Fridge-Fix for Norcold 1200 or 1210 best modification

[Rustynuts]

We have been battling our fridge in our Seneca all summer. I added the RV Cooling 3 fan unit and it helped a little but not much. Just last week we were driving in 100+° weather and when we stopped the fridge was at 58° I have read all about adding fans on the back side of the fridge, some add at the top vent and some add at the bottom. I printed out the install spec sheets from the manual and started checking things out and think I have found a few issues. First, the baffle at the top of the fridge running to the outer wall is suppose to be 1/4" or less.....I had 1 1/2"+ What looks like happened is the factory installed the baffle upside down and it actually angles up back into the cabinet so all the heat is being directed into and around the fridge/cabinet, if it was flipped over, it would angle down to the fridge like it is suppose to. I screwed some 3/4" blocking to the existing sheet metal and then had a new piece cut and bent to angle down toward fridge and made sure the baffle fit tight on each end so now the air is directed toward the vent. The second issue is the condenser baffle mounted to the outer wall. So according to the spec sheet the baffle should be even with the bottom of the condenser and 1/4" or less from the condenser. Then the top of the baffle is suppose to be even with top of the middle vent if the grill cover. Well the outer grill is mounted to low and the baffle was to high. I measured and cut the baffle down to the height of the middle vent but this puts is below the condenser about 3/4" but I will see how the fridge performs in the next outing and I can always add material to make it closer to the condenser. Also the specs say this baffle should be aluminum or galvanized steel and it is plywood in my unit. The fridge is set in the cabinet pretty close on the left wall but on the right wall there is about a 4" gap with 1" of insulation on the wall so heat can also built up on the sides. I also plan of putting fiberglass insulation to fill this gap as much as I can. Just fixing the upper baffle should make a difference I would think so we will see. Everybody might check their installation to see if it was done correctly!

[Crossingover]

You did all these corrections without pulling the fridge out? Amazing work and another reminder to all RV owners to not trust but verify the factory work. There must be little to none QA oversight there. How long do you think the chassis manufacturers would be in business without QA?

Why do some makes use a wall exit vent and others a roof exit? Seems the roof vent would be preferred.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by Crossingover

You did all these corrections without pulling the fridge out? Amazing work and another reminder to all RV owners to not trust but verify the factory work. There must be little to none QA oversight there. How long do you think the chassis manufacturers would be in business without QA?

Why do some makes use a wall exit vent and others a roof exit? Seems the roof vent would be preferred.

If the frig is in a slide then no roof vent is possible...hence stay away from floorplans with frig in a slide out!

Nice work Rustynuts. A will and a way. Hope this helps and it should!

[Crossingover]

But why wall exit vent on non-slide installations? Is it simpler/easier and less leak prone than a roof vent? I could see a roof vent taking up solar real estate as a possible negative but they’ve been doing roof vents way before solar became affordable.

[Rustynuts]

Yes I was able to do all this without pulling the fridge and I had the bloody hands to prove it Ours is not in a slide but has the wall vent, overall its probably an easier install at the factory is why. The condenser baffle was easy to cut being plywood, I just used a Milwaukee Oscillating saw, I just wish I would have started there as it would have gave me a little more working room in the opening. I was able to catch a friend that owns a sheet metal shop there on a saturday so he cut and bent the pieces quick. In order to get the new upper baffle in place in the 39" wide cabinet we made it in 2 overlapping pieces so I could butt tight to each side and sealed the seam with silicone. I'll see how this helps and IF I have room, since the fridge cabinet is 39" wide I may try to install sheet metal baffles that angle from the wide cabinet bottom to the fridge width at the top so the heat will be channeled more toward the vent.

[ALJO]

It is not only with fridge specifications the RV manufacturer goes his own way, but also with other appliances. Like furnace, water-heater, range, slide out mechanism etc.
This same happened in the Mobile Home industry.
If the consumer doesn't get smarter the RV industry doesn't either.

[flyboy1]

Confused. If you install the internal fans is it still necessary to install the cooling fans outside? Normally have to run my fridge at 8 or 9 to keep things nice and cool. Moved the thermistor to the upper tip of the cooling fins, added outside fans and now I'm running on 7. Would installing the internal cooling fans give me even more?

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by flyboy1

Confused. If you install the internal fans is it still necessary to install the cooling fans outside? Normally have to run my fridge at 8 or 9 to keep things nice and cool. Moved the thermistor to the upper tip of the cooling fins, added outside fans and now I'm running on 7. Would installing the internal cooling fans give me even more?

The internal fans help circulate the air inside the fridge for a more consistent temp and also to keep the fins from icing up. The outside fans help cool the actual working parts of the fridge that generate a lot of heat. My problem with the way the install was done at the factory is it was directing all the heat that needed to vent outside was being directed to the inside of the cabinet and around the fridge.

