get a readout of the fins temp. I'm in the process of replacing mine with a home refer.