Mystery Leak & Inoperative Fridge - related?

[Big_Blue]

Good Afternoon & Greetings to all;

I need your assistance, suggestions and experience.

New owner of a 2008 Winnebago Destination, the 39 footer with a diesel pusher. Barely over 20,000 miles. Bought it over eBay, flew down to inspect and close the deal on first/last Class A. The coach was immaculately maintained in show room condition.

As with any vehicle that is six years old, there are minor nuisance issues within my wheelhouse of experience. (Been RV'ing over the past 19 years through two pop-up tent trailers, a travel trailer & a fifth wheel.)

This situation has me briefly stumped and perhaps you may have experienced a similar situation and can guide me towards resolution.

The problem appears to be isolated to the passenger slide out. (There is another nearly unrelated issue on the drivers side.) This is not a chassis/engine issue, but is a coach concern. With the slide out, and refrigerator has been on, when closing the coach, there is a flood of water onto the floor by the door. The top side of the slide is dry.

Then the Norcold refrigerator, Model 1211IM goes into fault code L1.OP. According to Norcold, the unit has been repaired under the infamous recall, so no real help there. We went out this weekend anyways, after buying an ice chest. So the fridge wasn't run. It had been running on shore power before the fault cold, so the upper freezer compartment had chilled while the lower compartment remained warm.

But when closing the passenger slide today, there was still a minor water spill. It hadn't rained over the weekend, with a high pressure weather system, there was little dew to condense into hidden areas, yet, the problem remains.

What I am thinking is that there is a blocked drainage hose to the rear of the fridge. I have looked into both upper and lower exterior access points. They are both dusty dry.

My next steps, after reposting this over onto another forum are to thoroughly research all known knowledge on the Winnebago Destination and the Norcold Refrigerator history.

What are your thoughts?

[dougrainer]

Big_Blue wrote:
The authorized service facility 'repaired' the fridge by updating the faulty failsafe recall unit from Rev D to Rev E.

See rocket science step # 5.

So, what's your point???????? You finally DID THE CORRECT thing and took it to an authorized Service center. They checked the refer and then did the RIGHT CORRECT thing and replaced the faulty Rev D with a Rev E. Norcold did what they are required to do. Doug

[Big_Blue]

The authorized service facility 'repaired' the fridge by updating the faulty failsafe recall unit from Rev D to Rev E.

See rocket science step # 5.

[Big_Blue]

Lets review the rocket science here.

1. This is a single input fail safe unit. The theory is that in the presence of a single valid fault signal, the 12 VDC control voltage absolutely prevents further operation. No reset function/option designed.

2. Rev D has failed.Unspecified faulty design or component unrelability.

3. Rev D has been replaced with Rev E.

4. The supplier adamantly claims that they have met their obligations with Rev D.

5. Rev E installaton is the first logical next step.

6. Since this is a federally mandated recall, the supplier is financially, legally & morally obligated to cover all costs necessary to install current safety functionality.

Who believes that the supplier is going to cover the costs of known & legacy of inadequate quality design & review? As an RVIA certified supplier, this would be within their ethical responsibility and moral obligations.

Thank you each for your candidly expressed concerns. Once the authorized dealer repairs the failed unit, I will respond with resolution actions taken.

[Dutch_12078]

Big_Blue wrote:

So far as Norcold not dealing directly with consumers, to a point I understand. To another point, it disrespects my 40+ years of electronics experience which includes working on strategic ICBM communications systems, heavy HF & Air Traffic Control Towers while in the Air Force. A simple swaptronics of an faultily designed over temperature 12 VDC control circuitry is well within my wheelhouse.

Is it reasonable to expect Norcold to attempt to vet every consumer that claims sufficient expertise to work on their products? Their liability insurance carrier likely wouldn't be very happy about the issues that would raise. You may be highly qualified otherwise, but I see nothing in your background about RVIA certification, or Ford RV Refrigeration training, etc., that would specifically qualify you to work on Norcold products. I'm not surprised they would take a CYA approach to DIY repairs. You know you're capable, they don't...

[dougrainer]

Big_Blue wrote:
Another evening of additional troubleshooting.

The magnet trick does reset the relay, but does not clear the fault. Will be scheduling a visit to the nearest authorized service center. The recall correction unit is at Rev D, not the final Rev E. That issue will be addressed directly with Norcold.

There was 12 VDC on the supply side. With a magnet in place, there was 12 VDC on the demand side. At no time did the red LED go out.

So far as Norcold not dealing directly with consumers, to a point I understand. To another point, it disrespects my 40+ years of electronics experience which includes working on strategic ICBM communications systems, heavy HF & Air Traffic Control Towers while in the Air Force. A simple swaptronics of an faultily designed over temperature 12 VDC control circuitry is well within my wheelhouse.

As mentioned, the mystery leak is most likely a separate issue. My intentions are now to cap off the icemaker supply line. Ice cubes I can live without. Not so much with extraneous water leaking into the walls, onto the floor, et al.

Stay tuned, will be scheduling a service call tomorrow.

