Norcold 1200 LRIM

[k_jensen6]

We have a 2001 HR Imperial DP. With the infamous Norcold 1200 in it. The recall was done.

Yesterday I noticed that the frig temp was slowly climbing.

I did some research, and unplugged the thermister over night. This morning frig was back to temp.

Thought I would check out the backside to see if there was anything else that might be obvious to cause this.

I removed the outside panel, looked around, didn't see anything. Then stuck my hand in there to see if something might have come loose.

The compressor (?) and coils are extremely hot to the touch. Is this normal? Is this because I disconnected the thermister? (I've taken a picture of this part, but don't know how to post it).

I haven't had the thermister re plugged in for long as of right now, so not sure if that might be what have done it.

But, it is quite hot, and am now concerned about a fire, overheating, burning out.

I've left the outside panel off for an hour, hadn't cooled down.

We are in the Keys, it is about 80 outside.

Running 30 amp. Frig is not overpacked.

[robertbenita]

This will probably not apply, but just in case I am posting an old post of mine:
"I had a similar experience. I would replace the fuse and it would work fine for a short trip, but then blow again getting ready for the next one. I pulled the two heating elements that looked similar, but one had a distorted top where the wires go into it. Replaced both and one last fuse and have been trouble free since. Knocking on wood now Not too hard to do yourself. Good luck!"
The reason I post this is because my fridge would work great for a while, and then not cool like it should. I am certain that the others helping you know what is wrong, but I couldn't resist letting you know that the fuse thing was intermittent, cooling was intermittent, but once I put new heating elements in, it was problem solved and can be done without removing the fridge and wasn't very expensive. I should note that once I got to the bad heating element, I could visually tell there was a problem.

If this isn't for you, sorry for taking up space and time, but just in case! Good luck fixing because we all need a dependable fridge!

[egh33]

From your description, it appears rear ventilation is the problem That is NOT a Norcold defect but the OEM that did not baffle the rear of the cabinet per Norcold instructions. Is this refer in a slide room? Doug

No, it is not in a slide-out

[dougrainer]

egh33 wrote:
Yea Doug, I guess it's all in the wording. You did not use the word liar. But using the word Nonsense. To me was just about the same. But please excuse me for saying that? I have spent over $600.00 to get my fridge fixed with no luck.
The first guy told me my fans were no good. Pulled the fridge out and replaced the fans at a cost of $104.00 each not counting installation. $150.00 for installation. It worked good till the weather warmed up. Then he asked me to bring it in so he could watch it for a while. I did so. After a week it never got below 40 inside the fridge. He kept it plugged to shore power. I was informed he needed to replace the cooling unit. As I wanted to use the coach I went in and got it. Let it run on propane all the way back to my house, in the short distance of 25 miles on propane, the fridge dropped to 32 degrees. I took a trip it worked great. As the weather warmed up, and another trip, the fridge went back up above 40 and stayed there. Took it to another place and right off told to replace the thermistor, (I think that's what it's called) don't remember the exact cost. Worked good for a while till the summer really started warming up. As soon as the inside of the coach got about 70 the inside fridge went above 40. Took it another repair shop in Washington state. He said he did some cleaning, adjustments replaced some part sold me a little fan to sit inside the fridge. While it was in his shop sitting there it worked fine.
I got on the road, started home second day out temperature inside went back up above 40. If the temperature stays below 70 inside the coach, fridge works fine. But sometimes here in Texas it gets pretty hot. Like I said I think I have a cool weather refrigerator. So I get real leery when some tells me almost any thing about that fridge. I will say, I know nothing about the darn thing.

From your description, it appears rear ventilation is the problem That is NOT a Norcold defect but the OEM that did not baffle the rear of the cabinet per Norcold instructions. Is this refer in a slide room? Doug

[egh33]

Yea Doug, I guess it's all in the wording. You did not use the word liar. But using the word Nonsense. To me was just about the same. But please excuse me for saying that? I have spent over $600.00 to get my fridge fixed with no luck.
The first guy told me my fans were no good. Pulled the fridge out and replaced the fans at a cost of $104.00 each not counting installation. $150.00 for installation. It worked good till the weather warmed up. Then he asked me to bring it in so he could watch it for a while. I did so. After a week it never got below 40 inside the fridge. He kept it plugged to shore power. I was informed he needed to replace the cooling unit. As I wanted to use the coach I went in and got it. Let it run on propane all the way back to my house, in the short distance of 25 miles on propane, the fridge dropped to 32 degrees. I took a trip it worked great. As the weather warmed up, and another trip, the fridge went back up above 40 and stayed there. Took it to another place and right off told to replace the thermistor, (I think that's what it's called) don't remember the exact cost. Worked good for a while till the summer really started warming up. As soon as the inside of the coach got about 70 the inside fridge went above 40. Took it another repair shop in Washington state. He said he did some cleaning, adjustments replaced some part sold me a little fan to sit inside the fridge. While it was in his shop sitting there it worked fine.
I got on the road, started home second day out temperature inside went back up above 40. If the temperature stays below 70 inside the coach, fridge works fine. But sometimes here in Texas it gets pretty hot. Like I said I think I have a cool weather refrigerator. So I get real leery when some tells me almost any thing about that fridge. I will say, I know nothing about the darn thing.

[dougrainer]

egh33 wrote:
I did not say the fans were not working. The fans were working just fine.
You know if I thought you knew what you are talking about I would bring mine down and let you work on it. But I have had 3 different service people work on mine and they all have different things they say is not working.
I think you just always like to call me a lair like you did once before when I made a statement on here.