[Rustynuts]

A little update, while the corrections to the factory’s incorrect installation helped get my fridge internal temps down, I was still having to run on the highest setting of 9 on the fridge. Just got back from 5 days of boondocking after I installed 3 120mmx120mm computer fans at the top vent. I bolted the 3 fans to a flat bar of aluminum and then bolted that to the plywood baffle that I had cut down to correct the install. I wired it using a 130 degree thermal switch attached to the coils. This weekend we were on a river bar for 5 days, 4 days were 90-95 degrees and the last day was 105 degrees. With the added fans I was able to drop to number 7 setting and the freezer ran 10 degees and the fridge ran an average of 32 degrees the whole week. Some mount the fans low to blow over the couples but there are 2 factory fans for that and I felt that the heat needed help getting out of the compartment through the less than optimal upper vent. I will try and get a couple pics of the fan install tomorrow.

[cabinetmaker]

Glad your fix is working. We have the same refrigerator in our Greyhawk Prestige with a roof vent. Ours has been working fine. We did add a couple of those battery operated fans inside the bottom back to circulate the air inside. We have traveled through Texas to Colorado and never saw temperatures above mid 30’s and usually 32 or less.

I was looking at your floor plan online and noticed they are offering a residential refrigerator in the 2019’s. Maybe that’s why they didn’t want to put a roof vent?

I could not see any other reason they wouldn’t put a roof vent as your installation is exactly like ours?

Anyway I know your findings will definitely help others.

Here is our refrigerator.

[repeach]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

A little update, while the corrections to the factory’s incorrect installation helped get my fridge internal temps down, I was still having to run on the highest setting of 9 on the fridge. Just got back from 5 days of boondocking after I installed 3 120mmx120mm computer fans at the top vent. I bolted the 3 fans to a flat bar of aluminum and then bolted that to the plywood baffle that I had cut down to correct the install. I wired it using a 130 degree thermal switch attached to the coils. This weekend we were on a river bar for 5 days, 4 days were 90-95 degrees and the last day was 105 degrees. With the added fans I was able to drop to number 7 setting and the freezer ran 10 degees and the fridge ran an average of 32 degrees the whole week. Some mount the fans low to blow over the couples but there are 2 factory fans for that and I felt that the heat needed help getting out of the compartment through the less than optimal upper vent. I will try and get a couple pics of the fan install tomorrow.

Brian,
I really should read everyone of your post before I purchase things. Our fridge has been running warm also. I got the internal fan and ran the wire down the drain tube. I runs fine and I am sure it will help.
However, I just got up on the ladder and check the top vent. My sheet metal takes the heat from the fins and directs it towards the front of the fridge. It is looking like I am going to have to do the same thing you did by installing the sheet metal at a different angle.
Do you have any better pictures of your completed fix? And the additional fan install?

Thanks

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

Glad your fix is working. We have the same refrigerator in our Greyhawk Prestige with a roof vent. Ours has been working fine. We did add a couple of those battery operated fans inside the bottom back to circulate the air inside. We have traveled through Texas to Colorado and never saw temperatures above mid 30’s and usually 32 or less.

I was looking at your floor plan online and noticed they are offering a residential refrigerator in the 2019’s. Maybe that’s why they didn’t want to put a roof vent?

I could not see any other reason they wouldn’t put a roof vent as your installation is exactly like ours?

Anyway I know your findings will definitely help others.

Here is our refrigerator.

IMO, they screwed up on this. The 2018 RB model had the fridge in the slide, with the new S2 chassis in the RB the fridge was removed from the slide but stayed in the same position, the slide was shortened. When they did this, they didn’t move the cutouts for the vents and this offset the fridge 6” towards the rear because it was in a different cabinet with clearance for the slide which screwed up the airflow and cooling capability of the Norcold as the burner unit was completely behind the wall and not even serviceable unless you pulled the fridge out of the cabinet. In doing all this they didn’t even realize they could put a roof vent in.

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by rpietsch

Brian,
I really should read everyone of your post before I purchase things. Our fridge has been running warm also. I got the internal fan and ran the wire down the drain tube. I runs fine and I am sure it will help.
However, I just got up on the ladder and check the top vent. My sheet metal takes the heat from the fins and directs it towards the front of the fridge. It is looking like I am going to have to do the same thing you did by installing the sheet metal at a different angle.
Do you have any better pictures of your completed fix? And the additional fan install?

