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Norcold Quit

Yahoo Message Number: 65870
Hi all,

My Norcold seems to have quit. Nice timing. Early this am I got a 'no co' (no cooling sensed) alarm. I shut the unit down and it went away when I powered it back up or so I thought. A couple of hours later it came back again and shutting it off didn't work this time. Actually that is as described in the manual.
I pulled the cover on the controller and did a reset. The 'no co' alarm went away and the unit runs but not much cooling if any. There doesn't seem to be anything blocking the vent stack and the thermistor was right on at 28 k ohms stuck in a bowl of ice.

Anyone been through this before?

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65874
Quote
Quote from: Don Seager"

Don,

Have you run the diagnostics program? Do you have the manual with the routine in it? Lyle Wetherholt
04 Intrigue 11740

Hi all,
> My Norcold seems to have quit. Nice timing. Early this am I got a 'no co' (no cooling sensed) alarm. I shut the unit down and it went away when I powered it back up or so I thought. A couple of hours later it came back again and shutting it off didn't work this time. Actually that is as described in the manual.
> I pulled the cover on the controller and did a reset. The 'no co' alarm went away and the unit runs but not much cooling if any. There doesn't seem to be anything blocking the vent stack and the thermistor was right on at 28 k ohms stuck in a bowl of ice.

Anyone been through this before? >

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65875
Lyle,

No I have not done that but I will. I do have the manual and saw the procedure.

Thanks,

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Quote from: "Don Seager"

Don,

Have you run the diagnostics program? Do you have the manual with the routine in it? Lyle Wetherholt
04 Intrigue 11740

Quote
Hi all,

My
Norcold seems to have quit. Nice timing. Early this am I got a 'no co' (no cooling sensed) alarm. I shut the unit down and it went away when I powered it back up or so I thought. A couple of hours later it came back again and shutting it off didn't work this time. Actually that is as described in the manual.

Quote
>

I pulled the cover on the controller and did a
reset. The 'no co' alarm went away and the unit runs but not much cooling if any. There doesn't seem to be anything blocking the vent stack and the thermistor was right on at 28 k ohms stuck in a bowl of ice.



Anyone been through this before?

Quote
Don Seager

2004

Allure 31046

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65876
We've had some similar problems. Get a "Thump Stick" and give all cooling coils you can reach through the access panel a good series of thumps.

Jim 07 Allure #31570

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65880
Hi Jim,

I like it. I have had this approach work on many things. Actually the word Engineer only means a guy that has been trained to know exactly where to kick it. I'll try anything that someone has had success with. Maybe I'll go over it with a drumstick bone tomorrow.

Thanks,

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65883
I use the end of a tuck driver tire thumper and it works real good.
Having a Norcold refrigerator is like having a Muslim wife, you need to beat her now an then, just don't leave any marks!

Jim

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65886
Jim, A really dumb thing to say. I wouldn't condone beating any women. Not much class on your part.
John F.
SOB

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65896
Lyle,

No need to run it now. This morning I turned it on to see if anything had changed and when I took the outside cover off I got a good whiff of ammonia. Not good news but it pretty much nails down the problem.

Now off to research a replacement unit. Darn.

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65897
Many in your situation would include research on a residential refer as a full replacement.
Samsung makes several that may fit the space.

Bob Wexler
SOB

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65898
Don,

I have friends here in my campground with a 42' Beaver that had their unit repaired after an ammonia leak. The refrigerator was pulled out, the unit removed and the refrigerator put back in the hole. After the repair, which only took two days, the refer was pulled out, the unit replaced and the refer re-installed. I don't know the cost but it was certainly less than a new refer and no windows had to be removed to get the whole refer in and out.

pete

2000 Magna 5892
Pete
 2000 40'  Magna #5892  CAT C-10

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65899
Hi Don,

I decided to not do the Norcold recall, I don't like the way Norcold has handled this, or trust the thermocoupler they install.
Residential Fridge's were not an option for us, as we wanted to retain LP capability.
I'd already purchased and installed the pancake fans in the back, a smoke detector in the back, and a SS-30 extinquisher. So, after researching, I decided to go ahead and order the Amish unit. New design, seamless tube with thicker walls, more coils for added cooling, and a different cooling mixture. Not inexpensive, but much less then a new fridge. I also think it will be a better bet then the rebuilds of the same problematic Norcold design cooling units. One other last factor, I'll swap this out on my schedule - not on the side of the road somewhere. I'll sleep better at night too.

Mine is in shipment now.

