Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010

[JohnnyT]

For specific information;

NORCOLD RECALLS

11/20/2010

Fire Hazard - Appliance Recalls - Norcold, Samsung and more

Norcold Refrigerators-------

Updated serial number coverage

Norcold Recall Information as of 2/13/2010

Samsung Microwave Ovens


Mr. Heater Heaters

First Alert Smoke & CO Detector Recall

Dometic Refrigerator Recall

New Dometic Recall Initiated March 11, 2008

[MrDoneIt65]

Ray Chez, I totally agree. The problem I have is that my unit was working fine until they started doing recalls. On the second recall the coils suddenly blew out at the location of the recall attachment. I took the unit off and sent it to Norcold. Someone from Norcold called me and said they were considering an adjustment to my situation. I had written a letter to the government agency and cc'd it to Norcold explaining what had happened. I never heard from them again.

I am sure the newer applications will be improved. We just got caught in the middle.

[RayChez]

PianoTuna is correct that the residential type fridge are a lot cheaper and that is why they are installing them on some of the new coaches, to save money. But at the same time they have to install a pure sine inverter and six house batteries to keep that residential type fridge running.

I have never had any problems with my Norcold 1200 LRIM in nine years that I have had my coach. I set it at six and it stays at 34 degrees. And I imagine the freezer is much colder. The ice cream stays pretty solid.

I really like where you can use propane and AC current. So if I ever have problems I will buy the Amish made coils. It would be too much of a problem removing the one piece windshield to bring in the residential fridge and removing the Norcold, plus they never are the perfect fit. So you would have to hire a carpenter to make modifications so that it does not look like a shoddy job. Just too much trouble for me.

[pianotuna]

Hi MrDonelt65,

6 amps @ 120 volts translates to 60 amps at 12 volts but this start up surge is less than a second.

Real life data shows that a 9 cubic foot residential fridge will use a little less than 80 amp-hours per day, in what I consider to be hot weather.

It is cost effective to do so, and some new RV's now come so equipped. I.E. it is cheaper at the manufacturing level to use a residential fridge. Don't you think their "bean counters" have costs down right to the penny?

[MrDoneIt65]

I looked into putting a residential fridge in my unit. None fit without modification. You could just plug it into 110 but when headed down the road I think the draw on an inverter would be pretty drastic when the compressor kicks in.

When my rig was new I had to put the Norcold on 9 in order for it to stay cold. I had an ice maker that never made ice more than one time when I first turned it on. Then it would fill with water and drive me crazy going click, click, click, click. With the Amish double coils I set the fridge on 4 and it stays cold. Plus it works on propane which keeps it cold while I am traveling.

So while I agree that a residential sounds appealing, I think the disadvantages far outweigh the purchase of the Amish coils to fix the Norcold.

[RayChez]

I agree with RVrepairnut. There is no savings when you have to buy all these other equipment and mods.

I just wonder out of the millions of Norcolds that have been sold what the percentages are of failure because of a leak on the coils. I bet it is lower then what we think. But when one fails the screaming that goes on in these forums makes it look like the percentages are high.

[rvrepairnut]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Use the savings to buy solar and an inverter. Residential is the way to wander.

what savings?? there are non to be had.Buying a new inverter and new batterys and all the HD wiring required plus a decent fridge cost way way more than a new cooling unit installed never mind the cost to a person to have all the new inverter system installed and the rework of the cabinets and most older units need the windshield removed which is exspensive etc

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Use the savings to buy solar and an inverter. Residential is the way to wander.

[rvrepairnut]

00 BUCK wrote:
Hope everyone finds this useful. The Norcold solution wasn't a fix, it was a removal of liability. No matter how many times you have the sensor replaced the fridge will not stop overheating and if you bypass the sensor and your rig catches on fire, it's your fault, not Norcolds.



I expect there will be a class action suit on this sooner than latter

norcold never claimed it was a fix.what it does is shut the fridge off in the rare case it overheats from a low cooling fluid situation
it was never designed nor intended as a repair due to overheating.

[RayChez]

MrDoneIt65 wrote:
The Amish coils still heat with propane. They mount on the refrigerator the same way the old coils mounted. Also, make sure the black and white wire in the control box that go to the cooling fans are properly connected. Even though the fans are 12v DC if the wires are hooked up wrong then the fans won't work. Mine were hooked up backwards and when I got the new Amish coils there was a wiring schematic with it. I have no idea how they got hooked up backwards and how long they had been that way. The recall is a joke but don't throw the refrigerator away and pay $4k for a new one. The Amish coils cost me $1075.00.

I used a motorcycle jack, wrapped tape around the wheels to protect the floor, set it in front of the fridge after taking off the doors, and removing the interior shelves, and mounting screws. Then I went outside and disconnected the gas lines and unplugged the fridge. I had an ice maker that never worked so I also had to unhook the water lines. Then I shoved the fridge out of the opening until I could go insided and pull it out.

