joshjack
Alabama
Senior Member
Joined: 11/01/2007
View Profile
 Offline
|
Hey Guys, I have an older Norcold dual power (electric/gas) combo Freezer and Fridge unit. This weekend we went camping and the unit took over 24 hours to get cold. The freezer got cold within a few hours even to the point of freezing several pounds of hamburger meat. Meanwhile the fridge took over 24 hours to get to a "nice cold" and wasn't really cold until this morning (being Sunday morning after a Friday afternoon arrival!).
The yellow thermostat LED on the controller board was on but I have no indication what that means. Also the temp was set nearly all the way to coldest. Finally, it had been over 80 degrees here most of last week.
Any suggestions or is this normal?
Thanks, J
03 Ram 1500 Quad Cab with Hemi 5.7, HD tow package, K&N Cold Air, B&W Companion + Ball, Prodigy,
1987 Prowler 27.5',
Macbook Pro 17" (Fastest Vista Laptop  , iPhone)
Me and the DW and our
2 Dogs: Jackson (golden), Pumba (min-pin)
|
javaseuf
California's Gold Coast
Senior Member
Joined: 03/30/2005
View Profile
|
Could be a blockage developing in the cooling unit tubes between the freezer and refer "evaporator" plates.
A blockage can sometimes be back-flushed and the problem never returns but many times backflushing or "burping" the cooling unit is a temporary repair until the cooling unit is replaced.
Steve
2007 Springdale 291RKL
2003 F150 King Ranch
2001 Dodge Van w/Wheelchair Ramp
1991 Palomino Mustang PUP
Eureka Timberline Tent
Yamaha IF2400isc
Yamaha EF3000iSEBC
"Politically Incorrect And Proud Of It" 
|
fulltimer5er
Central Vally
Senior Member
Joined: 04/12/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Check to see if yours has a cooling fan in the back the four door models do if the fan isn't running it wont cool right
2005 Dodge one ton duely quad cab navagation system don't want to get lost before were ready to
2005 Carriage carri lite 36 KIQ four slides {HOME}
|
1fastdad
mo.
Senior Member
Joined: 08/27/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Their is a small clip with a wire attached on the refrigerator cooling fins and some times it gets corroded. just pull it off clean the surface and put it back on. this is what regulate the lower compartment temp. You might check your door seals by closing the door on a dollar bill to see if it is sealing all around.
|
javaseuf
California's Gold Coast
Senior Member
Joined: 03/30/2005
View Profile
|
1fastdad wrote:Their is a small clip with a wire attached on the refrigerator cooling fins and some times it gets corroded. just pull it off clean the surface and put it back on. this is what regulate the lower compartment temp. You might check your door seals by closing the door on a dollar bill to see if it is sealing all around.
Actually, this system, used on the Dometic brand, controls the temperature in the freezer as well and that "wire" is actually a thermistor and it isn't supposed to make direct contact with the cooling fins. If it does, the refer will then sense the temperature of the fins rather than the air temperature of the box and then the temperature control will short-cycle and the refer will then get warmer. The thermistor must NOT make contact with the metal fin. It should be set in the plastic sleeve of the clip.
|
|
|
MELM
GA
Moderator
Joined: 12/11/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
What model Norcold?
If it is an '87 model, what is the condition of the gasket on the door? If it is leaking warm air into the refrigerator section...
Mel & Mary Ann; Mo'Be (More Behave...) and Bella
"If you have an RV, you don't need another hobby." Comment from a friend...
73 Kountry Aire 31.5 ft (semi-retired) TT
90 Champion LaSalle MH 29 ft P30 (89 Chassis)
Visit The Official Blog of the Open Road
|
joshjack
Alabama
Senior Member
Joined: 11/01/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Thanks for the suggestions!
The gasket is not pretty but does seem to seal all the way around when you close it good (which I made sure to). I will do the dollar test to make sure.
As for the thermistor or sensor on the cooling fans in back - it is very corroded but I haven't seen a consensus on whether it needs to be cleaned or not.
Again, I want to comment that the freezer got cold very fast but the even the cooling fins in the back of the fridge unit didn't cool very fast.
I will post the model info this afternoon.
J
|
jauguston
Bellingham, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/03/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
I have read here many times that 24 hours from being turned off is considered normal.
Jim
Jim, Sharon and Buddy the Yorkie
1999 Gulfstream Sun Voyager 31' ISB Cummins 210 uprated to 275
Trippe-Lite 1800w inverter 4-6v GC batteries
3- Kyocera 130w solar panels
1987 Suzuki Samurai tintop Toad w/VW 1.6 turbo diesel power
|
lv2rom
Kansas City, Missouri
Senior Member
Joined: 07/12/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
jauguston wrote:I have read here many times that 24 hours from being turned off is considered normal.
Jim
I agree,,, on older units it often takes a day for the refer to cool properly while the freezer gets there in a hurry...Brian
2005 F350 Dually -AFE air box/MRSP exhaust/Bags/Bilsteins/Energy Susp./Michleins
2002 Hitchhiker Fiver 29.5 RLBG - Moryde Pin/Gas shocks/Michelin XPS Ribs
1996 Layton Fiver 21ft. Totally reconditioned..Love it!!
|
purplepossum
Virginia, USA
Full Member
Joined: 09/22/2003
View Profile
|
Hate to say it but that's the way our Norcold acted just before the coils in the back became completely blocked. Had to have the coils replaced. Not cheap.
|
|
|