Here is a link:

http://www.rvcoolingunit.net/servlet/the-Brand-NEW-Norcold-CU/Categories
Best of luck, and please let us know what you end up doing! Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65902
Smitty,

A Norcold frig belonging to a SOB coach caught fire above the area of where the Norcold cooling fans live. His SS-30 extinguisher did not discharge to put the fire out. It was mounted horizontially on the floor inside of the outside access area. Coach was a totaled. The upflow of air behind the frig kept the temps caused from the fire from reaching the discharge head. The 3 major fire supression dealers are scratching their head with one hand their petut with another so far. Due to Norcold's updraft requirements, the cabinet that the frig lives in does not lend much space to mount a discharge head up higher in the cabinet especially without moving the frig out to gain access to the area. Seems that none of the dealers has really tried to simulate a frig fire to determine how to cover all area in the frig cabinet. The jury will be out for awhile on this.

Chuck B
SOB

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65920

Smitty:

Are you replacing the cooling unit yourself or using a tech?

Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65926
Hi Greg,

I am not ready to give up the flexibility of the LP either. It has saved my several times. Not this time unfortunately.
The Amish unit seem to run about $200 more than the average reworked units. Of course it is a new unit. Most of the rebuilders advertise removing the tubing and installing new seamless. Of course they are all claiming to be the best. Oddly many of them are in Arkansas. There is one here in AL.
If the Amish has thicker tubing walls it seems logical that there would have to be more tubing to compensate as the wall thickness plays a big part in heat transfer rates. Statistically I don't hear much about the performance of the Amish which means they have very few failures or there just aren't that many in service yet. Time will tell.
I am still looking at alternatives and the Amish is not off my list as it is fairly reasonable compared to a new fridge.

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65936
I have to say after watching this list, that Norcolds sound as if they are unreliable. For those who need to replace them and want to stay with LP, why not consider replacing it with a Dometic? I have owned three over a period of about 16 years in separate RVs and they have proven very reliable. I know people whose Dometics have lasted over 20 years. Hopefully not jinxing myself, I have a 10 year old Dometic NDR 1492 in here and it stays very cold, ice cream hard, icemaker works and it runs 365 days a year. From looking at this Amish website, it appears they believe the Dometics are better engineered in the first place.

Rich 2002

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65940
It took me less than 30 minutes to remove the 1200LRIM from my motorhome through a side window today. I removed the side window, lifted out the Norcold, with the help of my two sons, and put the window back in.

The 19 CU FT Samsung french door refrigerator cost $1200. Davis Cabinets took less than half an hour to remove the refrigerator.
I pulled the

refigerator before the new residential came in I just put the window back in with four screws and it will take less than one minute to pop it back out when I get the Samsung refrigerator. I will then install a new seal around the outside of the window (any hardware store carries the proper sealing tape).
I dropped the floor and shortend the drawers under the norcold refrigerator cabinet to make room for the extra height of the Samsung. The Samsung is the same width and depth of the Norcold.
The only major expense to me was putting in more house batteries (4 8D AGM's)$2400 and a Pure Sine Wave converter (Magnum 2812)$1500. I know Samsung says their regriferators do fine on Modified Sinewave but I added a Fisher Pikel dishwasher this week too and that will not work on MSW.
I only boondock but if I was on the grid then it would make perfect sense to me to convert to a residential refrigerator. Taking out a side window is the easiest task.

Doing the wood work to make the refrigerator go in was the only issue that my wife wanted done professionally so I had Davis Cabinets in Junction city do the wood work $250 and make room for a dishwasher $250 a couple days ago and leave the norcold in the living room for me to take out later.
By the way there is nothing wrong with my Norcold if you know of someone that wants perfectly good working future firetrap. Mine was working perfectly good if you can stand the technology and inferior refrigerator temps.
I am quite happy with my residential refrigerator in my house and this was the only appliance on my motorhome that makes my motorhome inferior to my house.
Not anymore.

Dallas

2004 Intrigue Ovation 42' C12 11688
 

Re: Norcold Quit

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65941

Rich:

They may be unreliable but mine is still going strong and we use our rig above average - nowhere near full time but it probably has 2 years of use at least. we spend 2-5 months a year in the rig, it's 7 years old.
The statistical sample represented by the number of owners announcing failures here is not worth a hill of beans. The sample is miniscule so it can't be assumed the majority are unreliable on that basis. Need lots more information. I've heard as many Dometic is junk claims as Norcold.
We owned a 1975 Winnie with a no name fridge that was still running strong the last I heard from the current owner about 5 years ago. That's 30 years of intermittent use. That unit was simple as could be, coils had surface rust but I kept it clean and I was always careful to keep it level while we owned it. Ammonia absorption units can last a long, long time if cared for (and designed well).
If/when our Norcold goes I will seriously consider the Amish unit. I doubt Dometic is significantly higher in quality - I don't know but the industry forces all companies to keep things under control or they don't survive.
Unless of course you're Se-Gi - the exception to the rule on minimal quality. Since virtually 100% of CC owners report failures of those products I could consider a blanket conclusion. ;-)

Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178