Hot Norcold

[kcgaz]

We have a Norcold 1200 side-by-side refrigerator and we have replaced the thermistor and will replace the fans tomorrow and still seem to have a cooling issue. Any ideas on what to do/check next?

[dougrainer]

usersmanual wrote:

1200/1210 in a slide room, those fans will almost run 24/7 due to no roof vent and just a side vent. Doug

that really depends on the air temperature and the model/make of the MH. For example my 2008 Allegro bus the 1210 was in the slide out but it also had a full size vent at the top of the slide where the condenser area of the fridge was.

I do like a the idea of allowing manual operation of the fans though

I did not think I had to state there are 2(two) side vents upper and lower on all slide mount refers. As to ambient temps, well I am in Texas, and unless it is below 60 degrees, having those fans run in a slide makes it run better. When I replace a CU or Fans, I run the fans 24 to 48 hours when testing the operation with that jumper wire. Doug

[usersmanual]

1200/1210 in a slide room, those fans will almost run 24/7 due to no roof vent and just a side vent. Doug

that really depends on the air temperature and the model/make of the MH. For example my 2008 Allegro bus the 1210 was in the slide out but it also had a full size vent at the top of the slide where the condenser area of the fridge was.

I do like a the idea of allowing manual operation of the fans though

[dougrainer]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Like I posted earlier...Norcold OEM t-stat senses Condenser Fin temps (condenser is top finned component in outside compartment) and starts fans at 130*F condenser fin temp and stops them at 115*F condenser fin temp


Nighttime ambient air temps are typically cool enough that condenser fin temp would NOT get hot enough to need fans

Daytime temps...FANS are used to increase volume of air flow across backside of cooling unit. Higher volume of air movement....better heat removal.

This is why I run that 2 wire jumper anytime I replace a CU or the fans. That gives the customer the option of running those fans 24/7 to get faster/quicker/ recovery and cooling. The MORE air you flow over that condenser, the better the refer will cool. A 1200/1210 in a slide room, those fans will almost run 24/7 due to no roof vent and just a side vent. Doug

[Old-Biscuit]

Like I posted earlier...Norcold OEM t-stat senses Condenser Fin temps (condenser is top finned component in outside compartment) and starts fans at 130*F condenser fin temp and stops them at 115*F condenser fin temp


Nighttime ambient air temps are typically cool enough that condenser fin temp would NOT get hot enough to need fans

Daytime temps...FANS are used to increase volume of air flow across backside of cooling unit. Higher volume of air movement....better heat removal.

[usersmanual]

kcgaz wrote:
Again, thanks for all of the great input. I had scheduled a mobile RV mechanic to come by today, so he pulled the refer and the fans did not come on during the first test, but did during the second, but I could not hear them running for the two nights prior to the appointment. Because I did not want to deal with an intermittent fan/thermostat issue, I asked him to replace the fans and thermostat. The refer has been on for about 4 hours and it is cooling down slowly, I can now hear that fans running, so that is good. I will see where we stand in the morning and throughout the day tomorrow and will report back.

unlikely you would hear them at night> mine only come on when its getting pretty warm during the day. but there so quite u have to be right at the fridge to hear them run

[kcgaz]

Again, thanks for all of the great input. I had scheduled a mobile RV mechanic to come by today, so he pulled the refer and the fans did not come on during the first test, but did during the second, but I could not hear them running for the two nights prior to the appointment. Because I did not want to deal with an intermittent fan/thermostat issue, I asked him to replace the fans and thermostat. The refer has been on for about 4 hours and it is cooling down slowly, I can now hear that fans running, so that is good. I will see where we stand in the morning and throughout the day tomorrow and will report back.

[USMC46]

I have a double door Norcold. It is the second complete uint I have had in my 2004. Then I had a close call when the cooling unit failed and I almost had a fire. Then I put in an Amish cooling unit and it failed a couple months ago after two years, and melted the insulation around the little box where the propane is burned. We had noticed a bad smell inside the fridge and then noticed the damage from the outside. The second time I almost had a fire even after the Norcold fix. I am going to make a trip to the dump with mine in the Spring and replace Norcold with a household unit. Just too risky for me after two close calls. The Amish unit is still under warranty but I just do not trust the systems technology to be safe anymore.

