Norcold fridge in our 29MV - need advice

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRV

Yep, I am having the exact same behavior from mine. Please keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks for posting.

GeorgiaRV,

If you wouldn't mind, could you send me your Norcold model and serial number? If there is a solution or fix to this problem that our dealer finds, I want to make sure Norcold is aware of it with models and serial numbers and also everyone on the JOF who may have the same issue that we are.

At 8:30 this morning in our driveway, I disconnected the shore power from the coach and switched the refrigerator to the ON position using LP Gas. The fridge had been OFF since Saturday, emptied and cleaned, so I want to see what it does sitting still, on LP, from a typical warm start. It may be a waste of LP, but I would bet that the dealer does something similar in their shop, so I want to have my own results going in. The coach is perfectly level so that can't be an excuse.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

We are home after a 3 week, 1,600 mile trip, and the Norcold N821RT didn't disappoint me during the two day drive home. Each morning, about an hour prior to departing the CG, I moved the MODE switch from AC to LP and heard the burner fire. I also visually checked from the outside and saw the blue flame. The refrigerator temperature, with the control on 9, was 30 or 31 degrees.

At our first rest stop of the day, about 75 minutes from the CG, the refrigerator temperature had reached 57 degrees, so in a little more than an hour the temperature went up 27 degrees. The inside of the refrigerator was sopping wet, enough so that water was running onto the coach floor and we had to wipe everything down. When we reached the CG that afternoon, the temperature had started to drop, but only from 57 to 49 degrees. We plugged into shore power and by the next morning the temperature had gone down to 31 degrees.

The same thing happened on our last day as we were heading home. Thirty-one degrees in the morning, 58 degrees two hours later, and 60 degrees in the driveway at home at 4:00 PM.

On Sunday I detailed the actions of the refrigerator in a two-page document and sent it to Norcold. At 10:19 AM on Monday morning, Norcold responded to my email, and advised me that since the unit was still under warranty, that I should take it to one of their authorized service centers. I already had an appointment scheduled at our dealer for some other work, and our dealer is a Norcold Service Center, so I forwarded my email and document to them. I'm convinced that even though I see a blue flame when it's on LP Mode, there is something wrong when we are actually driving, and not hooked to shore power. Time will tell.

Not to say if this is your issue...but I have seen where sitting the propane flame works great but when driving it doesn't.

So when at your dealer they may not be able to duplicate the problem if it is a wind drafting problem. I would run it on propane sitting in the driveway and see what happens. If it cools ok then construct you a baffle out of sheet metal and place inside the back of the unit not tight around the burner but just enough to block any wind. Take it for a drive and see what happens.

[GeorgiaRV]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

GeorgiaRV,

If you wouldn't mind, could you send me your Norcold model and serial number? If there is a solution or fix to this problem that our dealer finds, I want to make sure Norcold is aware of it with models and serial numbers and also everyone on the JOF who may have the same issue that we are.

At 8:30 this morning in our driveway, I disconnected the shore power from the coach and switched the refrigerator to the ON position using LP Gas. The fridge had been OFF since Saturday, emptied and cleaned, so I want to see what it does sitting still, on LP, from a typical warm start. It may be a waste of LP, but I would bet that the dealer does something similar in their shop, so I want to have my own results going in. The coach is perfectly level so that can't be an excuse.

model 1210
s/n 24957841

[GeorgiaRV]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

On Sunday I detailed the actions of the refrigerator in a two-page document and sent it to Norcold. At 10:19 AM on Monday morning, Norcold responded to my email, and advised me that since the unit was still under warranty, that I should take it to one of their authorized service centers. I already had an appointment scheduled at our dealer for some other work, and our dealer is a Norcold Service Center, so I forwarded my email and document to them. I'm convinced that even though I see a blue flame when it's on LP Mode, there is something wrong when we are actually driving, and not hooked to shore power. Time will tell.

Any updates from your service appointment?

[Gord60]

https://smartrvproducts.com/works/

Problem solved, run my fridge on 3 now vs. 5 prior to installation, not cheap but keeps fins clear and everything super cold. Highly reccommended

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRV

Any updates from your service appointment?

