New RV. I've been using it for a couple of months and all has been well even when ambient temps were into the 100's. It is installed in a slide.I woke up this AM and opened the fridge door to get something and noticed it wasn't as cold as it should be. I checked the freezer and things were thawing. I was running it on electric and it has been freezing outside at night and 50's F in the day. I put a digital temp gauge in the freezer and after an hour it read 38F. Ice cubes were mushy and there was 1/4 to 1/2" ice on the back wall.I defrosted it and dried it out. I switched it to gas. In 8 hours it is only down to 37.3 and holding.I read that absorption (sp) refers were less efficient at freezing ambient temperatures so I blocked off the lower vents and mounted a 60 watt bulb in the back compartment. After a couple of hours running this was it is still at 37.3 in the freezer.I am running it on 9 which is the coldest setting. Any ideas?

Lower the thermistor down some or move over to the right one fin.Good luckRon

Moving thermistor location on a fridge that has adjustable temp setting will NOT correct a cooling issue. It can affect food section temps by 4-6*F on a fridge that has NO adjustable temp settings.Insufficient cooling on AC & LP on your 1210 Norcold is typically due to improper/lack of air flow (Draft)Also can be due to one of the electric heaters has failed on ACAnd low propane pressure on LPBut common to both is air flow. Check via upper vent cover for any obstructionBlocked cooling unit!!!Been running fridge with rig off-level :S

Old-Biscuit,Agreed, thermistor position is irrelevant on adjustable temperature model.There is no blockage in top or bottom vents.I could hear fans running in the summer when it was hot but no fans running now. I assumed this because the ambient temps are hovering around freezing. Running on propane flame looked and sounded normal. I will plug on the kill-a-watt and see what the heater is drawing.As to air flow, I thought that was important only when ambient temps are warmer? Some here block off their lower vents in the winter.

It is drawing 415 watts on electric. I am now tossing what was in the freezer, wasn't much and am going to get ice bags for the refer.RV is always level. Has automatic 6 point leveling system. Ran fine for 2 weeks at current location.

Fans are thermostatic controlled. Thermostat is on condenser --turns on fans when fin temp is 135*F and turns them back off when fin temp is 115*F fin.NO fans should not be running in low ambient air temps (usually not needed below 85*F air temps)The 2 heaters are 225W/EA (450W) so a bit low at 415WAir flow is needed (Draft) to remove heat from cooling unit.Blocking off a couple of vents and using a 60W bulb helps when temps are below freezing....but not completely blocked off.A quick visual for gas pressure......turn on all stove top burners on high. Watch each as you turn on another one. Flames steady/remain at same height or do the diminish height?Now with them all running turn on furnace or water heater.Do they recover? If not........LP pressure needs adjusted.

Norcold 1210 doubledoor not cooling. | Good Sam Community

fourthclassC
Explorer
Jan 15, 2016
I had a situation with a happy ending - so far. Norcold quit on Fl trip. Older unit-no warrentee. Successfully re-set control board and its been working great ever since. But I would like to upgrade to an improved control board like I did on my old dometic. Does RV mobile still exist? If not does any one know if those type of improved boards are still available. Would rather replace with one of them than a standard Norcold replacement.

Thank you
CJW8
Explorer
Jan 14, 2016
UPDATE:
The technician couldn't get back to this until after the New Year. His preliminary conclusion before Christmas was that the cooling unit was bad but Norcold required him to follow an elaborate test procedure requiring a few days to complete. He had to do something each day and check it the next day to see the results. After the test, he determined it was a bad control board and he replaced it. It has now ran for several days at 4 deg F in the freezer and 33 deg F in the refer. Job complete. The board cost was about $200 for a Norcold brand board and I didn't even ask what the labor cost was but I'm sure it wasn't cheap. Fortunately, it is covered under warranty.
CJW8
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
Nothing to loose, I will shut it down over night and restart in the AM.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 08, 2015
Cooling Unit Blockage
When a cooling unit malfunctions due to a blockage, the boiler section may be too hot to touch and the absorber will be relatively cool. Any blockage reduces the free flow of the solutions and will inhibit or completely prevent proper operation.

Leaking Cooling Unit
If the boiler is warm and the absorber is hot this indicates that a leak has developed and the hydrogen gas has escaped. The liquid ammonia does not change to a vapor without the hydrogen gas atmosphere and circulates as a liquid.

HOT absorber tank......hydrogen gas has leaked out. You have a crack somewhere
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Dec 08, 2015
Do try shutting it off for a few hours and restarting it. They can get "vapor locked", and letting the pressure equalize will remedy that.
CJW8
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
In the refer I have a classical red liquid filled thermometer for refrigerators. It is hanging in the muddle of the middle shelf. In the freezer I have a digital thermometer that has a thermocouple. (I don't have to open the door to check it) I have verified both in ambient and in ice water. I am an Instrument Technician/SCADA analyst by trade, I know my instruments work. In the last 2 days the freezer has cooled to 28 F and the refer is holding at 45 F.

I see no sighs if the dreaded yellow deposits. I am trying to make an appointment for service now. I just spoke to the local technician. He said if the accumulator tank (my term cuz that is what it looks like) is quite hot, which it is, it is back boiling and likely needs a new cooling unit. Said I could try and jar whatever is plugged in the cooling system loose by going down a bumpy road but it is unlikely to fix it.
dougrainer
Nomad
Dec 06, 2015
CJW8 wrote:
It is not in BOS mode. Rear cooling fans are running. I went through the diagnostics screens (thanks for the link to the service manual Old-Biscuit!) and nothing jumped out at me. There is nothing more I can check and will have to get it serviced. Today freezer is 35 F and ref. is 45 F.

The only thing I haven't tried is shutting it off for 24 hours and letting it settle. Would there be any benefit in this?

These temps do not make sense. IF you are getting 45 in the lower refer section(that means the evap fins are 35 degrees), then you should be getting lower than 35 in the freezer. HOW are you measuring the temps? If the temps are correct, then the cooling unit is BAD. Look for the dreaded Yellow powder/stain at the lower burner area, especially behind the insulation foil pack above the burner. BUT, if the cooling unit is bad/leaker, the Recall box should have tripped. Also, IF the temps are correct a NO CO code should also have been thrown. Doug
PS, you CANNOT use a Thermal Thermometer as a temp measuring device on a refer.
CJW8
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
What if I need that break? LOL
I am doing the testing now.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 06, 2015
Only benefit from shutting it down would be a 'break from messing with it'

Did you go thru the 'cooling unit testing' pg. 65,66,67?

Cooling unit clogged........warranty>>>
CJW8
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
It is not in BOS mode. Rear cooling fans are running. I went through the diagnostics screens (thanks for the link to the service manual Old-Biscuit!) and nothing jumped out at me. There is nothing more I can check and will have to get it serviced. Today freezer is 35 F and ref. is 45 F.

The only thing I haven't tried is shutting it off for 24 hours and letting it settle. Would there be any benefit in this?