2018 tab 320s fridge elevation issues

panfer

I see lots of info on trouble with Norcold refrigerators. We are still unable to get our fridge to work on propane. We live at 6000' and camp at that or higher.  Some of you have posted no problems at and above 7000'!! Wish that was us. 
Fridge will cool if plugged in at home, though sure does take a long time to do it at first.  I am not a DIY skilled person. Sounds like there can be lots of fixes if you get inside under the stove etc.
I guess question is, can I trust an RV shop to trouble shoot my fridge without taking us for a ride??
also
Is there anyone on here who lives in the Reno Tahoe Sierra area?

Grumpy_G

Not to insult you but let's go through some basic steps first:

- Did you ever have the fridge working at all ? E.g at lower elevation, when you bought it etc. ?

- Confirm you have the N180 fridge, three dials and a push ignitor with a needle to monitor the flame. Also two vents on the outside. 

- The reason for asking about the fridge is that the N180 and the older 3163 have different startup procedures. With a N180 the startup is set it to propane, crank the right dial to "Hi" and then push and hold it in while hitting the piezo igniter a few times. Don't hold it in for more than 30s to avoid propane accumulating in the burner area. 

If you did everything according to the instructions it's troubleshooting time: Either no gas or the igniter isn't working. Holding down the right button for 30s should cause a slight propane smell at the outside vents, maybe you can even hear it coming out the nozzle (you might want to remove the lower vent). No sign of gas - gas supply problem, signs of gas - igniter problem. 

The fridge working at home on power just confirms that the absorption cooling works. It's using a different (electric) heat source so not really helpful. 

See if you can find a mobile RV tech to troubleshoot your problem, they are typically better than a dealer for non-structural problems. 

MuttonChops

@panfer ;  I would add to Grumpy-G's list the following.

Try to confirm the Fridge operates on propane while at your home.

Troubleshooting is easier knowing there is a cold beer waiting in the house.

panfer

Thank you everyone so far! Yes the fridge worked at lower elevation on gas  according to the owner. We've never had it going on propane, only on electric when plugged in at home. great suggestions, this will help us move forward. 

rcuomo

I believe all model year 2018s manufactured after April 2017 have the N180.3. I continue to find it helpful to first light a stove burner especially if the propane hasn’t been used for awhile. That process seems to purge the propane hoses and make it easier to light the fridge. 

gyamane

I have a 2018 320 outback and live at 7000' and frequently camp at 10000'. Fridge works fine on propane but is difficult to light. Lighting the stove for a bit first is a good tip but persistence is required to get the fridge to light with the igniter: seems to be an issue getting the propane to flow into the fridge at first.