Iced up Norcold reFrigerator now 60° what???

[zernalaw]

2007 Norcold frig ~ Model N811Rt (2007 Jayco Eagle Travel Trailer)

I started it up and in 24 hours the frig was at 40° and freezer was freezing.
THEN... a day later ALL the frig interior fins were completely iced/frosted over....
THEN... A day later the frig registered 60° and the fins were defrosted... The freezer seems to be still freezing...

Any tips on how I can resolve this myself? Just want consistent 40° or better temp.

My trailer is hurricane tied down so can't take in for service.

Thank u.

[hoppers4]

These Norcold fridges have an auto defrost. Can't explain the iced/frosted over part but they will warm up somewhat every 48 hours or so. I keep my fridge setting around 35 but it'll warm up to 45 or so if I let it auto defrost. I turn my fridge off and back on every day to override the defrost cycle. Especially if I'm parked in a hot site.

[tnchuck100]

I, too, turn the refrigerator off and back on every day to override the auto-defrost. We are usually out for 4 days at a time. No real need to defrost.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by tnchuck100

I, too, turn the refrigerator off and back on every day to override the auto-defrost. We are usually out for 4 days at a time. No real need to defrost.

Interesting to know that somebody else does this .

[tnchuck100]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

Interesting to know that somebody else does this .

When I first encountered this I thought the refrigerator was defective. Then I read the manual. (See my signature!)

[mike837go]

Read, then ignore the quirks of the fridge. If you really look hard you will find that the drain pan under the fins in the fridge is plumbed to a dish on the back of the unit. Any water that collects there is evaporated by the heat from the cooling unit.


Let the fridge fins go above 45F every day or so. The unit will operate much more efficiently.


Ice buildup in the freezer? Total shutdown for a full day is the only cure. Or leave it to the end of the camping season.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by mike837go

Let the fridge fins go above 45F every day or so. The unit will operate much more efficiently.

Very true except I installed fans on the fins that mostly keep them from frosting up.

I've also figured out that the catch pan in the back of the fridge won't allow the fridge interior to drain if the water level goes above the end of the hose. I positioned the hose almost to the top of the catch pan.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

Very true except I installed fans on the fins that mostly keep them from frosting up.

...snip....

So...you spent more money (bought the fans) and spend battery power to run them. In order to do what the fridge's manufacturer already engineered into the control board?

Please, explain to me how this is better.

[tnchuck100]

Originally Posted by mike837go

....
Please, explain to me how this is better.

I my case I don't want the temperature in the refrigerator to rise to 50 degrees and the freezer rise to 20 degrees. Which is what happens when the auto-defrost runs. 4 days does not accumulate enough ice on the fins to be detrimental.

[hoppers4]

I don't dry camp so battery expenditure is irrelevant to me. The fans I installed only use a few milliamps anyway. I installed the fans to assist the fridge with cooling rather than to defrost the fridge. The defrost part of it is just a side benefit. I've always found that these fridges struggle to keep cool in hot weather as I monitor internal temps with a wireless gauge. Then when the auto defrost cycle kicks in it takes forever to cool the fridge back down.
The 10 cf fridge I have also has a fan at the top of the stack. I have switches on all my fans to disable them if I'm in cooler weather.

[zernalaw]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

These Norcold fridges have an auto defrost. Can't explain the iced/frosted over part but they will warm up somewhat every 48 hours or so. I keep my fridge setting around 35 but it'll warm up to 45 or so if I let it auto defrost. I turn my fridge off and back on every day to override the defrost cycle. Especially if I'm parked in a hot site.

How do you set the frig at 35°. Thanks for the input. My frig was at 60° yesterday- ... 40° today and the fins are frosting over...

[hoppers4]

The setting on your fridge will be different than mine but I have numbers from 1-9. The higher the number, the colder the fridge will get. If I set my temp at number 6 the fridge can easily go down into the high 20s. If I remember right yours will be numbered from 1-4 or 1-5. A higher number should make it colder.

The fins will frost over somewhat depending on the humidity, number of times it's been opened, humidity of stuff put in the fridge, and the temp setting. A light layer of frost would be normal.

[zernalaw]

I have it set on 4... Will try 5. In 24 hours it frosts over ALL fins so you can't hardly see that they are there... Then it goes to 60° and all ice melts ... Then the cycle repeats.... So sad because I have a 2003 Dominic in another RV and that frig has been flawless since day one. I wonder if I replace the thermistor... it might help? Tks, Kim

[hausknwa]

Just a thought - that sounds like a lot of humidity in the fridge to create that much ice. I would make sure that the door is shutting tightly and also check to make sure the seals are in good shape.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by hausknwa

Just a thought - that sounds like a lot of humidity in the fridge to create that much ice. I would make sure that the door is shutting tightly and also check to make sure the seals are in good shape.

X2

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by hausknwa

Just a thought - that sounds like a lot of humidity in the fridge to create that much ice. I would make sure that the door is shutting tightly and also check to make sure the seals are in good shape.

+1

You have to have water to make ice, where is all that water coming from?

Even at the coast where it's consistently VERY humid, especially in the late summer, I only get a little frost in my freezer over the course of a long weekend. When the freezer defrosts after I shut it down, there's only enough water in the bottom to make a dish towel somewhat wet; not even enough to be wrung out.

[norty1]

x3, check your door seal tightness all around. We leave ours on all the time when travelling and the only time we have seen significant frosting is when we were away for over a month.

I routed my drain hose outside the fridge vent like the Dometics after having it overflow once in the back compartment.

When you close the door and the unit is cold, you can hear the door sucking tighter as the air inside gets cold. If you are not hearing that I suspect the seal is not tight enough. The moisture from the air is what caused the frost.

[zernalaw]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

+1

You have to have water to make ice, where is all that water coming from?

Even at the coast where it's consistently VERY humid, especially in the late summer, I only get a little frost in my freezer over the course of a long weekend. When the freezer defrosts after I shut it down, there's only enough water in the bottom to make a dish towel somewhat wet; not even enough to be wrung out.

The freezer is fine. The refrigerator fins completely frost over in under 48 hours... Then the temp goes up to 60° and the refrigerator "defrosts" the fins... Then the cycle repeats. also- the water tray in the back of the frig ices over and the water can not drain. Every few days I have to manually chip the ice out if the tray... It's all a mystery... I will check the door tomorrow and check the seals.

[SmokerBill]

Your refrigerator shouldn't be acting like that. Mine has never iced up excessively on the fins inside the refrigerator section. If I were you I'd contact Norcold (Thetford) and ask to speak to the tech support department, and explain the problem to someone that actually knows the Norcold fridges from an up-close perspective. Here's a link with the contact info. Good luck!

Contact Thetford Corporation for Customer Support

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

Your refrigerator shouldn't be acting like that. Mine has never iced up excessively on the fins inside the refrigerator section. If I were you I'd contact Norcold (Thetford) and ask to speak to the tech support department, and explain the problem to someone that actually knows the Norcold fridges from an up-close perspective. Here's a link with the contact info. Good luck!

Contact Thetford Corporation for Customer Support

+1

But fridge fins or freezer fins, same question remains; where's all the water coming from?