[dougrainer]

kcgaz wrote:
Thanks for all of the great input, I did change out the thermistor and it is cooling down to 32 (set at 9) in the refer and -7 in the freezer on both AC and LPG. As the day gets warmer (we are in AZ, ouch!) the temp creeps up to 50 in the refer, freezer stays good. The fans do not appear to be working, so that is the next item to replace, I will let you know if that works and thanks again!

1. Odds are the Fan tstat is BAD.
2. Even if it is just the Fan Tstat, replace BOTH fans and the tstat since you have to pull the refer. Especially since your refer is over 5 years old
3. When you replace the Fans and Fan tstat, run a 2 wire 14 gauge jumper from each side of the Fan Tstat down the back by the main control board. That will allow you to wire the fans direct and bypass the Fan tstat if the Fan tstat ever fails in the future.
4. Your Fan tstat and Fans may be OK. IF the installer of the Norcold recall kit reversed the Black and White fan wire connection on the Main control board when installing the recall kit, that would leave the Fans inop, but everything else would work. In the center of the Rear Main control board, you will see two 14 gauge White and Black wires with 2 smaller 20 gauge Black and White wires jumped into those 2 wires. The WHITE should be on your left and the Black on your right. If incorrect, swap them and see if the fans come on when the refer backside gets hotter.
5. Make sure the evap drain line (white tube next to the burner flue) has the black check valve in the exit end. That stops hot air from migrating up inside the refer. Doug

[usersmanual]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Rear fans not working on 1200 will result in fridge temps 'chasing' ambient air temps....as they rise during daytime so will fridge temps and then as ambient air temps go down in evening so will fridge temps

Could be as simple as the t-stat for fans is bad or loss of 12V to fans (bad in-line fuse)

T-stat should start fans at 130*F and stop them at 115*F (Condenser Fin Temps)


Then there is the 'frost management' cycle that shuts down cooling every 49 hrs to minimize frost on fins in food compartment.

I cant argue they don't help as there there for reason I just never saw that big of a temp swing. but then is the fridge exposed to direct 90 degree sun? I have found that to be a big factor also?
I agree could be power supply or thermo switch problem
Like I said for him try the rear fan addition and see what happens I use to run two mini fans at the rear of mine 24/7 during the warm days just as a extra

[SCVJeff]

OP- Are you making these measurments with an empty box or full? That makes a big difference in temp stability

[Old-Biscuit]

Rear fans not working on 1200 will result in fridge temps 'chasing' ambient air temps....as they rise during daytime so will fridge temps and then as ambient air temps go down in evening so will fridge temps

Could be as simple as the t-stat for fans is bad or loss of 12V to fans (bad in-line fuse)

T-stat should start fans at 130*F and stop them at 115*F (Condenser Fin Temps)


Then there is the 'frost management' cycle that shuts down cooling every 49 hrs to minimize frost on fins in food compartment.

[usersmanual]

kcgaz wrote:
Thanks for all of the great input, I did change out the thermistor and it is cooling down to 32 (set at 9) in the refer and -7 in the freezer on both AC and LPG. As the day gets warmer (we are in AZ, ouch!) the temp creeps up to 50 in the refer, freezer stays good. The fans do not appear to be working, so that is the next item to replace, I will let you know if that works and thanks again!

OK that's not quit how you came across in your first post so its a bit confusing to try and help.Before replacing the rear fans as that's a big job go buy a small high volumn fan and put at the rear lower part of the fridge and have it blow against coils and up wards
and see where your at temp wise during the heat of the day
In my experiences just because the rear fans are not working it should not cause your temp to rise from 32 to 50
maybe it will I have not seen that scenario personally
I always felt my 1200 and 1210 fridges cooled ok but was never able to get any of them to 32 except one where the thermistor went bad
even when set on 9

[kcgaz]

Thanks for all of the great input, I did change out the thermistor and it is cooling down to 32 (set at 9) in the refer and -7 in the freezer on both AC and LPG. As the day gets warmer (we are in AZ, ouch!) the temp creeps up to 50 in the refer, freezer stays good. The fans do not appear to be working, so that is the next item to replace, I will let you know if that works and thanks again!

[kcgaz]

Thanks for all of the great input, I did change out the thermistor and it is cooling down to 32 (set at 9) in the refer and -7 in the freezer on both AC and LPG. As the day gets warmer (we are in AZ, ouch!) the temp creeps up to 50 in the refer, freezer stays good. The fans do not appear to be working, so that is the next item to replace, I will let you know if that works and thanks again!