GeorgiaRV,

We took the coach to the dealer on Sunday afternoon (August 19). The original appointment was for September 4, but the service department called late last week and asked if I could have it there Monday morning. Not a problem since it's only a 45 minute drive and I'm so glad I paid a little more to have a dealer so close to home. But as of Tuesday evening, no word yet.

As an aside, the 29MV sat for a full week in our driveway, three days on LP Gas and 4 days on AC from the shore line. The entire week the temperature didn't vary more than 7 or 8 degrees, from a low of 34 to a high of 42. It was perfect.

Then around 2:30 PM on Sunday, I disconnected the shore power, getting ready for the trip to the dealer. I did not check, but I assumed (yes, I know) the Norcold automatically switched from AC to LP Gas. At 4:00 PM we left for the dealer, got stuck in traffic on I-83, and pulled into the dealers lot at 5:30 PM. I immediately checked two things...yes, the LP Gas was running the refrigerator so it had automatically switched from AC to LP, and the temperature of the refrigerator, which was now 62 degrees. So in three hours, the temperature of the refrigerator had warmed from 36 degrees to 62 degrees. So, what's my problem? Why, after disconnecting the shore power, and driving 90 minutes to the dealer, did the refrigerator's temperature increase from 36 degrees to 62 degrees?

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by Gord60

https://smartrvproducts.com/works/

Problem solved, run my fridge on 3 now vs. 5 prior to installation, not cheap but keeps fins clear and everything super cold. Highly reccommended

Gord60,

Unfortunately, I don't think adding a fan will help in our case. It seems like every time I put the Ford into drive, the refrigerator malfunctions for one reason or another. It's driving me crazy!

[GeorgiaRV]

Originally Posted by Gord60

https://smartrvproducts.com/works/

Problem solved, run my fridge on 3 now vs. 5 prior to installation, not cheap but keeps fins clear and everything super cold. Highly reccommended

Fins freezing up are not the problem in this particular instance. I don't think this will fix our issue, thank you though for the suggestion.

[GeorgiaRV]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

GeorgiaRV,

We took the coach to the dealer on Sunday afternoon (August 19). The original appointment was for September 4, but the service department called late last week and asked if I could have it there Monday morning. Not a problem since it's only a 45 minute drive and I'm so glad I paid a little more to have a dealer so close to home. But as of Tuesday evening, no word yet.

As an aside, the 29MV sat for a full week in our driveway, three days on LP Gas and 4 days on AC from the shore line. The entire week the temperature didn't vary more than 7 or 8 degrees, from a low of 34 to a high of 42. It was perfect.

Then around 2:30 PM on Sunday, I disconnected the shore power, getting ready for the trip to the dealer. I did not check, but I assumed (yes, I know) the Norcold automatically switched from AC to LP Gas. At 4:00 PM we left for the dealer, got stuck in traffic on I-83, and pulled into the dealers lot at 5:30 PM. I immediately checked two things...yes, the LP Gas was running the refrigerator so it had automatically switched from AC to LP, and the temperature of the refrigerator, which was now 62 degrees. So in three hours, the temperature of the refrigerator had warmed from 36 degrees to 62 degrees. So, what's my problem? Why, after disconnecting the shore power, and driving 90 minutes to the dealer, did the refrigerator's temperature increase from 36 degrees to 62 degrees?

Yes these are the exact same symptoms we are experiencing! I hope you find something out with your dealer looking at it. Though I am doubtful...keep us informed of your progress.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRV

Yes these are the exact same symptoms we are experiencing! I hope you find something out with your dealer looking at it. Though I am doubtful...keep us informed of your progress.

I guess you guys didn't read my post about wind altering your propane flame while driving?

If it's working fine when parked on propane but not when driving then you have a wind or air issue.

I have seen this problem before. A baffle installed around the burner area will usually correct this.

[Crossingover]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

A baffle installed around the burner area will usually correct this.

You mean a second baffle around the factory baffle/chimney? Perhaps the OP left his flame viewing door open and that's what is extinguishing the burner flame.

[norty1]

I had a similar problem with mine years ago and cleaning the gas tube fixed it. As soon as I started driving the wind blew the small flame out .

Cleaning the tube and orifice fixed it.

