Failure of Norcold N811LT fridge

[pezvela]

This is a 2008 model that have been running almost continuously since 2008, except for 1-2 months in the summer when the trailer is not used. Used on 110v almost exclusively, unless a power outage auto-trips it over to propane.

Woke up this morning to find the "on" light flashing and NO COOLING. Would not operate on propane, either, would not even ignite.

This unit does have a thermal cutoff that is built into the flue. I bypassed this circuit and it began to heat back up in the flue AND the propane circuit immediately began working again.

But the flue gets VERY hot back there, on both elec and prop, and the fridge and freezer do not cool after 8 hours of continuous operation. Feeling the ammonia(?)coils in the back finds that only the portion immediately near the flame/heating element is getting warm. The rest of the coils are ambient temperature. Shouldn't these be warm to the touch?

All visible fuses are fine on the circuit board.

Any DIY suggestions on getting this fixed? I have turned it off due to my belief that the flue is getting much too hot.

[j-d]

This project sounds like a good candidate for replacement with a residential fridge. I'm not usually enthusiastic about doing that, but if it's parked permanently and running on electric anyhow, why not?
We don't boondock so we could go residential too. What keeps me from doing it is our designation of the coach as "escape capsule" for storms and extended power outages.
On a quick look:

New Fridge $1500
New Amish Cooling Unit $650 plus labor
Rebuilt Cooling Unit $550 plus labor

I'd probably do the New Amish.

EDIT: But your down there in Mexico. Mex keeps mentioning fees and duties adding (multiplying!) cost. Is availability and shipping going to be a factor? Would buying a little residential fridge at a "local" appliance outlet be the cost-effective solution?

[pezvela]

This trailer hasn't moved since 2008, it is on a cement pad on a covered lot we own.

But I will put a level on it and see if it has shifted much. We do notice that sometimes the doors get tougher to lock and some small adjustments with the leveling jacks is necessary. But the adjustments are fractions of an inch.

Easy to check, though.

[pnichols]

Just as an off-topic side observation ... I wonder if your Norcold unit failed because of hours and hours of you unknowingly operating it with the RV not quite level enough?

We've camped at hundreds of campsites and campgrounds over the years in our motorhome and I can almost count on two hands the spots that were level enough not to have to pull out the leveling blocks. We 99% of the time have to pull out the leveling blocks to get the RV level within one bubble ... it's really frustrating to almost always have to do this. Our 2005 Norcold is still operating fine on both electric and propane - maybe it's pure luck or maybe it's our paranoia about making sure it's level during the thousands of hours that we've used it. :h

[jwmII]

j-d wrote:
Has to come out of it's "pocket" but I've thought I could do the actual cooling unit swap right inside the coach. Haven't tested that idea, though. RV fridge is more bulky than heavy. I looked up the weight and it said 142 for the N841 I found. It'd be lighter without doors and a couple of the shelves. I'd take the doors off to do the cooling unit to be able to get inside, and reduce possible damage.

Right, Slide it out on to a bench or stool that is as close as possible in height as the fridge location. After disconnecting everything slide it out of the compartment and get to work changing out the cooling unit in the coach. It's nice to have a helper so you don't have to keep moving from front to rear of the fridge while doing the change out. If you are doing it by yourself set the bench or stool on a throw rug or old blanket. This way if you are in a spot where you cannot go around the fridge while doing the change out you can just turn the whole thing around easily.

[j-d]

Has to come out of it's "pocket" but I've thought I could do the actual cooling unit swap right inside the coach. Haven't tested that idea, though. RV fridge is more bulky than heavy. I looked up the weight and it said 142 for the N841 I found. It'd be lighter without doors and a couple of the shelves. I'd take the doors off to do the cooling unit to be able to get inside, and reduce possible damage.

[Big_Katuna]

I was concerned with removing it and how heavy, unwieldy it would. Mine is a double wide (4 doors). I took the doors off first and the body was very light, easily managed by two people onto a furniture dolly. One person could do it but two was easier.

[Chris_Bryant]

You do have to remove the refrigerator from the rig- the website I gave the link to has videos and instructions on the procedure.

[pezvela]

No smell noticed.

To replace the cooling unit, can it be done from the access panel at the outside/back? Does the fridge have to be removed?

[Big_Katuna]

No ammonia smell? I understand sometimes they can plug up and not flow.

I replaced my cooling unit on my 1200 last year. Not hard, tedious.

[Chris_Bryant]

You can look at http://rvcoolingunit.com/- they have both rebuilt and new, Amish built replacements, along with instructions on replacement. If you don't need LP operation, many people go with an all electric replacement refrigerator.

[pezvela]

When you say the "cooling unit" is bad, are you referring to the ammonia coils? If so, I assume that is un-replaceable?

[Chris_Bryant]

Likely the cooling unit is bad. That thermal fuse is to keep the thing from catching fire- not a good idea to bypass safety stuff, unless you are there closely monitoring.