RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
What uncle said is true. The sensor would shut the fridge OFF before a fire occurred. But a true recall would have fixed the fire problem instead of just removing liability for Norcold. If the red light comes on in the sensor it has to be replaced. But that means your fridge overheated and tripped the sensor. So the fridge doesn't work.
It still comes down to the fact that instead of replacing the entire refridgerator it is cheaper and easier to replace the coils with the American made Amish coils and you won't need a sensor. And the fridge will cool on 5. End of problem. Why did the refrigerators catch on fire in the first place. No one knows, or their not saying. Were the cooling fans wired wrong like they were in mine? I didn't discover that problem until I replaced the coils.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
I spent $180.00 on a tech to find out why my fridge wouldn't fridge. He couldn't tell us. We bought a small dorm style fridge to get us through the remainder of the season. When I got home I parked the RV on it's pad and plugged it in. I heard this noise like something frying. I unplugged and investigated. One of the heating tubes had an electrical fault. I bought two new tubes and replaced them. The fridge worked fine. Then I received the recall notices. Only they didn't fix the problem, they just removed Norcold of liability by shutting down the fridge if it overheated. I found out about the pancake cooling fans being wired wrong when I installed the new Amish unit and they never came on. I tracked them back, called the Amish supplier and he said the fans wouldn't work if wired backwards even if they are 12 volt. They work fine now and, like you, I keep my fridge on 5 to 7 instead of 9. And the new coils are definitely an improvement. Even the white color over the black looks better. Don't throw it away, replace the coils. I hope they keep their quality up as more people find out about them. With the help of my motorcycle jack I did the work on my own. Made me feel good when I turned it on and it worked great.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
My fridge worked fine until I got the recall notices. First one lasted about a month and then started kicking out. Second one has no reset so when it trips, it's done. The second one tripped within a couple hours and my coils blew out. Not Norcolds fault I soon found out. They did their "recall" my refrigerator was junk, they had no further responsiblility. You are on your own to buy new or install new coils.
The new coils are sealed just like the original equipment. Mine have double coils and are a lot heavier construction. No need for a recall. I also found that my cooling fans somehow got wired backwards so they weren't coming on at all. No wonder it was overheating. Don't know how that little item happened. But I am pretty handy so I followed the wiring diagram included and fixed it.
I don't think anyone is going to give you advice on continuing to use the refrigerator. No one would want that kind of liablility. You will have to make that call. Has the recall been installed yet? I would call a dealer and see if they have one in stock. Never can tell.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
rrpatty, for get the home style fridge and Norcold won't accept any responsibility passed the recall. Do a Google and type in Amish rv refrigerator coils. Company is in Shipshewanna Indiana. The new coils come with complete instructions for your fridge. Not that hard to do.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
erstanflo: I would highly recommend you get the Good Sam Emergency Road Service and when your warranty starts to run out look into the Good Sam Extended Warranty. I have used the Emergency Road Service a couple times. Worth every dime.
I put the Amish coils in my Norcold. Better than original without a doubt. Set on #5 to keep food cool. Original was set on #9.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
Ray Chez, I totally agree. The problem I have is that my unit was working fine until they started doing recalls. On the second recall the coils suddenly blew out at the location of the recall attachment. I took the unit off and sent it to Norcold. Someone from Norcold called me and said they were considering an adjustment to my situation. I had written a letter to the government agency and cc'd it to Norcold explaining what had happened. I never heard from them again.
I am sure the newer applications will be improved. We just got caught in the middle.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
I looked into putting a residential fridge in my unit. None fit without modification. You could just plug it into 110 but when headed down the road I think the draw on an inverter would be pretty drastic when the compressor kicks in.
When my rig was new I had to put the Norcold on 9 in order for it to stay cold. I had an ice maker that never made ice more than one time when I first turned it on. Then it would fill with water and drive me crazy going click, click, click, click. With the Amish double coils I set the fridge on 4 and it stays cold. Plus it works on propane which keeps it cold while I am traveling.
So while I agree that a residential sounds appealing, I think the disadvantages far outweigh the purchase of the Amish coils to fix the Norcold.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
The Amish coils still heat with propane. They mount on the refrigerator the same way the old coils mounted. Also, make sure the black and white wire in the control box that go to the cooling fans are properly connected. Even though the fans are 12v DC if the wires are hooked up wrong then the fans won't work. Mine were hooked up backwards and when I got the new Amish coils there was a wiring schematic with it. I have no idea how they got hooked up backwards and how long they had been that way. The recall is a joke but don't throw the refrigerator away and pay $4k for a new one. The Amish coils cost me $1075.00.
I used a motorcycle jack, wrapped tape around the wheels to protect the floor, set it in front of the fridge after taking off the doors, and removing the interior shelves, and mounting screws. Then I went outside and disconnected the gas lines and unplugged the fridge. I had an ice maker that never worked so I also had to unhook the water lines. Then I shoved the fridge out of the opening until I could go insided and pull it out.
I rolled it into the center of the kitchen and raised it up until it touched the ceiling which made it stable. I took the four screws out of the old coils, threw them out in the yard, cleaned the caulking off as instructed, put the new caulking in as instructed, mounted the new coils in place, put the screws back in, sealed it with the tape provided and then before I put it back in the opening I cleaned out all the dust and replaced the fiberglass insulation with aluminum coated styrofoam board cut to fit. Lot neater. Then I slid it in, hooked up the gas lines, plugged it in, and turned it on. It now cools on #5 instead of #9. I took the worthless Ice Maker out. Trays work.
Hope everyone finds this useful. The Norcold solution wasn't a fix, it was a removal of liability. No matter how many times you have the sensor replaced the fridge will not stop overheating and if you bypass the sensor and your rig catches on fire, it's your fault, not Norcolds.
RE: Fire Hazard Appliance Recalls UPDATED NORCOLD INFO 11-20-2010
We keep rehashing this issue. You seem determined that you are going to defend Norcold to the end. So be it. But the fact is, the sensor was NOT a recall it was a method of absolving Norcold from any liability. If the sensor fails and then you bypass it so that your fridge will work, and your rig catches on fire, which was the reason for the liability "recall" in the first place, then you would not have any recourse to claim Norcold was at fault because YOU bypassed THEIR recall. So you go ahead and defend Norcold. I had a refrigerator that was working just fine before the recall and I had to replace the coils after the recall was done. If your "recall" worked on your refrigerator, well, that's just fine.