I rolled it into the center of the kitchen and raised it up until it touched the ceiling which made it stable. I took the four screws out of the old coils, threw them out in the yard, cleaned the caulking off as instructed, put the new caulking in as instructed, mounted the new coils in place, put the screws back in, sealed it with the tape provided and then before I put it back in the opening I cleaned out all the dust and replaced the fiberglass insulation with aluminum coated styrofoam board cut to fit. Lot neater. Then I slid it in, hooked up the gas lines, plugged it in, and turned it on. It now cools on #5 instead of #9. I took the worthless Ice Maker out. Trays work.

Hope everyone finds this useful. The Norcold solution wasn't a fix, it was a removal of liability. No matter how many times you have the sensor replaced the fridge will not stop overheating and if you bypass the sensor and your rig catches on fire, it's your fault, not Norcolds.

Thanks for the info. If mine ever goes out, I will probably do exactly what you done. It would be hard for me to replace it with a refrigerator that only works with AC power.

[00_BUCK]

Hope everyone finds this useful. The Norcold solution wasn't a fix, it was a removal of liability. No matter how many times you have the sensor replaced the fridge will not stop overheating and if you bypass the sensor and your rig catches on fire, it's your fault, not Norcolds.



I expect there will be a class action suit on this sooner than latter

[MrDoneIt65]

The Amish coils still heat with propane. They mount on the refrigerator the same way the old coils mounted. Also, make sure the black and white wire in the control box that go to the cooling fans are properly connected. Even though the fans are 12v DC if the wires are hooked up wrong then the fans won't work. Mine were hooked up backwards and when I got the new Amish coils there was a wiring schematic with it. I have no idea how they got hooked up backwards and how long they had been that way. The recall is a joke but don't throw the refrigerator away and pay $4k for a new one. The Amish coils cost me $1075.00.

I used a motorcycle jack, wrapped tape around the wheels to protect the floor, set it in front of the fridge after taking off the doors, and removing the interior shelves, and mounting screws. Then I went outside and disconnected the gas lines and unplugged the fridge. I had an ice maker that never worked so I also had to unhook the water lines. Then I shoved the fridge out of the opening until I could go insided and pull it out.

I rolled it into the center of the kitchen and raised it up until it touched the ceiling which made it stable. I took the four screws out of the old coils, threw them out in the yard, cleaned the caulking off as instructed, put the new caulking in as instructed, mounted the new coils in place, put the screws back in, sealed it with the tape provided and then before I put it back in the opening I cleaned out all the dust and replaced the fiberglass insulation with aluminum coated styrofoam board cut to fit. Lot neater. Then I slid it in, hooked up the gas lines, plugged it in, and turned it on. It now cools on #5 instead of #9. I took the worthless Ice Maker out. Trays work.

Hope everyone finds this useful. The Norcold solution wasn't a fix, it was a removal of liability. No matter how many times you have the sensor replaced the fridge will not stop overheating and if you bypass the sensor and your rig catches on fire, it's your fault, not Norcolds.

[ricere]

Mine was not on the first recall. Got the second one and it said to shut the refrigerator down until the recall was done. Since we full-time, that was not an option since the refrigerator was working perfectly. Two days later, the refrigerator quit working before the recall was done. The cooling unit went bad and they told me our coach could have burned to the ground. NORCOLD HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH BAD COOLING UNITS. Some last less than a year, some last 10 years or longer, and the rest are somewhere in between. Mine lasted nearly 6 years and cost me $2200 to get fixed. With the Amish units, you don't have to worry about the recall wires and sensors, and they will never go bad again. That is the way I will go if this unit goes bad. Norcold will eventually go out of business if they don't start making these things more reliable and less costly to repair. Many new coaches are being built with residential refrigerators and that is a trend I believe will grow due to the crappy reliability of the Norcold units.

[campr-pete1]

Just got the recall in the mail today here is how it reads.
In Oct, 2010 norcold initiated a recall for models, 1200,1201,1210 and 1211 refrigerators typically found in motorhomes from 1997-2011.
The recall states to shut down unplug the refrigerator immediately they are a fire hazzard. It goes on to state that the recall is for the above listed models with serial numbers falling between 315525-13088811 and it also includes the cooling unit serial numbers located outside on the back of the unit serial numbers falling between 700000-13085759. Their web site explains it www.Norcold.com/Recall
Phone 1-800-767-9101 hope this helps.

[RayChez]

I have had my 1200LRIM now for nine years and so far it is working very well. But if it ever fails I will also go with the Amish upgrade. I like for my fridge to also run off propane.

[Don_Don]

Hell, my piece of******sensor went bad when the fridge was off. Went to turn it on and would not come on. Then saw the red light on the sensor and mt fridge was off! I want it fixed, not patched.