Refrigerator on T@B320

huanvanho

I have 2017 T@B 320. The original refrigerator took 24 hours to get cold on shore power selection.  I had the RV on a good level. Is that normal? I am thinking about replacing with a normal home refrigerator with the same dimension. Thanks for comments

Sharon_is_SAM

Was the frig empty at the time?  Or did you load it with prechilled food?  Do you know what model?  Does your counter top get hot?

ScottG

I have the older model (3163?) Norcold 3-way. Starting empty, mine generally gets to refrigerator temp in a few hours at reasonable ambient temperatures. 

Sharon_is_SAM

@ScottG - his 2017 should have the standard vented frig with an automatic fan.  

ScottG

Not sure what you mean by "standard"--the older model was standard at the time and also has venting and an automatic fan.

I know they changed models somewhere around that time but in general I would expect most 3-ways to function similarly.

Sharon_is_SAM

The Norcold 3-way frigs that were vented through the passenger side wall with an automatic fan became standard with the early 2017 models.  

rcuomo

My 2018 model was built April 2017 and did not have the fan. I had to retro fit the factory fan. 

Verna

@ScottG, remember when nüCamp was installing the second auxiliary fan on the inside of an outside vent, and they had a switch that must be turned on for the auxiliary fan? They determined the built-in Norcold fan was not sufficient to evacuate all the hot air from under the counter top. 

ScottG

Got it. Regardless, the older model was still vented, albeit perhaps not as efficiently as the air flow came up through the floor, around the fins on the left side of the fridge. and over the top (under the stove) before exiting out the passenger side vent. There was no plenum, only the space between the unit and the cabinets.

There is an automatic cooling fan mounted near the fins, but many of us also added the extra fan at the vent.

Given the improvements in the venting of the newer (2017+) fridges, I would expect them to cool down even faster... 

huanvanho

My refrigerator is Norcold, Model 180.3 R. It was empty when I plug in shore power. Took almost 24 hours just to cool few bottle water inside. Any idea or that is normal of this kind of Refrigerator

ScottG

I monitor mine empty using a fridge thermometer--that's where I got the "few hours" from in my previous post.

Bottles of water are going to take much longer to get cold, even after the fridge has reached operating temperature.

Regardless, 24 hours still seems like a long time. According to the Chilled Drink Calculator, even a 1L bottle should come down to temp in another six hours.

Bayliss

@huanvanho, I have the same model refrigerator.  Before leaving on a trip, I chill the Norcold overnight, while it is empty.  In the morning, or shortly before leaving on my trip, I fill the Norcold with pre-chilled items from my house refrigerator.  That has worked well for me.  If you are chilling the Norcold during the day in warm-hot outside temperature, it is going to take longer to get it cold, and much longer if you put warm items (including bottled water) in the refrigerator before it is cold.

huanvanho

Thanks for all your comments. I guess this is not as fast as home refrigerator. 

VictoriaP

huanvanho said:

Thanks for all your comments. I guess this is not as fast as home refrigerator. 

It is not as powerful, no. But your home refrigerator is also slow to cool down when first plugged in, especially when you put warm things in it. I replaced my kitchen fridge earlier this year, and it took hours to reach the right temperature.