Forum Discussion

Buzzcut1's avatar
Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Dec 12, 2015

When the Norcold Fridge goes PERMAFROST

It started a week or so ago. The fridge started getting too cold. It was OK on Propane but on AC any setting above 2 sent the contents into the ice age. At 3 the fridge was at 28-32* and the freezer was at 0. The Model is N641.3 Per the Norcold trouble shooting blog it was either the Thermister or the Optical Control Board. I opted to replace the Thermister at $25 vs the optical board at $188 to see if it would fix the issue.

I ordered it on Wednesday and it arrived from Southern California tonight. It took 3 minutes to swap it out, no tools required. I set the fridge on AC and a temperature setting of 4. The temperature has been holding at 40 for 3 hours now. I am venturing that we have a solution.

Photo new part number bag and old removed Thermister assembly



link for ordering Norcold Parts
Norcold Parts ordering
Truck Campers
  • Buzzcut1's avatar
    Buzzcut1
    Nomad II
    Dec 12, 2015
    well 12 hours have passed at the temperature is holding at 40*. This is good because we are leaving next week for a 9 day road trip, one less thing to deal with.
  • jaycocreek's avatar
    jaycocreek
    Explorer II
    Dec 12, 2015
    Just went through the exact same thing and started as you did, but ended up with a new board also, to solve the issue.
  • Buzzcut1's avatar
    Buzzcut1
    Nomad II
    Dec 12, 2015
    I should qualify the OK on propane comment. On propane I could keep the fridge from freezing at the 4 setting but just that, it was at 36.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Dec 12, 2015
    $25 repair cost on a 8 yr old RV fridge..........pretty good.

    Freezing in food section thermistor is FIRST suspect. Either that have fallen off the fin and are hanging down, have been disconnected or just bad.
    W/O thermistor sensing fin temp thermostat doesn't get feed back so it allows fridge to run continuously.


    Surprised same didn't occur when using propane.......which could be that propane isn't 'heating' as it should. Dirty burner, dirty flue/flue baffle or low flame height

About Travel Trailer Group

44,027 PostsLatest Activity: Mar 04, 2025