I posted earlier about my Norcold N841 refir catching on fire. It's going to be $300 in parts to repair, or $1100 to just buy a new fridge. It's only 4 years old, so hate to replace it if it's not needed. I was concerned there may of been an ammonia leak, can anyone with experience give their opinion? It's installed in a houseboat at Lake Powell, and I have not been there since before the fire. The owner (shared ownership) that was there, said there was no smell of ammonia.In the pictures at the link below, the soot looks yellow to me, I've heard an ammonia leak is yellow.Any thoughts, should I just replace the whole thing?Thanks,JimPICTURES: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wqr5zK7TbjtHwf373

I'm no HVAC expert but I thought ammonia was dropped from that use decades ago. It almost certainly uses some type of Freon

agesilaus wrote:I'm no HVAC expert but I thought ammonia was dropped from that use decades ago. It almost certainly uses some type of FreonNah, ammonia is the common product used in absorbtion type fridges. Freon wont work.

ClickyUsually a leak leaves a yellowish powdery substance. See any of that?

Most just replace the cooling unit, not the entire fridge. The cooling unit is what goes bad.

agesilaus wrote:I'm no HVAC expert but I thought ammonia was dropped from that use decades ago. It almost certainly uses some type of FreonYour Dometic Fridge uses the same ammonia coolant solution (ammonia, hydrogen gas, sodium chromate and water) as do the rest of RV absorption fridges (except a few Atwood HE models...they have Helium vs Hydrogen but the rest of coolant is same)

Refir Ammonia Leak | Good Sam Community

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Oct 28, 2017
Yeah the same with chlorine. Ugly if it gets loose. In the Martinez Shell Oil Refinery we worried about hydrogen sulfide. One mini snort kills the rotten egg smell then the person the smeller belongs to. Down here we dealt with blocks of ice reeking of ammonia. Oh well at least I have the best refrigeration and compartmentalized window A/C units.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 28, 2017
RLS7201 wrote:
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
A really tight COMPRESSOR ice plant prefers ammonia. I read some "comments" that ammonia is 3-10% more efficient than freon. Fascinating. When one company on the coast ditched a freon-12 system for a chipped ice plant in favor of ammonia, the owner showed me his electric bills. -22% on average.

Wouldn't it be nice IF, ammonia equipment could endure many tens of thousands of continuous operation leak-free?

Not having a decent understanding of HVAC, I am wondering how ammonia would stack up for duty in an A/C unit? The secret of course is maintaining a leak-free system. The efficiency is tantalizing.

Mex, in the States most governing authorities (cities counties & states) require a trained and licensed person to operate and maintain a compressor ammonia plant. Ammonia can be deadly and is best combated with water. Water will adsorb 100 times it weigh in ammonia. So it's best used in a commercial environment. I had to take an Operating Engineers class to get my class A operators licence to fire high pressure boilers, which included operating ammonia plants. Oh what we'll do to earn a buck or two.

Richard

Richard.......
BTDT

Control Operator for SCE Utility Power Plants
The chemicals, the high pressure systems, the high temps and the rotating shifts. Fun fun fun :B
RLS7201
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2017
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
A really tight COMPRESSOR ice plant prefers ammonia. I read some "comments" that ammonia is 3-10% more efficient than freon. Fascinating. When one company on the coast ditched a freon-12 system for a chipped ice plant in favor of ammonia, the owner showed me his electric bills. -22% on average.

Wouldn't it be nice IF, ammonia equipment could endure many tens of thousands of continuous operation leak-free?

Not having a decent understanding of HVAC, I am wondering how ammonia would stack up for duty in an A/C unit? The secret of course is maintaining a leak-free system. The efficiency is tantalizing.

Mex, in the States most governing authorities (cities counties & states) require a trained and licensed person to operate and maintain a compressor ammonia plant. Ammonia can be deadly and is best combated with water. Water will adsorb 100 times it weigh in ammonia. So it's best used in a commercial environment. I had to take an Operating Engineers class to get my class A operators licence to fire high pressure boilers, which included operating ammonia plants. Oh what we'll do to earn a buck or two.

Richard
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Oct 27, 2017
A really tight COMPRESSOR ice plant prefers ammonia. I read some "comments" that ammonia is 3-10% more efficient than freon. Fascinating. When one company on the coast ditched a freon-12 system for a chipped ice plant in favor of ammonia, the owner showed me his electric bills. -22% on average.

Wouldn't it be nice IF, ammonia equipment could endure many tens of thousands of continuous operation leak-free?

Not having a decent understanding of HVAC, I am wondering how ammonia would stack up for duty in an A/C unit? The secret of course is maintaining a leak-free system. The efficiency is tantalizing.
Johno02
Explorer
Oct 27, 2017
Yellow stuff means its dead. Just like humans, lots of red stuff is NOT good.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Oct 27, 2017
To add to Old Biscuit's explainantion, the yellow residue is the chromate leaking. You don't have any of that and it would only show around the boiler anyway because thats where the seamed (and welded tubing is.

You are fine.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Oct 27, 2017
Old-Biscuit wrote:
agesilaus wrote:
I'm no HVAC expert but I thought ammonia was dropped from that use decades ago. It almost certainly uses some type of Freon

Your Dometic Fridge uses the same ammonia coolant solution (ammonia, hydrogen gas, sodium chromate and water) as do the rest of RV absorption fridges (except a few Atwood HE models...they have Helium vs Hydrogen but the rest of coolant is same)

Well you learn something new every day...heh
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 27, 2017
Jim_Arndt wrote:
I posted earlier about my Norcold N841 refir catching on fire. It's going to be $300 in parts to repair, or $1100 to just buy a new fridge. It's only 4 years old, so hate to replace it if it's not needed.

I was concerned there may of been an ammonia leak, can anyone with experience give their opinion? It's installed in a houseboat at Lake Powell, and I have not been there since before the fire. The owner (shared ownership) that was there, said there was no smell of ammonia.

In the pictures at the link below, the soot looks yellow to me, I've heard an ammonia leak is yellow.

Any thoughts, should I just replace the whole thing?

Thanks,
Jim

PICTURES:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wqr5zK7TbjtHwf373

What is the $300 in parts?

From the picture the Cooling Unit is Good
What I see is a burnt up control module/AC Power cord
Looks like AC Power cord shorted at connection on circuit board and burnt.

Replace the Control Module, the AC Power cord and maybe some wiring repairs (leads to AC heat Element, DC wiring and maybe wiring at Gas Valve) and S/B good to go

Norcold N84X parts....just need to use correct serial number to ID which part numbers

Don't see any evidence of cooling unit leaking.....typically that would be around burner area (yellowish residue) or on boiler section where AC Element Holder is welded to perk tube.

Examples of yellowish residue
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 27, 2017
agesilaus wrote:
I'm no HVAC expert but I thought ammonia was dropped from that use decades ago. It almost certainly uses some type of Freon

Your Dometic Fridge uses the same ammonia coolant solution (ammonia, hydrogen gas, sodium chromate and water) as do the rest of RV absorption fridges (except a few Atwood HE models...they have Helium vs Hydrogen but the rest of coolant is same)
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Oct 27, 2017
Most just replace the cooling unit, not the entire fridge. The cooling unit is what goes bad.