Norcold 611 freezer not cold enough

[drsteve]

Refrigerator compartment is at 36 degrees, while the freezer will only get down to 15. I would prefer it closer to 0. This model has no temp adjustment other than moving the thermistor to a different fin. Any ideas? TIA.

[dougrainer]

pnichols wrote:

drsteve wrote:
Refrigerator compartment is at 36 degrees, while the freezer will only get down to 15. I would prefer it closer to 0. This model has no temp adjustment other than moving the thermistor to a different fin. Any ideas? TIA.

I have almost the identical situation in my motorhome with it's two-way N611 propane refrigerator, which after 12 years still performs very well. However my N611 has a 5 position temperature control switch on the front - which apparently the OP's and probably many other 611 Norcolds do not.

I have thermometers inside in it's freezer and refrigerator sections in addition to a wireless sensor in the refrigerator section that provides a signal to an indicator on the outside so I can read the refrigerator section temperature without opening the refrig door.

With the 5 postion switch in it's middle setting of "3", and in moderate outside temperatures, the freezer stays around 10 degrees and the refrigerator around 36 degrees.

I can lower both temperatures simultaneously by setting the temperature switch to "4" or "5". What I would like is the freezer slightly lower at around 0 degrees with the refrigerator still averaging where is does in the range of 36-38 degrees ... which is the recommended average temperatures for home refrigerators.

Will moving the slider on the aluminum fins in the refrigerator section to a different position change this refrigerator-freezer temperature relationship such that by keeping the temperature switch in the "4" position, the freezer will average 0 degrees, while keeping the refrigerator temperature still around 36-38 degrees?

I haven't called Norcold on this yet and so far no one in the forums has a solid answer, but intuitively it seems that the answer should be yes ... depending of course on exactly what the effect is of where the sensor is located on the aluminum fins.

The Freezer can get slightly colder with the adjustable tstat. But only about 4 to 6 degrees. It will ALWAYS get colder than 10 degrees regardless of temp control system. YOUR system moving the Thermister will NOT change the parameters of LOWER cooling. It senses the Fin temp. The fins will not change in temp that much in response to moving the Thermister. An Auto temp refer, you can change the lower temp 2 to 4 degrees by moving it up and down. So, The LONGER the refer runs in YOUR system, the freezer will get a few degrees colder just because the system is running LONGER due to you wanting a lower bottom temp. BUT, the system maxes out at about 0 degrees. Trying to get 0 degrees and NOT having a lower temp at a slightly higher temp cannot be achieved. You could run the refer full bore 24/7 and the freezer will not get colder than 0 degrees. Maybe -2, but rare. Doug

[pnichols]

drsteve wrote:
Refrigerator compartment is at 36 degrees, while the freezer will only get down to 15. I would prefer it closer to 0. This model has no temp adjustment other than moving the thermistor to a different fin. Any ideas? TIA.

I have almost the identical situation in my motorhome with it's two-way N611 propane refrigerator, which after 12 years still performs very well. However my N611 has a 5 position temperature control switch on the front - which apparently the OP's and probably many other 611 Norcolds do not.

I have thermometers inside in it's freezer and refrigerator sections in addition to a wireless sensor in the refrigerator section that provides a signal to an indicator on the outside so I can read the refrigerator section temperature without opening the refrig door.

With the 5 postion switch in it's middle setting of "3", and in moderate outside temperatures, the freezer stays around 10 degrees and the refrigerator around 36 degrees.

I can lower both temperatures simultaneously by setting the temperature switch to "4" or "5". What I would like is the freezer slightly lower at around 0 degrees with the refrigerator still averaging where is does in the range of 36-38 degrees ... which is the recommended average temperatures for home refrigerators.

Will moving the slider on the aluminum fins in the refrigerator section to a different position change this refrigerator-freezer temperature relationship such that by keeping the temperature switch in the "4" position, the freezer will average 0 degrees, while keeping the refrigerator temperature still around 36-38 degrees?

I haven't called Norcold on this yet and so far no one in the forums has a solid answer, but intuitively it seems that the answer should be yes ... depending of course on exactly what the effect is of where the sensor is located on the aluminum fins.

[drsteve]

dougrainer wrote:
RV refers have no temp adjustment for the freezer. The Freezer will get to its coldest temp regardless of the Lower temp whether an Auto temp refer or a refer with an adjustable tstat control. How old is the refer? Is it possible that the Cooling unit has been changed before? If so, and the incorrect amount of Thermal Mastic was not installed on the freezer coils, it will not transfer the full amount of cold to the freezer. Also, if Norcold did not install the correct amount of Thermal Mastic, the same result. Years ago, on some models(very few, less than a few hundred), Norcold did not install the correct amount of Thermal Mastic. But, the ONLY way to determine that was to pull the refer and the Cooling Unit. Doug

PS, the freezer specs are anything below 10 degrees is correct temp.

This unit has no adjustment other than moving the thermistor. I bought the trailer new last year, so I know it has never been changed.

Sounds like I'm pretty close to what Norcold would call normal operation...

[drsteve]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
What.how are you measuring temps?

How full is freezer?

Frost build up?

Have you checked freezer door seals....dollar bill test?

Are you using electric or propane?
Same results with either heat source?

Where is thermistor attached....which fin?

Any Fault Codes? (based on color of Indicating light)
Green and flashing off every 20 seconds
Amber and flashing off every 20 seconds
Red.....

Temps measured with a digital thermometer, empty freezer and fridge compartments.

Minimal frost.

Top compartment seals do not seem very tight. Bottom ones are only a little tighter. How good a grip should they have on the dollar bill?

Same results on either source.

Thermistor is on the sixth fin from the right.

No codes.

[Old-Biscuit]

Warranty issue.

[Boon_Docker]

I would say doug is correct about the mastic. The fridge compartment temp is where it should be so the unit is operating properly.

[dougrainer]

RV refers have no temp adjustment for the freezer. The Freezer will get to its coldest temp regardless of the Lower temp whether an Auto temp refer or a refer with an adjustable tstat control. How old is the refer? Is it possible that the Cooling unit has been changed before? If so, and the incorrect amount of Thermal Mastic was not installed on the freezer coils, it will not transfer the full amount of cold to the freezer. Also, if Norcold did not install the correct amount of Thermal Mastic, the same result. Years ago, on some models(very few, less than a few hundred), Norcold did not install the correct amount of Thermal Mastic. But, the ONLY way to determine that was to pull the refer and the Cooling Unit. Doug

PS, the freezer specs are anything below 10 degrees is correct temp.

[Old-Biscuit]

What.how are you measuring temps?

How full is freezer?

Frost build up?

Have you checked freezer door seals....dollar bill test?

Are you using electric or propane?
Same results with either heat source?

Where is thermistor attached....which fin?

Any Fault Codes? (based on color of Indicating light)
Green and flashing off every 20 seconds
Amber and flashing off every 20 seconds
Red.....