[norty1]

The Norcold line has a Frost Limiting feature:
--------------------------------------------------------
Does your model have frost limiter?
Norcold N510 and N6, N8 and 1200
series refrigerators are designed to limit
frost build-up on the fresh food compartment’s
cooling fins. Periodically, a temperature
control system automatically adjusts
to remove most frost from the fins and the
water drains into a collection cup in back
of the unit. Heat generated by the cooling
system then evaporates the water.

---------------------------------------------------------------

[GeorgiaRV]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

I guess you guys didn't read my post about wind altering your propane flame while driving?

If it's working fine when parked on propane but not when driving then you have a wind or air issue.

I have seen this problem before. A baffle installed around the burner area will usually correct this.

mine already has the baffle around the flame area. I have checked it several times. It is clean of debre and the flame is working. The burner is and working with I stop and check it after driving as well. I do think there might be some type of air leak in the Frig compartment when driving as it seems it is pushing all the cold air out of the frig when driving. The freezer compartment has no problem staying cold.

[GeorgiaRV]

Originally Posted by norty1

The Norcold line has a Frost Limiting feature:
--------------------------------------------------------
Does your model have frost limiter?
Norcold N510 and N6, N8 and 1200
series refrigerators are designed to limit
frost build-up on the fresh food compartment’s
cooling fins. Periodically, a temperature
control system automatically adjusts
to remove most frost from the fins and the
water drains into a collection cup in back
of the unit. Heat generated by the cooling
system then evaporates the water.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Yes thank you for posting this, mine has this feature and I am aware of how it works. It goes into a defrost cycle every 48 hrs. This is not the issue we are having while driving.

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

I guess you guys didn't read my post about wind altering your propane flame while driving?

If it's working fine when parked on propane but not when driving then you have a wind or air issue.

I have seen this problem before. A baffle installed around the burner area will usually correct this.

Cabinetmaker,

Yes I did see your post and thank you for your input. The MH is at the dealers right now, so I can't photograph the "guts" from the outside. And since it is still under warranty, I want them to work it out before I try anything.

From memory there is a round vertical cylinder about 12" tall on the right side with the flame at the bottom. There are a pair of wires attached near the top of the tube. The flame and burner are actually in a square sheet metal box at the bottom of the tube. When you talk about adding a baffle, how would it protect the flame, what would it look like, and how would it be attached? And if the flame extinguished while I was driving, wouldn't I get an error code on the readout?

If the dealer responds that they couldn't find a problem or duplicate it, then your suggestion and a call to Norcold may be my next steps. Thanks again!

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by norty1

The Norcold line has a Frost Limiting feature:
--------------------------------------------------------
Does your model have frost limiter?
Norcold N510 and N6, N8 and 1200
series refrigerators are designed to limit
frost build-up on the fresh food compartment’s
cooling fins. Periodically, a temperature
control system automatically adjusts
to remove most frost from the fins and the
water drains into a collection cup in back
of the unit. Heat generated by the cooling
system then evaporates the water.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Norty1,

The entire 7 days the MH sat in my driveway with the refrigerator (N821RT) on, there was a very thin coating of ice on the fins, but not once did it go into a defrost mode. It was on LP for 3 days and shore power for 4 days. Temps stayed in the 30's and low 40's. I think I would have noticed if it melted the ice. Maybe there is an issue in the electronics.

[Crossingover]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

Maybe there is an issue in the electronics.

Or a low refrigerant (ammonia-hydrogen-water) fill at the Norcold factory.

[hoppers4]

Since none of the above solutions provide resolution to the problem, I'm thinking maybe it has to do with air flow when underway. Does your rig have a roof vent or sidewall vent? Is something stopping or slowing the air flow behind the fridge when underway? To prove or disprove the theory, you'd have to have an anemometer in the path of the airflow and check the air flow while driving.

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

Since none of the above solutions provide resolution to the problem, I'm thinking maybe it has to do with air flow when underway. Does your rig have a roof vent or sidewall vent? Is something stopping or slowing the air flow behind the fridge when underway? To prove or disprove the theory, you'd have to have an anemometer in the path of the airflow and check the air flow while driving.

We have a roof vent, but honestly I have no idea what the air flow is doing while I'm driving. It could very well be a cause, so I'll pass it along to the dealer. I was under the impression that if the flame went out at any time, there would be a fault code on the readout on the refrigerator. But if the flame goes out, then fires back up, will the fault code still be there or will it go away?

Thank you!