Norcold 1200lrm half fixed

[lynneely]

Last year in Oct We had a new unit put in and it was a amish unit. I was very pleased.
after instlation we left and went south to tx, before getting just to Kansas the fridge was up to 45-50
which didnt alarm me much being on propane. But when we got to San Antonio Tx. it was up to 60 and would not get below that after sitting there for 3 days, I notice that the fans on the back were not running. I called the dealer which installed it and they made a appointment for a rv shop in mission tx to look at it. He said he didnt like the amish units and they were junk, I wasnt pleased with his attuide
at all, I had faith in the unit, but I wanted it fix. I told him the fans were not running, and since he would have the unit out to put new fans in since they were 8 yrs old. 2-3 weeks later, he said it was ready and that the unit was bad, he did put new fans on as requested. we winter in tx so we took it home and parked it for 6 months it was cold inside when we parked it.
We started it up this April and the same thing happened, 50-60 degrees,again and the fans were still not running. Parked in Bandera Tx in the middle of now where but brush.
I happed to stick the old fans in the motor home, I jimmy ridged the fans to the bottom of the coils,
And I had the fridge working good within a day or so and was even on number 6 cooling when left there.
I made a appointment at Iron Horse Rv in San Antonio tx to
have them look at the fridge. they were very prompt after we got there they said the wire connecting the thermostat for the fans was just jammed in and wasn't making a connection. I asked about taking the bottom fans off they said it would hurt leaving them on that these unit work better with all the air flow they can get. (not meaning just the amish units).
Anyway, on our way again, fridge cooled down, but with in a hour temp souring again. I tried running the genset while traveling with little difference, I finally figured out that there had to be air getting into the fridge from somewhere, while traveling also while sitting the coils ice up to fast they are thick
with in 2-3 days (it does defrost every 48 hrs. I have been watching).
After getting back to Iowa and getting things unpacked for our summer stay (we live in the mortorhome during the summer) I defrost the freezer and clean out the fridge, but what I found was bad. I could put a 16 gauge wire down inside about 6-8 inch on the bottom of the fins through the back plastic, the sides of the fins moved very easily, and was a large gap on each side of the fins
I spent 2 hours just putting putty (the kind they put around the windows and doors in a rv) around they whole thing. hoping this would not hurt the performance of the fridge. on the ends I put putty and covered it with gorilla tape. The freezer, I didn't know if this was normal but on the front of the
on both sides there was a gap where they were put together, I also gorilla tape this.
I started the fridge, it was 1:00pm and 72-74 degrees, inside fin temp was 67, by 8 it was down to 35-37 fin temp was 24. I put the food back in, It has been cool here for a day or so, this week end will be warmer.
I did check the door gaskets and installed new gasket material, so we do have a good seal.
I do need to find a place that really knows how to install these units. and get it done right. ( As Mike Holms would say)
Update: I found that there was more gap's in the freeze, where the fiberglass is slid into the back box. I have put more gorilla tap around the whole freezer box.
The ice cream was HARD last night. Never has been before, I covered the gorilla tape with white duck tape you barely notice it.
I need to find some one that can install this thing right!
But look at your freezer if there are gaps, the cooling in the freezer is over working and not letting cooling in the bottom as well. This is my thought, This was all done in May we had some hot days in June and first opart of July 95-98 degrees and the fridge worked good.
I just did more freeze tape this week, I will let you know how the return trip goes. I do have pictures of what I have done.

[dougrainer]

moisheh wrote:
This is an old thread but I have read that the drain line can let warm air into the fridge if it is mounted low or if there is no "trap" to keep the warm air out.

Moisheh

Norcolds have a black "check" valve on the end of that white tube to prevent air from going up into the refer. Some people have removed that check valve, not good. Doug

[moisheh]

This is an old thread but I have read that the drain line can let warm air into the fridge if it is mounted low or if there is no "trap" to keep the warm air out.

Moisheh

[lynneely]

The fridge works well sitting still I have it set on 3-4 temp is 34-36inside and it is up to 90 degrees outside some times. it is going down the road when it heats up fast sucking hot air in when moving. No problems with lp it just cant keep up. no error codes. And it does defrost about every 48 hrs. now, before there was too much ice to get it all off when going threw a cycle.
I know i need it pulled and fixed, BUT I have spent over $1000. so far after it being fixed two times. extend warranty took care of most of it my delectable is $500. x2 plus the cost of new fans $240. I just want to try and see if we can get the hot air from quit coming in so bad going down the road. Iron Horse in San Antonio could do it, If when the unit was taken off (twice) and the back was not torn up to bad they might be able to reseal it. But the cost to find out and then not work, This would not be covered by warranty.
http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/lynneely/library/RV%20Fridge?sort=3&page=1