Thanks

I dont have any pics of the sheetmetal fix, I was so angry I just started working on it till it was done and didn’t take pics. Here is a pic of the fans I tried last in the upper vent. I could still never get consistent cooling and finally pulled the fridge and installed a JC Refridgeration HVAC unit that basically turns it into a residential compressor fridge and couldn’t be happier as I now have a consistent 36 degrees in the fridge and -2 in the freezer no matter what the outside temp is....even in 105 degree weather. Here is the thread on that mod.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...old-77850.html

[repeach]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

I dont have any pics of the sheetmetal fix, I was so angry I just started working on it till it was done and didn’t take pics. Here is a pic of the fans I tried last in the upper vent. I could still never get consistent cooling and finally pulled the fridge and installed a JC Refridgeration HVAC unit that basically turns it into a residential compressor fridge and couldn’t be happier as I now have a consistent 36 degrees in the fridge and -2 in the freezer no matter what the outside temp is....even in 105 degree weather. Here is the thread on that mod.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...old-77850.html

Thank you. I just got the RV back from the shop for the Hydraulic Jack recall.

I will start working on that sheet metal when things dry out. I am thinking I my just take the sheet metal off, cut and bend it so it jambs up to the back of the fridge so no hot air can go anywhere but out. My fridge does have two fans under the coils so it may work. We do a lot of boondocking so I don't think changing out the compress would work for us.

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by rpietsch

Thank you. I just got the RV back from the shop for the Hydraulic Jack recall.

I will start working on that sheet metal when things dry out. I am thinking I my just take the sheet metal off, cut and bend it so it jambs up to the back of the fridge so no hot air can go anywhere but out. My fridge does have two fans under the coils so it may work. We do a lot of boondocking so I don't think changing out the compress would work for us.

On mine, the screws were on top of the sheet metal and un-accessible so I had to just bend it out of the way and install a new one. We also boondock 75% of the time and the HVAC conversion comes in 12 volt and 120 volt power and the draw is so little that we havent seen any difference is power usage, nothing like a typical Residential fridge. Because we had a good back of batteries, 600 watts of solar and inverter I went with the 120 volt version which draws .8 amps AC when running.

[repeach]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

On mine, the screws were on top of the sheet metal and un-accessible so I had to just bend it out of the way and install a new one. We also boondock 75% of the time and the HVAC conversion comes in 12 volt and 120 volt power and the draw is so little that we havent seen any difference is power usage, nothing like a typical Residential fridge. Because we had a good back of batteries, 600 watts of solar and inverter I went with the 120 volt version which draws .8 amps AC when running.

I have a Dometic 3.3 CF fridge / freezer in my basement that has a Freon compressor. it runs on AC or DC. So, I am already drawing some power from my 570 Ah of AGM batteries and 510 watt of solar. We haven't done any real camping since I replaced the batteries. It got to the point that the coffee pot would shut down the inverter in the morning. If my new batteries work like I hope, I might consider changing out the back of the built it fridge.

OK, why do we keep a second fridge / freezer???? The last two times we went to Alaska, it came back full of Salmon and Halibut :- )

Thanks again for all your help.

[Parrott]

I just looked at the 2 fans in the top louvrr of my Norcold. Only one was running. Are both fans supposed to run at the same time? Anyone know where they get power?

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by Parrott

I just looked at the 2 fans in the top louvrr of my Norcold. Only one was running. Are both fans supposed to run at the same time? Anyone know where they get power?

Yes they should both be running at the same time, it’s not uncommon for them to go bad. They are powered off the main board Nd controlled by a temperature sensor.

[repeach]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

A little update, while the corrections to the factory’s incorrect installation helped get my fridge internal temps down, I was still having to run on the highest setting of 9 on the fridge. Just got back from 5 days of boondocking after I installed 3 120mmx120mm computer fans at the top vent. I bolted the 3 fans to a flat bar of aluminum and then bolted that to the plywood baffle that I had cut down to correct the install. I wired it using a 130 degree thermal switch attached to the coils. This weekend we were on a river bar for 5 days, 4 days were 90-95 degrees and the last day was 105 degrees. With the added fans I was able to drop to number 7 setting and the freezer ran 10 degees and the fridge ran an average of 32 degrees the whole week. Some mount the fans low to blow over the couples but there are 2 factory fans for that and I felt that the heat needed help getting out of the compartment through the less than optimal upper vent. I will try and get a couple pics of the fan install tomorrow.

Brian,
It is looking like I would have to pull the fridge to fix the sheet metal. Also, there is no way for the heat from the flame to get directed out the vent. (they should have made it a roof vent).
I am thinking the fans you made would help considerably. are you still using them now that you have a Freon compressor? want to sell them? if not, can you share where you bought them and how you made them? It sounds like it was pretty easy.

[repeach]

I pulled my fridge. slid it out about 12 inches and was able to bend the sheet metal down so it sits on the top of the fridge. I then put some insulation around the top and sides. Heat can no longer get to the front of the fridge.
I am amazed they put the stack from the flame where they did. That heat was going straight to the inside walls of the coach. I am going to leave it run until the fans turn on so I can verify they both work.

I am still thinking about adding a fan bank like Rustynuts put it.