Yahoo Message Number: 66735 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/66735)
Ken,
Thanks. Even though I purchased and now have the unit installed a lot about it remains a mystery. The unit is actually manufactured by a company called Pines RV Refrigeration in Shipshewana IN. The company has no web site. According to a couple of business lookup sites, it has annual revenues from $500,000 to $2.5 million depending on which lockup site you use. There are from 1 to 5 employees and the owner is listed as Larry Miller. They have been in business since 2004.
No matter what kind of search I try it appears that Pines RV Refrigeration uses an online distributor called RV Cooling Unit Warehouse (rvcoolingunit.com). I could find no reference to Pines RV Refrigeration as being Amish except on RV Cooling Unit Warehouse. They claim that it is an Amish company. I guess that means that Larry Miller is Amish. Ok but I am guessing. They also claim that this 'Amish' company has been making gas absorption refrigerators for the Amish population for years as they do not have electricity in their homes. Well I guess 6 years is a while but not exactly what I had in mind by the description.
Shipshewana, IN and having no web site offer a bit of a clue but still the Amish connection seems a little vague to me. However the unit does seem as advertised. It appears to be of a heavier construction, has more coils than the Norcold, a better chimney and surrounding baffle and, best of all, no recall ....yet. The unit comes with a Limited 3 year Warranty.
The interesting thing about the current expanded Norcold recall is that it also includes all of those that had the original recall done. The latest recall letter clearly states that fact. So for those folks it is actually a recall of a recall. How is that for making you feel warm and fuzzy. And yes it is not a fix but only a device to sense a potential fire in the making.
Despite the somewhat of a mystery for me I am happy with my Amish unit so far and I will report back if any problems develop.
Don Seager
2994 Allure 31046
Yahoo Message Number: 66760 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/66760)
This is the same company I purchased my CU from and they are really good people to work with. I talked to Larry Miller and David Forest (sp?) for technical support many times and would buy from them again. They cheerfully provide 7 day a week technical support. As I stated earlier, the freezer of my Dometic NDR 1224 stays at 0* or lower, all the time.
Larry, 03 Allure, 30856
Yahoo Message Number: 67615 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/67615)
The Amish cooling unit is of a different design made by an Amish company. It both looks and acts considerably different from the Norcold unit. It doesn't need Norcold's new design. Getting away from Norcold is the whole point of it.
Don Seager
2004 Allure 31046