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  1. #1
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    Norcold refrigerator appears to have died again

    When I got up this morning I noticed the meat in the freezer was thawing. I checked the thermometer in the fridge and it said 50. It was running on electric but I, when I checked, the cooling level was set at 3 so I turned it up a bit and got no response. I switched it over to propane and could hear it running on the gas but after a couple of hours the temperature had continued to rise. I took the cover outside off but did not see any readily visible evidence of a freon leak. Unlike the previous breakdown when it was all over the outside. I emptied the unit out and put everything in the cooler with ice. It should still be under warranty since this current cooling unit is less than a year old. I had it installed last summer. I thought it was odd that the fridge wasn't running at all on AC but did on propane with no cooling effect. I wonder if there could be both a cooling problem and electrical. Any thoughts.

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    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbgntx View Post
    When I got up this morning I noticed the meat in the freezer was thawing. I checked the thermometer in the fridge and it said 50. It was running on electric but I, when I checked, the cooling level was set at 3 so I turned it up a bit and got no response. I switched it over to propane and could hear it running on the gas but after a couple of hours the temperature had continued to rise. I took the cover outside off but did not see any readily visible evidence of a freon leak. Unlike the previous breakdown when it was all over the outside. I emptied the unit out and put everything in the cooler with ice. It should still be under warranty since this current cooling unit is less than a year old. I had it installed last summer. I thought it was odd that the fridge wasn't running at all on AC but did on propane with no cooling effect. I wonder if there could be both a cooling problem and electrical. Any thoughts.
    Just a note: absorption refrigerators don't have "Freon" - they use an ammonia based refrigerant. Now... I originally posted this some years back (when we were in our Reflection 337) after problems with our Norcold 1210. A very good tech taught me about the absorption refrigerator "reboot." Perhaps there's something in here of use:

    Our absorption fridge quit cooling last winter (had been in one site without moving for a couple of months). I called our trusted RV tech for advice... I posted the following after that experience:

    RV techs call it a "refrigerator reboot."

    When your absorption fridge quits cooling (cooling unit less than two years old) and an experienced RV technician tells you to do a "fridge reboot," listen to him/her. Late last week and over the weekend our Norcold 1210 fridge started not maintaining proper temperatures. I tracked it with a fridge/freezer thermometer and my infrared thermometer and got an ever-tightening knot in my gut. First thing Monday morning I contacted our favorite technician here in Las Cruces, NM, Richard's RV Service, fearing the worst. He asked the following questions:

    • Is it the same on AC and propane? Answer: Yes.
    • Did the problem come on suddenly - like flipping a switch? Answer: No.
    • Did you smell ammonia? Answer: No.
    • Do you see any yellow residue around the boiler, coils, or any of the other tubing on the cooling unit? Answer: No.
    • Do you hear the cooling fans in the back cycling on and off? Answer: I haven't noticed them like I usually do - but the weather has been cooler.

    Richard's instructions: Turn the fridge off for at least five hours and let everything get down to ambient temperature in the back. Using a rubber mallet, periodically tap on all the pipes, tubes, and other refrigerant conduits I can reach, both while it's cooling down and after it's completely cooled. This process took until about 2:00 Monday afternoon. I then turned the fridge back on and continued to do the "rubber mallet frappage" periodically while the fridge was warming up/cooling down. I turned the fridge back on mid-afternoon and by the time we went to bed Monday evening, both the fridge and the freezer were getting back down in normal ranges and the infrared readings on the fridge fins and the back walls of the freezer compartments were very good.

    I kept a log and updated Richard a couple of times on Tuesday and he dropped by yesterday (Wednesday) to check. His diagnosis... an air bubble or chemical membrane in the refrigerant system. He said, "Congratulations!" and pronounced the fridge healthy. We both think the issue occurred because our RV hasn't been moved since we pulled onto this site on 10 November and the jostling an absorption refrigerator gets bouncing down the road helps keep the refrigerant stirred up and moving.

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbgntx View Post
    When I got up this morning I noticed the meat in the freezer was thawing. I checked the thermometer in the fridge and it said 50. It was running on electric but I, when I checked, the cooling level was set at 3 so I turned it up a bit and got no response. I switched it over to propane and could hear it running on the gas but after a couple of hours the temperature had continued to rise. I took the cover outside off but did not see any readily visible evidence of a freon leak. Unlike the previous breakdown when it was all over the outside. I emptied the unit out and put everything in the cooler with ice. It should still be under warranty since this current cooling unit is less than a year old. I had it installed last summer. I thought it was odd that the fridge wasn't running at all on AC but did on propane with no cooling effect. I wonder if there could be both a cooling problem and electrical. Any thoughts.
    How do you know the unit wasn’t running on AC? There are no moving parts. Just heat. Either the burner gets hot or the heating element gets hot. If it’s warm out, a cooling fan or two may run behind the refrigerator.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  4. #4
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    I did a reboot and seemed to be working as the temp had dropped down to normal levels by the time I went to bed last night. When I got up this morning, it was back up to 46 but has been dropping slowly in the last hour or so. I'll just keep an eye on it. Thanks.

