Fridge is leaking refrigerant, do I have to buy a new one?

You didn't mention, or I missed it, the model you have. I suspect that you have a bad cooling unit. I just replaced mine in a Norcold 1210 with the Amish unit everyone on here talks about. Paid $1250 for the unit, versus $3500-$4000 for a new rv refrigerator. Took 2 days to install - would have probably been less but I ran some errands in between and spent a great deal of time removing the doors, shelves, etc, which it turned out didn't have to come off or out as I was able to remove and replace it without laying it down. Probably a 2 person job to get it out of the space and back in. Suggest building a platform to set in front of the unit to slide it out onto. Lost of links on here showing how to do it and 1 or 2 good youtube videos on doing it.
Ron S

352 wrote:
Old manuals had taking the unit out and laying it on its side for 24 hours and reinstalling it. Sometimes it works but only for a short time.

This one's leaking all the "cold juice" out. I don't think turning it on its side will help.

Bummer....


So here's how it's done...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyCh7aXveow

Many folks here on the TC forum have performed this repair. No failures.

Jim

The frig went out on our old 5er earlier this summer. Leaking the magic yellow juice. We bought the replacement cooling unit & fixed it our selves. Whole project was about $500 and two days worth of grunting and groaning.

Old manuals had taking the unit out and laying it on its side for 24 hours and reinstalling it. Sometimes it works but only for a short time.

As has been mentioned, going to an electric compressor fridge has some distinct advantages. We bought an Engel MT-45. It can be a fridge or a freezer. It is 12V compressor, but is built in to use 110AC too. It only draws max 2.3 amps on the 12V side. We currently only have one group24 Walmart battery, and the fridge has been on for a week with the camper unplugged and the battery was still plenty good. We carry a 30 qt Engel cooler/icebox for when we want to have a freezer. We move the fresh to the icebox, and then just turn the knob up to freezer mode. Then we have a 45 qt freezer! We usually don't have a lot of frozen while camping, but being able to freeze up a catch of fish! Or have ice cream for a night.

I have seen people mount them on a slide in the place of the old refer, or you can re arrange the camper like we did...



Put the fridge where the sink was, and the sink where the fridge was.

I wouldn't give up on the salvage unit yet...

Just because there isn't one on Craigslist today doesn't mean there won't ever be one. Listings are added daily.

You've got lots of time between now and next spring to look.

You just have to keep your eyes open. Maybe check a couple times a day. Maybe expand your search to other nearby craigslists.

I replaced my cooling unit with "An Amish unit" can't remember the "brand" never cooled like the original. It was not hard to do following their directions provided. After a year of trying different cooling fans internal and exterior removing it again and waiting weeks for the proper thermal compound to arrive reinstalling and still no better, I replaced my whole frig. I had to remove one bracket on the bottom back and all the doors and door brackets on the front but it went out and in without removing the camper door.

Hi Chuck,

For two grand you could install enough solar to run a compressor fridge.

Hey everyone, thanks much for all the suggestions. It has been very helpful.

joe b. wrote:
Chuck, you won't need a fridge till next spring, as I was talking to a friend in Nenana today and was told there had been frost for the last couple of mornings. Just wait till next summer. LOL

Joe may be right, hit 37 here last night. The last 10 days we used it as an ice box and it worked OK.

We almost always boondock and don't have solar so the compressor type fridge is not an option.

I've checked the recall list and ours isn't on it.

Also checked Craigslist but didn't find anything there.

It looks like a new cooling unit or fridge are the only options. Dealer wants two grand for a new fridge if they don't have to take the door out. Then its more. They want 1,500 for a new cooling unit installed.

After all your suggestions I think I will try to do it myself. I'll use it as an icebox for the camping we have left and then this winter I'll pull it out and see if it will fit through the door. If it won't without major destruction I'll replace the cooling unit.

Thanks again for all the help,

Chuck