Norcold fridge won't cool

[drillagent]

Hi all. I've searched the forum and haven't found anything like my problem. Hopefully someone can help out. I have a Norcold 1210 in a 2012 Montana. Five months ago our freezer had a large amount of ice on the back wall so we defrosted it. We turned it off and used a hair dryer to warm it up. Everything was fine. A month later we moved on to our next destination and the fridge wasn't cooling. Had a technician look at it and he removed a wasp nest off the LP burner. We mostly run on AC because of my fear of a fire. After he looked at it, it seemed to run ok, but I had to run the temp all the way up to 9 for it to cool enough. Ever since, it has worked some and not worked some. For about the past month now, the box temp has stayed at about 52 degrees and the freezer temp at about 32 degrees with some frost on the back, but nothing is freezing. I have tried running it on LP and AC with no change. I also replaced the thermistor with no change. Current outside temps are mid 40's to mid 50's. And I'm parked in an area with no direct sunlight. I know there is at least one fan on the back because I saw it when I took a picture up the back to make sure the air flow wasn't blocked. But I don't know if I've ever heard it come on. I'm at my wits end and tired of losing money to food that spoils. Does anyone have any ideas or is it time to just call a professional?

[drsteve]

You can get an Amish cooling unit for much less, and it has a better warranty...

Amish Norcold

[larry_cad]

drillagent wrote:
Update: I put a fan behind the fridge and there was no change. So I broke down and contacted a mobile RV service who came and looked at the fridge. They have determined that the cooling unit is going bad and will have to eventually be replaced. They gave me quotes for two different manufacturers and will cost between $2500 to $2800 for the replacement. Unfortunately we are going to have to wait a little longer to get the work done. Thanks.

You really need to consider converting to a residential fridge. Do your own research and filter out the naysayers of doom. Residential type work very well, even in boondocking situations and you don't have to do an annual cooling unit replacement.

Speaking from personal experience after having replaced original cooling unit twice!

[drillagent]

Update: I put a fan behind the fridge and there was no change. So I broke down and contacted a mobile RV service who came and looked at the fridge. They have determined that the cooling unit is going bad and will have to eventually be replaced. They gave me quotes for two different manufacturers and will cost between $2500 to $2800 for the replacement. Unfortunately we are going to have to wait a little longer to get the work done. Thanks.

[kenboat]

Any update ?

[drillagent]

Update: So the weather here has changed and the past two nights have been below freezing with snow. Very unusual for this area. The temp in the fridge has dropped to 45 degrees and the freezer is now about 25 degrees. So is it safe to say I have a problem with airflow behind the fridge? As soon as I can find a fan, I’ll put it behind the fridge and see what happens.

[ScottG]

I was able to access the the thermostat from the roof by removing the fidge vent cap and pulling back the screen about 1/2 way. The sensor is on the very top and end of the last fin. Putting it all back together was simple.
Since my first one only lasted a week, I don't have much faith in them.

My Norcold was very marginal in its performnace. I removed it and did extensive work to the cabinet and ceiling area to correct install errors. Looking forward to next season to see if that fixed its performance issues.

[dougrainer]

drillagent wrote:
Thank you all for your input. I decided to check the coil on the back of the fridge and the tank is hot, but the coil above is cold to the touch. Is this a bubble, or normal? I'll try to wedge a fan in there to blow upwards and see what happens. Where is the thermal switch for the fans? The fridge is not in a slide and the vent is located on the roof. Thanks again for all your help.

You have to pull the refer to access both the 2 fans and the Thermostatic switch The switch is on the condensor fins at the back top of the refer. When I repair the fans or tstat, I ALWAYS replace both Fans and the Tstat for the fans. Because you have to pull the refer. I also run a 2 wire pigtail from the Tstat down the back of the refer and secure it by the control board. That way you can jump the wires to test fan operation in the future if the tstat fails again. If the tstat does fail again you just connect both wires and the fans will then run. Doug

[doxiemom11]

We also have a Norcold that is now 19 years old and working as it should. When we did have trouble, we were in hot temps, sitting in the sun, but realized we also had not heard the fans run in awhile. We used a computer fan and installed it in the outside access area pointing up the vent. That took care of the problem for us. We think those factory fans had stopped working and there are not easy to get to or replace ( hubby does repairs) so reading that others had done this, we did too.

