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Norcold Restart

Yahoo Message Number: 72589
After having my Norcold 1200 4 door down for about a month, it appears that the freezer is cooling but the lower compartment is not. Anyone experienced this or have any tips for trouble shooting? Have owned the coach since new. Norcold has been shutdown very seldom and has always worked without issue.

Thanks

Hodge Phillips
2005 Inspire
51319

Re: Norcold Restart

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 72590
Hodge,

In my 04' Inspire it takes at least 24hrs for the frig to cool when empty. If I put in room temp food it will take longer. The feezer is ready to go in hours. I turn on the unit 2 days prior to departure and put only cold food in. When hot it takes longer. By the way I always run on propane - cools better. My unit is always turned off more than it's on - until I retire!

Steve

04' Inspire
51168

Re: Norcold Restart

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 72594
You might go out side and pull the cover off the back of the fridge and check to see if the ground and hot wire have come off. White and black wire, if this is the case it will freeze but the frig will not work. We just yesterday had this sme problem, re-attached the wires and all works as it is supposed to.

Ken Mikkelson

2005 Inspire 51494

Re: Norcold Restart or just Replace

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 72595
My reply on troubleshooting your 1200LRIM wont help you in the short run but If you get a chance to see a motorhome that has been retrofitted with a 19.7 cu ft French door residential refrigerator you will be quite amazed at what your missing or won't miss compared to a home.
They actually do run on modifide sine wave inverters and draw about 10 amps at 12 volts (not 120 volts) through the inverter. Very energy efficient. Turn the thing on and both the refrigerator and freezer have independent temp setting and are ready to go in less than and hour.
I replaced my perfectly good working (worked just like yours does) within a month of buying the motorhome and it is the best $950 I put into the motorhome. The only modification necessary was to drop the lower drawers below the existing 1200LRIM 5 inches. The depth and width is perfect fit for a flush mount fit. The resididential samsung refrig throws out no heat so no ventilation in the rear or roof is needed.
I took my infrared heat gun and measured a 2 degree rise inside the compartment compared to inside the coach after running for a month. Obviously with just less than 1 amp draw per hour at 120 volts or 10 amps at 12 volts it would not put out much heat anyway. It takes a day to run down 2 8D batteries to 60%. I have 4 8D batteries now and I go for 36 hours with other appliances and lights.
It cost me $300 to have Davis cabinets in Junction city lower the floor.
I boondock all the time but if you are hooked up to the grid then this is an a much cheaper way to go if you have to repair the norcold.
Just a thought when you get tired of your Norcold. I will never have another Class A without a residential refrig.
One other thing. No more open flames in the coach and I sleep better at night.
This option worked better for me than fooling around with old unreliable and energy inefficient technology.

IMHO

Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688

Re: Norcold Restart

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 72600
Hodge,

I had a similar problem in February. Butch @ Fountain RV Lakeland FL. found the lamp thermister wire assembly had failed. This is the wire that goes from the light over to the fins at the back of the refrigerator. Freezer worked but did not cool refrigerator. Repair did fix the issue.
Hope this helps.

Jock Vargo
2005 Inspire
51428

If the fins

Re: Norcold Restart

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 72615
Some input. Your coils in the back of the reefer should be frosted across 1/3 to 1/2 from the right side. They will defrost about once a week but freeze up again. Make certain your door seals are tight. Use a dollar bill in the door and move around. Should be snug. I also use a refrig fan that has 2 d batteries and runs for almost a month and really helps, but if your coils are not frosted, then the therm mister could be an issue or something more. Mine got hot only when traveling but the gas was working and it turned out to be air leaking around the drain tube and the wires to the ice maker on the back of the unit. Yes, 2 days to pre cool is not out of line. The more stuff in the unit, the less they seem to do their job. Adding warm things is tuff on cooling. Outside air temp has a lot to do with it's capabilities.
Ned Herrmann
06 Inspire 51677
 

Re: Norcold Restart

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 72836
I replied to this once, but don't see it anywhere. Will try again. We had this very problem in our 04 Inspire. After going through every possible item that could be the problem, including a new cooling unit installation, we finally have found the problem. Behind and above the fridge there are two fans that are set to turn on at a certain temp. Those fans were no longer working. The fridge had to once more be taken out, and the fans replaced and reset. That was two years ago and we are still enjoying a cold fridge.
I might add that we also have had our gas regulator replaced and are installing a new hose. The gunk that builds up in the regulator and hose is like honey....not so sweet though. The fridge runs much cooler on gas since that maintenance was done.