Norcold 2118 behavior

[mraplx]

Here you go.

Attachment 26827

Thank very much! Do you happen to recall you high outside temp for the data set?

[KamFlyer]

Thank very much! Do you happen to recall you high outside temp for the data set?

IIRC it was around 23C. The fridge is on the shaded side of the rig as well.

[mraplx]

Our fridge performance was greatly improved by adding all three cooling aids.

1. The 2118 door fix
2. Internal circulation fan
3. External upper vent 200mm exhaust fan 2x.

In 109 degree outsides temps with no shade, our fridge was at 36 and freezer was at 17 mid afternoon after just 24 hours to stabilize at the campsite. Then after 36 hours the temps looked really looked good at 25 and 3 this morning.



On a side note, I was surprised to see how much the fridge heats up while traveling and running. Our temps increased by about 10 degrees in 3.5 hours of travel time. Could be a function of the extreme heat > 110 degrees during our travel time.


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[KamFlyer]

A typical 30 lb cylinder of propane contains approx. 7 gallons of propane. Each gallon of propane will provide 91,000 BTUs. The total BTUs in a 30 lb tank is approx 637,000. Divide that number by 3000 BTUs and you get 212.33 hours. That number divided by 24 (hours in a day) would equal 8.84. So if the tank were full of propane, and the refrigerator has continuously and never shut off the entire time, it would take almost 9 days to empty that tank. So does your refrigerator run 24/7?

So, while waiting for our warranty appointment for several items, including the fridge, I decided to do a real world test.
The fridge was switched to propane right after filling both tanks. No hot water or furnace use during the test period but we have used the cooktop and oven occasionally.
The fridge is set to 5 and the fridge temp has been averaging right around 0C and the freezer temp around -15C. My temperature sensor is right beside the evap fins on the top shelf in the fridge and at the bottom middle at the back of the freezer compartment.
The ambient temperatures have been in the high single digits overnight and high teens to low 20's during the day.
The test was started last Monday and today, 1 week and 1 day later, the propane tank is empty! That fridge indeed burned through 7 gallons of propane in a very little over 7 days!
I am also finding that after it’s every other day defrost cycle, it runs continuously for close to 24 hours to get back down to nominal temps.

[xrated]

So, while waiting for our warranty appointment for several items, including the fridge, I decided to do a real world test.
The fridge was switched to propane right after filling both tanks. No hot water or furnace use during the test period but we have used the cooktop and oven occasionally.
The fridge is set to 5 and the fridge temp has been averaging right around 0C and the freezer temp around -15C. My temperature sensor is right beside the evap fins on the top shelf in the fridge and at the bottom middle at the back of the freezer compartment.
The ambient temperatures have been in the high single digits overnight and high teens to low 20's during the day.
The test was started last Monday and today, 1 week and 1 day later, the propane tank is empty! That fridge indeed burned through 7 gallons of propane in a very little over 7 days!
I am also finding that after it’s every other day defrost cycle, it runs continuously for close to 24 hours to get back down to nominal temps.

I have no idea of how much you used the cooktop and the oven, but those two items are definitely a lot higher BTU rate than the frig. So some of that usage certainly cut the time ( 8 days) shorter than it would have been. Thanks for the update though....

[Markb777]

According to Norcold, this model >does< have a defrost cycle that runs approx. every 48 hrs. It doesn't defrost the freezer though. All I can think of is it to defrost any ice on the refridge compartment evap fins.

How bizarre, I spoke to Norcold last week and was told there is no set defrost cycle. Was told the 2118 defrosts when it senses the need for a defrost cycle. My idea is to anticipate the cycle, turn it off then back on hoping to avoid the dreaded defrost cycle. I've checked the fins almost every time I open the door and there is never a spec of frost on them no mater how long it's been running.

Not sure if it makes a difference or not but the majority of my camping is in humidity below 15% and many times single digit.

[Redapple63]

A typical 30 lb cylinder of propane contains approx. 7 gallons of propane. Each gallon of propane will provide 91,000 BTUs. The total BTUs in a 30 lb tank is approx 637,000. Divide that number by 3000 BTUs and you get 212.33 hours. That number divided by 24 (hours in a day) would equal 8.84. So if the tank were full of propane, and the refrigerator has continuously and never shut off the entire time, it would take almost 9 days to empty that tank. So does your refrigerator run 24/7?

With a typical 50% duty cycle, that 30lb tank should last approx. 18 days.

[xrated]

I added a set of the Titan brand fans to the upper outside vent (install was inside the vent cover of course) about two or three weeks ago. We've had unseasonably cooler weather here so I didn't want to give it a test....because, that really isn't a test when the weather is in the 70's for high temps during the day. So yesterday, since the temperatures were supposed to get into the upper 80s, I fired up the refrigerator at about 10AM Saturday morning and turned the new fan set control to the "Auto" position and let the unit run. I have the frig setting on 9....the coldest setting, just to see where it would take the frig to. The frig is totally empty.....no food, no water, no nothing in it. I also place a set of the Acurite temperature sensors in the frig....one in the freezer and one in the frig section. By yesterday evening, the reading were 35 in the frig, and 10 in the freezer. I got up this morning (outside temperatures are around 68 degrees) and I looked to see what had happened overnight and I see 28 degrees in the frig.....and 4 degrees in the freezer. I realize that it cooled down quicker than if it was loaded with food/etc. but in less than 24 hrs is had gotten to those temperatures. So, I do believe that the added fans in the area behind the frig has had a very good result. The obvious "best test" will be when the frig is loaded for camping and the trailer is parked with the afternoon sun beating down on the trailer, and hopefully it will continue to do a good job.