  5. #5
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    That was an assumption on my part since there wasn't any cooling going on. I guess I was thinking of slight noise when the fans are running. After doing a reboot last night it appears that it is cooling again but I'm just going to observe today and see what happens. This happened around the same time last year as we were planning to get out on the road.

  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper DECelt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbgntx View Post
    When I got up this morning I noticed the meat in the freezer was thawing. I checked the thermometer in the fridge and it said 50. It was running on electric but I, when I checked, the cooling level was set at 3 so I turned it up a bit and got no response. I switched it over to propane and could hear it running on the gas but after a couple of hours the temperature had continued to rise. I took the cover outside off but did not see any readily visible evidence of a freon leak. Unlike the previous breakdown when it was all over the outside. I emptied the unit out and put everything in the cooler with ice. It should still be under warranty since this current cooling unit is less than a year old. I had it installed last summer. I thought it was odd that the fridge wasn't running at all on AC but did on propane with no cooling effect. I wonder if there could be both a cooling problem and electrical. Any thoughts.
    I don't think that I have ever seen a gas fridge that cooled much of anything set at 3...but maybe you got lucky [emoji4]

    Mine stays set at 8 or 9 depending on temps. Always cold... But it has to be set high.
    DECelt
    2021 Solitude 310-GK
    2022 Ram 3500 CCLB diesel

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by DECelt View Post
    I don't think that I have ever seen a gas fridge that cooled much of anything set at 3...but maybe you got lucky [emoji4]

    Mine stays set at 8 or 9 depending on temps. Always cold... But it has to be set high.
    My previous fridge was a Norcold 8cu.ft and it only had 5 temp settings. 3 was used the most until it got warmer in the summer then I would need 4-5. Not all fridges have the same temp settings.

  8. #8
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    My wife and I were to take a short trip this past week but found that our Norcold 1210 stopped working before we even packed. It fired up on propane while in the driveway and as I started to pack the next day, I noticed the display was not on. I hit the on/off button and "nothing". I checked the breaker and fuse, and they were just fine. So, the trip was canceled and drove just over an hour to get it to my dealer. I happened to read about a fuse on a Furrion frig with a fuse on the side, resulting in a need to pull the frig out some to change out the fuse. I googled this model and found a 100-page tech manual on problems and what to check to identify the problem. Almost the first error condition was display is off and the frig will not turn on. Then there was a diagram of what to check in sequence. On the back of the Norcold, there is the electric control board that is covered with a plastic cover. If I had this manual before going to the dealer, I could have fixed the issue in a very few minutes. Two screws removed the cover. Then one can check the DC voltage coming in on the board, if that is OK, check the fuse. Guess what, the dealer called three days later and said my unit was fixed. It was a 5 amp automotive bladed fuse. That fuse cost me $15 dollars and labor made up the balance at $150.00. Manuals are useful and for this Norcold, I have a 100-page tech manual with every error condition and diagram to follow to determine what needs to be corrected. I was sick to my stomach knowing after the fact and paying $150.00 for a two dollar fuse and fifteen minutes of research based on error condition.
    Terry and Elizabeth
    2020 Reflection 260RD Using Anderson Hitch
    2020 F350 SuperDuty Diesel Crew Dually Long Bed

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor Casa_Woody's Avatar
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    @terryriddle
    Would it be possible to post a copy of the 100-page tech manual. I'm sure many owners of a Norcold would appreciate it.
    Ken & Tammy
    Union Valley, TX
    2021 GD Reflection 303RLS 5th Wheel
    2019 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins 4x4

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Casa_Woody View Post
    @terryriddle
    Would it be possible to post a copy of the 100-page tech manual. I'm sure many owners of a Norcold would appreciate it.
    Not sure how to post a manual on this forum. Here is the link.. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/10...1x-Series.html
    Terry and Elizabeth
    2020 Reflection 260RD Using Anderson Hitch
    2020 F350 SuperDuty Diesel Crew Dually Long Bed

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