I know more than just about anyone on the 1200 series Norcold. PERIOD. If I called you a liar(I doubt I did as I say people are wrong or mistaken), then post what I called you a liar about and if I was wrong I will apologize. I never said YOUR fans did not work, I stated you had BAD advice on what was wrong. I stated what fan parameters ARE for failure. Doug

[peaches_cream]

egh33 wrote:
I did not say the fans were not working. The fans were working just fine.
You know if I thought you knew what you are talking about I would bring mine down and let you work on it. But I have had 3 different service people work on mine and they all have different things they say is not working.
I think you just always like to call me a lair like you did once before when I made a statement on here.

No where in Doug's response did I read him calling you a "liar". He said you had a Service Tech that did not know what they were doing. I think you confirmed that by saying you had 3 Service Techs that had no idea what they were doing. Doug has been a great asset to this forum and passes on information that is very beneficial to many.

[egh33]

I did not say the fans were not working. The fans were working just fine.
You know if I thought you knew what you are talking about I would bring mine down and let you work on it. But I have had 3 different service people work on mine and they all have different things they say is not working.
I think you just always like to call me a lair like you did once before when I made a statement on here.

[dougrainer]

egh33 wrote:
If the fans are not working don't,just replace the fans. That's what told me,so replaced the fans. and the fans were OK. But they removed the fridge out replaced the fans re-installed it and then found out the fans were good they took out. Then they told me it needed a new cooling unit. But as they did not know how long it would take to get one I had a little trip to take and I said wait till I got back. Well did a little checking around and while I was on the trip the fridge worked just fine. Went all last summer did good till the temperature got above 70 inside the coach. Then I could not keep temperature in the fridge below 40 degrees. I think I have just found out I have a cool weather refrigerator.

NONSENSE! You had a Service facility that did not know what they were doing. The fans MUST work to give correct adequate cooling in temps above 65 degrees. There are 3 things that cause fans to not work.
1. The fan tstat is bad(99% of the time)
2. The fans are bad
3. After someone accessed the rear control module they reversed the white and black fan control wires and this will cause the fans to never come on. This usually happens after a recall kit is installed.
Regardless, I replace my share of operating fans. WHY? Because the culprit is the fan tstat has failed. As I explain to the customer, I HAVE to pull the refer to replace the tstat and as long as I have to pull it, it is BEST to replace the 2 fans at the same time. This usually happens on a refer more than 5 years old. If I don't and the fans fail in the next few months or years, then he will have to pay to pull the refer again. I also run a 2 wire tstat bypass to bypass the fan tstat in the future for testing and to not have to pull the refer again if that tstat fails again. Doug

[egh33]

If the fans are not working don't,just replace the fans. That's what told me,so replaced the fans. and the fans were OK. But they removed the fridge out replaced the fans re-installed it and then found out the fans were good they took out. Then they told me it needed a new cooling unit. But as they did not know how long it would take to get one I had a little trip to take and I said wait till I got back. Well did a little checking around and while I was on the trip the fridge worked just fine. Went all last summer did good till the temperature got above 70 inside the coach. Then I could not keep temperature in the fridge below 40 degrees. I think I have just found out I have a cool weather refrigerator.

[dougrainer]

k.jensen6 wrote:
OP: Well, by disconnecting the thermister for a few hours and plugging it back in the temp went back down.

Now it's going up again. We have tried to see the fans, can't see them. (I'm sure we looked pretty silly with all the contortions.) There is a huge swamp cooler near our site so it's really hard to hear if they are running.

Someone suggested putting an auxillary fan on the outside to see if that would bring the temp down. Hence indicating the fans probably weren't working. That worked a little.

But the temp is still hovering right around 40.

So any more suggestions?

We are in the Florida Keys for another week, then reserved in the Everglades for two weeks. Not a good time to need service or frig replacement.

Thanks again for any and all help.

Also, if the fans are not working does that mean the frig is toast?

If the fans fail, there is NO HARM to the refer. It just does not cool correctly. Doug

[k_jensen6]

OP: Well, by disconnecting the thermister for a few hours and plugging it back in the temp went back down.

Now it's going up again. We have tried to see the fans, can't see them. (I'm sure we looked pretty silly with all the contortions.) There is a huge swamp cooler near our site so it's really hard to hear if they are running.

Someone suggested putting an auxillary fan on the outside to see if that would bring the temp down. Hence indicating the fans probably weren't working. That worked a little.

But the temp is still hovering right around 40.

So any more suggestions?

We are in the Florida Keys for another week, then reserved in the Everglades for two weeks. Not a good time to need service or frig replacement.

Thanks again for any and all help.

Also, if the fans are not working does that mean the frig is toast?

[Ivylog]

My fans on a 04 are at the top just under the coil so harder to hear than the ones in picture above. You can still see them from the bottom using a light and a mirror.

[Executive45]

You will have two muffin fans on top of the cooling unit. Using a mirror, you can look up between the coils and see them. They should be running. If not, that will be your problem. They are 12VDC fans similar to ones on the back of a computer tower. Running the fridge without the thermister means the fridge will never shut off. This may lead to a bunch of ice buildup in the freezer compartment as well as on the back fins. Think of the thermister as a thermostat. Those muffin fans are controlled by a button switch at the top of the fridge. You cannot reach them or the switch without pulling the fridge forward.

As an interim measure, try this.... remove the outside grill inspection cover. Bungee cord a 120VAC fan across the opening and turn it on. After a couple hours, check your temps. If it's cooling, your issue is with your fans.

A picture is worth a thousand words....see below.....Dennis

[k_jensen6]

OP: No it is not on a slide. We have tried to listen for a fan, think we hear something, but there is a huge swamp cooler near us that makes it hard to verify.

So far, it seems to be holding at about 38. Will see how it is in the am.

Thank you fellow rv'ers for your help and suggestions!