This is a FEDERAL mandated recall kit. So, Consumers are NOT allowed to install or repair theses type parts, NO MATTER what you think your qualifications are. Despite what YOU think are your qualifications, your Refer may have a defective cooling unit and if so, another recall kit will not work. Do you know how to check for a defective cooling unit? Norcold requires us to verify the intergrity and operation of the cooling unit BEFORE we reset or replace a recall kit. Doug

[bobmacc]

I had winterized the icemaker last fall leaving the supply hose just loosely attached on my 09 Journey. I had turned off the supply at the needle valve below the sink and made sure it was tightly closed. The valve failed and produced a continual drip in the outside compartment that ran down and into the carpet under the cabinets on both sides of the fridge. Check your needle valve as they appear to fail with over-tightening and insure water isn't getting past it.

[Big_Blue]

Another evening of additional troubleshooting.

The magnet trick does reset the relay, but does not clear the fault. Will be scheduling a visit to the nearest authorized service center. The recall correction unit is at Rev D, not the final Rev E. That issue will be addressed directly with Norcold.

There was 12 VDC on the supply side. With a magnet in place, there was 12 VDC on the demand side. At no time did the red LED go out.

So far as Norcold not dealing directly with consumers, to a point I understand. To another point, it disrespects my 40+ years of electronics experience which includes working on strategic ICBM communications systems, heavy HF & Air Traffic Control Towers while in the Air Force. A simple swaptronics of an faultily designed over temperature 12 VDC control circuitry is well within my wheelhouse.

As mentioned, the mystery leak is most likely a separate issue. My intentions are now to cap off the icemaker supply line. Ice cubes I can live without. Not so much with extraneous water leaking into the walls, onto the floor, et al.

Stay tuned, will be scheduling a service call tomorrow.

[OhhWell]

As others have hinted, it is very possible that the mystery water and inoperable fridge are two completely separate issues.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

My Dometic fridge suggests that the drain line have a u shape to act as a trap. When I don't--cooling in the fridge part goes all to heck (too warm).

I'm shortly going to have one of those over temperature devices fitted. It will be SO nice to not have to worry as much about being perfectly level anymore.

[RayChez]

Sometimes the rubber hose from the refrigerator that extends to the outside is plugged up. I noticed a few years back water coming from the frig. It was coming from the tray under the fins on the inside back of the refrigerator and why it was full was because the hose was plugged up where it drains into the small cup on the out side. I just got an ice pick and poked it where the small hole is suppose to be on the end of the hose, and water squirted out right away to also help drain the inside tray. So my suggestion is to poke the end of the rubber hose and let it drain IF that is the problem.

Other then that I would say Heisenberg has a good point on his post. It could be a flex hose.

[Heisenberg]

If it is in the slide it could be a leaky kitchen sink flexible drain line. Unrelated to the refrigerator problems

[dougrainer]

1. Just reset with the Magnet
2. Norcold will NOT send any recall parts to a retail customer---PERIOD!
3. You must go to a Norcold service center to have any type recall work done or replaced other than the Magnet reset. Remember, your unit may have tripped because you DO have a defective cooling unit
4. If the refer was NOT on and you have a large amount of water and no rain, then the Icemaker supply system is the suspect. NOT from the icemaker water valve to the icemaker mold as it will not be there since the refer was off. Do a complete trace from the icemaker water valve feed to the supply in the RV. You will probably fond that pinhole. There will be NO drain type problem as the refer was NOT ON. Doug

[Big_Blue]

wa8yxm wrote:
Ok, There are two major Fridge makers for RF's. Norcold and Dometic

In both cases inside the fridge under the fins SHOULD be a pan, full width, solid bottom save for a funnel shaped hole that drips into a drip cup, this cup is connected via a plastic tube to the outside compartment.

On a Norcold it should rest in a cup on the outside (Evaporation cup) near the burner side of the fridge,,,

On a Dometic the tube is supposed to be extended out the vent so it drips, drips, drips on the ground.

IF the tube is not in the cup, or out the vent, then it drips on the bottom of the outside compartment.. This can cause issues with the electronics that live there, even if its only the connection board.

Same if the hose is broken.

It could also cause your leak.

Good points. The lower tube is bone dry, so any blockage is above that. So it's a matter of getting to the place, hopefully from upper exterior access point.

Tnx, K1BS

[Big_Blue]

Found this closed thread.

And yes, I was connected to shore power, and had a commercial power outage, the day that the error first occurred. Will be contacting NorCold tomorrow to confirm proper power or magnet reset. Or convince them to ship me a Rev E box to replace the Rev D installed. Or use the magnet procedure.

Now, about the ice maker line. The valve under the fridge is at 90 degrees v inline which tells me that there is no water pressure from under the sink to the ice maker. Accordingly, there is no water in the maker. All accessible view points between the sink and fridge are bone dry. Good idea though. The house fridge ice maker line had one of those fine cracks several years ago. This was coincidentally after a tremendous wind driven rain storm. I searched for the leak in the attic before finding the real leak.

During my research, I did come across a reference to a clogged drain line. (which is similar to the clogged drain line I found in my house geothermal system). So that challenge remains.

I feel like I'm working on a complex Space Shutte'esque system right now, but am also enjoying the learning.

ATBest. The challenge goes on.