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Topic: Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM (Read 711 times) previous topic - next topic
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Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Yahoo Message Number: 66706
Hi all,

Coachcraft just finished up installing the new Amish cooling unit that I purchased to replace my failed Norcold unit. It took a very experienced tech all day to do it. To say it is not a plug and play would be a tremendous understatement.
The electric elements and the gas burner have to be switched as the new unit comes without them. I suspect that is true for all cooling unit replacements. However the electric elements are inserted in steel tubes at the bottom of the chimney just above the gas burner. At first they appeared to have become virtually welded in the tubes. Finally after much work they loosed and they were able to get them out and they tested ok. According to the tech more than once he has not been that lucky and they had to order new electric elements. Sometimes they swell at the bottom and no amount of effort will remove them.
But beyond that the unit as well as the back of the box had to be completely reworked. On the Norcold the tubes run up the right side of the unit to the top fins. On the Amish unit the tubes run diagonally across from bottom right to top left. This meant that all of the wiring etc. had to be relocated to accommodate this design difference.
There are two side by side banks of tubes above the boiler on the Amish unit but only one on Norcold. This meant that the tech had to invent a way to mount the cooling fans on the Amish unit. Also the position of the plug outlet would not let the new unit slide into the opening. The extra tubes hit the plug so it had to be relocated. The tech's statement was 'unless you really know these cooling units work you would never make it'.
So I am sitting one more night in Coachcraft's yard here in Columbus, GA waiting to make sure that the unit is working. It is on electric right now but later I will switch to gas. The tech said that it did light. Both the tech and the shop foreman feel that it is a better built unit but a long way from a one on one match at least with my 1200LRIM. Others may vary. I am pretty handy but I am sure glad I didn't tackle this one. Knowing what I know now I would not consider the Amish unit over a free recall on the 1200LRIM. I would however do it again as a replacement for a failed even though the labor cost is high
I am very impressed with Coachcraft. Very accommodating, run a clean shop and can do just about anything to an RV. They own a wood working shop right next door.

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

PS: It is cooling, yeah.

Re: Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66710
Don,

Thanks for taking the time to write about your experience I was hoping you would end on a good note and you did.
I'm sure that it was less expensive to go the route that you did than going next door to the cabinet shop and making way for a residential refrigerator and more batteries. My running 1200LRIM is homeless now and needs to find a good home, taking up space in my garage. I went to the cabinet shop first. :)

much appreciated,

Dallas 2004 intrigue ovation 11688

Re: Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66721
Yes, I installed one of those Amish CUs on my dometic NDR 1292 and it took me three days, but she works pretty good. The freezer stays at 0* or less, even in hot weather.

Larry, 03 Allure, 30856

Re: Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66732
Bob thanks for sharing! Great story as I have been to their Amash Cooler website. Please keep us posted on its operation and I feel you made a good move. I have lots of RV Friends with the same model Norcold thet are having the Patch from Norcold done, Scary Just a patch. Best of luck on the Repair. Working for Cat in Miami I had many Back up Generarors at Major hospitals and as a tech always did the Job right!I worked on generarors not RV Fridges, Again the patch thing scares me I wonder how the Folks at Norcold sleep at night? Sounds like all the stock cooling units will fail on the Affected Models?.Did you put in the Portable fire Ext. in the fridge Bay. Several of my friends did this on their Norcolds. Ken 99 Allure 30356

Re: Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 67593
I was reviewing older posts and saw this...
Does anyone have a web site for the manufacturer?

Denis Vogel
06 Allure 31409

Re: Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 67594
I got mine from RVCOOLINGUNIT.COM. Not installed yet, got off onto something else - but soon...

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: Amish Replacem3ent Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 67595
Denis,

The manufacturer being in the Amish community does not have a web site. The distributor however does. The paper work is not right at my finger tips but tell me what you would like to know in an off line message and I will be glad to help.
I have had the unit working for about a month or so and it is going strong. It seems to be better built than the Norcold. The biggest difference that I notice is that it tends to keep the freezer at a much lower temperature relative to the box temps. On 5 it is running around 34 to 36 and the freezer is 8 degrees.

Glad to help if I can,

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31946

deseager@...
 

Re: Amish Replacement Cooling Unit for the Norcold 1200LRIM

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 67604
A word of caution to the wise. In the fall of 2008, Norcold came out with a new designed 120 vac heater elements. The design change was where the wiring from the control blard transitioned in to the flue stack where the wires attached to the heating elements themselves.
The old design was where the wires would enter a conduit at the location of where the wires and heating elements entered the flue tube. Over 50% of the fires start in the 120 vac heating elements themselves in the conduit at that location. The new design is to eliminate the conduit and incorporate a bakelite type attachment transition at that location.
Since then, there were a number of old design heater elements out in the market place that were being used as replacements by many of the Norcold authorized service facilities. In Dec, 2008 I had a Norcold frig fire that started in the 120 vac heater elements at that location. The Norcold replacement cooling unit had the new designed 120 vac heater elements in place. The replacement cooling units from Norcold come equipped with the new design. The Amish units do not.
There is also a newer revision control board that Norcold now uses. I recommend that one needs to insist on replacing the old 120 vac heaters with the new design and replace the control board with the newest revision. I have pics to support what I am posting.

Chuck B
SOB