[dougrainer]

You do NOT need any caulk around the fins at all. ANY gap you see, is normal, IF the CU was installed correctly. The Thermal mastic is between the Fins and the cooling unit and IF DONE correctly, you will not see any of this on the fin side. There are NOT operational problems with the 1200 series Norcold. They have made millions of them and the only problems are problems due to AGE and normal wearing out of components. If FIXED correctly, they perform great. Doug

From your pics, The freezer, that gap is normal and the FOAM insulation of the box seals that area
The fin with your sealant, also normal
Your model has an auto defrost feature. IF left ON continuously, every 48 to 54 hours the refer shuts OFF for about 2 hours to allow any frost/ice on the fins to melt. Then the refer restarts. FROST/ICE on the fins means that the refer is performing to specs. The inside temp of the refer will be 10 degrees warmer than the fins. If the fins are at 28 degrees, the refer will be about 38 degrees. I notice you had plastic bags and such in the lower refer. Those are a bad thing IF they are at the back wall. You need to have an air space of at least 1 inch at the back wall of the lower refer to allow air to flow up and over the fins to transmit cold to the air. IF partially or fully blocked, then the refer cannot adequately cool the interior items. That is why some install the refer aftermarket battery operated cooling fans to help move that air.

[lynneely]

The gap I'm talking about you should be able to see in the picture. It has made a huge difference in the frozen food. My ice cream is now rock hard, now that warm air is not coming in.
So I would believe that with it staying colder, would help getting the lower fridge part colder faster and the whole fridge not have to work so hard to keep up.
I know we will have problem's with moister in the back and we have decided to put in a residential fridge in next spring before coming back to Iowa.
I'm think of shutting down the fridge and taking the caulking off that I have put on (the rope caulk) and using some kind of regular caulk to make a better seal.
In Doing this I just want to see if it make a big difference going down the road. The fridge is going to the bone yard anyway. There are so many people having this problem I would like to know if it a fix, if you cant afford a new fridge.

I would like to hear from people of what kind of caulk should be used in the fridge around the fins. I will leave the gorilla tape non the freezer.
Before you scream that I need to pull the fridge, I'm a 62yr old lady that like's to do her own thing, so not to pay the $110 hr RV labor cost and still don't know if it is going to be done right. Been there done that several times just to leaving the shop and find out that it was done half ass or not all. done that before also.
I have tried to post pictures but cant figure out how any help please
hope this way is ok.

[louiskathy]

dougrainer wrote:

louiskathy wrote:
It sounds to me like whoever installed the Amish cooling unit in October... did not do it right. There are two sealants that have to be put on the cooling unit BEFORE you shove the cooling unit into the fridge. They can be messy to deal with but they put a seal/barrier between the hot tubes in the Amish cooling unit from the fins.

That's a shame but not unfixable. I'd start by calling the place that did the work in October. Then if they would not redo it (take the cooling unit out...clean it up... put the sealant on like they should have done in the first place...and install it again) I'd call the manufacturer of the unit. You should be able to know who that is because they're the ones that you would call if the unit did not cool. It should have a warranty if it's truly an Amish Unit.

Find the serial and model numbers on the back of the unit. (Open the outside vent door and look for information.) Does it say PINES RV ??
Maybe it was bought through
David Force
901-337-9948
www.rvcoolingunit.com
www.rvcoolingunit.net

NOT CORRECT AT ALL:
The "sealant" is not a sealant at all. The "stuff" is a TRANSFER MASTIC that facilitates the faster transfer of cold from the Cooling Unit coils to the back wall of the refer box. ONCE that Mastic is installed (MORE and excess is better), you then install a bead of real sealant on the inside corner edges where the foam of the CU meets the Box. You then use HVAC foil tape to completely seal off the outside edge of the CU to the box. There is NOTHING that has to do with "hot" coils or the hot parts of the CU. There is NO connection between the Freezer and the Lower refer. No air gaps and BOTH are sealed from each other. Do NOT use the Transfer Mastic or do NOT use enough and the CU will not transfer the cold well. Doug

I explained it the best I could. You explained it better. No need to yell. I gave him the phone numbers to check it out.