[drillagent]

Thank you all for your input. I decided to check the coil on the back of the fridge and the tank is hot, but the coil above is cold to the touch. Is this a bubble, or normal? I'll try to wedge a fan in there to blow upwards and see what happens. Where is the thermal switch for the fans? The fridge is not in a slide and the vent is located on the roof. Thanks again for all your help.

[dougrainer]

CarnationSailor wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

CarnationSailor wrote:
I don't think it has anything to do with the rear fans because with outside temps between mid-40's and mid-50's (as stated by OP), it won't get hot enough behind the fridge for the fans to cycle on.

It has EVERYTHING to do with the 2 rear cooling fans. 1200 models must have those fans to get the hot air out. Regardless of ambient temps. The best thing the OP can do is remove the outside lower access door, get a 120 small fan that he can wedge in there pointing up and test for 24 hours. That fan will supply the needed air if the upper fans are inop. The OP if I missed it should state if refer is IN a slide room. If so, the cooling fans MUST be running. You still need the fans if it has roof top venting. Doug

Doug,

You may be right. At what temp would you say the fan thermostat should turn the fans on?

Its NOT what I SAY. It is what Norcold specs are. Also 23 years and still working on Norcold 1200 series refers. Regardless , the Fans running 24/7 would yield quicker colder temps. The usual failure is the Thermo switch. Doug

The thermostatic switch is mounted on the condenser fin. The switch turns the fan on when the temperature is approximately 130 °F. The switch turns the fan off when fin temperature drops to approximately 115 °F.

[CarnationSailor]

dougrainer wrote:

CarnationSailor wrote:
I don't think it has anything to do with the rear fans because with outside temps between mid-40's and mid-50's (as stated by OP), it won't get hot enough behind the fridge for the fans to cycle on.

It has EVERYTHING to do with the 2 rear cooling fans. 1200 models must have those fans to get the hot air out. Regardless of ambient temps. The best thing the OP can do is remove the outside lower access door, get a 120 small fan that he can wedge in there pointing up and test for 24 hours. That fan will supply the needed air if the upper fans are inop. The OP if I missed it should state if refer is IN a slide room. If so, the cooling fans MUST be running. You still need the fans if it has roof top venting. Doug

Doug,

You may be right. At what temp would you say the fan thermostat should turn the fans on?

[dougrainer]

CarnationSailor wrote:
I don't think it has anything to do with the rear fans because with outside temps between mid-40's and mid-50's (as stated by OP), it won't get hot enough behind the fridge for the fans to cycle on.

It has EVERYTHING to do with the 2 rear cooling fans. 1200 models must have those fans to get the hot air out. Regardless of ambient temps. The best thing the OP can do is remove the outside lower access door, get a 120 small fan that he can wedge in there pointing up and test for 24 hours. That fan will supply the needed air if the upper fans are inop. The OP if I missed it should state if refer is IN a slide room. If so, the cooling fans MUST be running. You still need the fans if it has roof top venting. Doug

[dougrainer]

Matt_Colie wrote:
Well Drill,

I hate to confirm this, but the half-life of absorption refrigerators is about 7 years. (fme) The unit only cools the freezer and uses the drift from that for the higher temperature side of the box. The reason you had a big block of ice was that it was trying to keep the warm side cool and having to work too hard to do it.

You can try taking it out and standing it upside down for a day, then right way up for another day and finally power it up and test it. Sometimes, things get confused inside and this is suppose to get them back where they belong. It does work some times (~50%).

Installing one of Leon's rebuilds is not all that tough, and in our tribe they seem to last longer than the OE. But they are half the cost of new.

If you don't dry camp or boondock much, an appartment or dorm reefer is a much less expensive and more reliable solution if you can make it fit. Those units need side clearance for cooling.

Matt

NOT TRUE!!!! RV refers have COILS for BOTH the freezer AND the Lower refer section. There is NO "drift". 7 years????? BS. They will last a LONG time if not run off level or allowed to overheat. Doug

[CarnationSailor]

I don't think it has anything to do with the rear fans because with outside temps between mid-40's and mid-50's (as stated by OP), it won't get hot enough behind the fridge for the fans to cycle on.