[dougrainer]

To the OP,
1. What you did helps, but the refer needs to be pulled and the CU pulled and the Transfer Mastic installed correctly
2. There is NO WAY you can tell in the freezer the condition of the Transfer Mastic. You have the pull the CU to tell
3. From your long explanation---The CU was NOT installed correctly.
4. I ALWAYS advise customers to replace both fans and the tstat for the fans when I do a 1200 series CU. I also run a 2 wire jumper from the tstat to the back side so test the fans or even have the fans run all the time to get better cooling in cooler climates.
5. IF the CU is NOT sealed correctly, in transit, the refer will heat up. The refer can actually PULL in hot air while the RV is in transit if the CU is NOT sealed at the back correctly. Will work fine camped. Doug

PS, yes, that shop would NOT like the Amish CU if they do not install them correctly and will blame the Amish Junk, instead of their own incompetence when customers complain

[dougrainer]

louiskathy wrote:
It sounds to me like whoever installed the Amish cooling unit in October... did not do it right. There are two sealants that have to be put on the cooling unit BEFORE you shove the cooling unit into the fridge. They can be messy to deal with but they put a seal/barrier between the hot tubes in the Amish cooling unit from the fins.

That's a shame but not unfixable. I'd start by calling the place that did the work in October. Then if they would not redo it (take the cooling unit out...clean it up... put the sealant on like they should have done in the first place...and install it again) I'd call the manufacturer of the unit. You should be able to know who that is because they're the ones that you would call if the unit did not cool. It should have a warranty if it's truly an Amish Unit.

Find the serial and model numbers on the back of the unit. (Open the outside vent door and look for information.) Does it say PINES RV ??
Maybe it was bought through
David Force
901-337-9948
www.rvcoolingunit.com
www.rvcoolingunit.net

NOT CORRECT AT ALL:
The "sealant" is not a sealant at all. The "stuff" is a TRANSFER MASTIC that facilitates the faster transfer of cold from the Cooling Unit coils to the back wall of the refer box. ONCE that Mastic is installed (MORE and excess is better), you then install a bead of real sealant on the inside corner edges where the foam of the CU meets the Box. You then use HVAC foil tape to completely seal off the outside edge of the CU to the box. There is NOTHING that has to do with "hot" coils or the hot parts of the CU. There is NO connection between the Freezer and the Lower refer. No air gaps and BOTH are sealed from each other. Do NOT use the Transfer Mastic or do NOT use enough and the CU will not transfer the cold well. Doug

[lynneely]

Thank you for yor reply, I have talked to Dave at RV Cooling He is a great guy, I would go there if it wasnt so far away and have them re install it (Not him but the people that build it.) He and I have talked several times. I sent him all the picture's I had and what I have done.
I belive the Amish unit is a very good unit, I have to believe the rv shops just dont know or care when they put in a new unit, the RV Manager in Mission Tx. is a horses put toot. He does not like the amish cooling unit and they reinstalled it . And had another unit sent saying the first one was bad. I dont believe that.
I even called with the old serial number they took out seeing if they had checked it yet.

I paid $240. for new fans to be put on and they still didnt work, they crimped a wire wrong and didnt make the connection
Thats what Iron Horse in San Antonio found. We didn't know at the time there
was gaps in the fins and was not sealed right or I would had them take it out.
and try to fix it then. But we were on our way, before I realized it was heating up inside.
I tried running the gen set, I turn it off and taped the air vent on the back so air could not blow inside, (that worked the best)
I do believe that when they take these thing off if they are not careful they can really mess the back up and re-sealing them can go wrong.
I did call Iron Horse back after leaving, they said if it was torn up when taking the old unit off (twice) It might never be able to get seal right.
Im so frustrated Im think of put a house fridge in. Iron horse has been doing a lot of them, the owner himself has taken the norcold out of his RV and replaced it with a Samsung .
Being our age and not know if we will have this rv more that 3 yrs I don't know if spend $3000. to do a remake of a house fridge. is worth it, when sitting it works great.

[louiskathy]

It sounds to me like whoever installed the Amish cooling unit in October... did not do it right. There are two sealants that have to be put on the cooling unit BEFORE you shove the cooling unit into the fridge. They can be messy to deal with but they put a seal/barrier between the hot tubes in the Amish cooling unit from the fins.

That's a shame but not unfixable. I'd start by calling the place that did the work in October. Then if they would not redo it (take the cooling unit out...clean it up... put the sealant on like they should have done in the first place...and install it again) I'd call the manufacturer of the unit. You should be able to know who that is because they're the ones that you would call if the unit did not cool. It should have a warranty if it's truly an Amish Unit.

Find the serial and model numbers on the back of the unit. (Open the outside vent door and look for information.) Does it say PINES RV ??
Maybe it was bought through
David Force
901-337-9948
www.rvcoolingunit.com
www.rvcoolingunit.net