Norcold 3-way refrigerator fix: giving Sparky his spark back!

Cherokee

After 6 years of ware and tare, the refrigerator ran fine on battery when towing and on shore power, but wouldn't light on propane. We opened the burner box, cleaned the the orifice, and set the gap per the maintenance described in the manual for the N180.3X. Unfortunately, this didn't solve the problem - we still had no spark. I called Vogal RV sales (the best T@B dealer I know). Their tech recommended replacing the control panel. I couldn't locate one, so I opted to replace the Piezo Lighter. I matched up the lighter with one on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KR7E2SG... After a little work, Sparky got his spark back!

While I had the unit out, I placed two zip-ties around the breather pipe to replace the stretched one NuCamp provided:

 

Sharon_is_SAM

Wow, you got lucky with that repair!  The 3 way Norcold is valued by so many who Boondock.  Glad it worked out!

Cherokee

Sharon_is_SAM said:

Wow, you got lucky with that repair!  The 3 way Norcold is valued by so many who Boondock.  Glad it worked out!

Thanks - we value it too! I tell people that a lot of NorCold parts were provided by a third party and are still available, with a little perseverance. Besides, this was an opportunity to remove the screen door and clean under it - with a small soup  

Capthavoc

My notcold 3 way has given up the gas part of the 3 way.  It’s a 2015 so it owes me nothing, but I am questioning the wisdom of repair as the seals are shot and the floor has a crack.  Maybe I’ll go with something cheap like this.  https://www.walmart.com/ip/3-Way-Propane-Refrigerator-1-4-cu-ft-3-Way-Caravan-RV-Camper-Gas-Fridge-110V-LPG/14898008914?classType=REGULAR&from=/search To get me thru till I find a better solution.  If you want to camp out you got to take it out, propane (admit it, you sang that didn’t you)

Cherokee

Capthavoc said:

My notcold 3 way has given up the gas part of the 3 way.  It’s a 2015 so it owes me nothing, but I am questioning the wisdom of repair as the seals are shot and the floor has a crack.  Maybe I’ll go with something cheap like this.  https://www.walmart.com/ip/3-Way-Propane-Refrigerator-1-4-cu-ft-3-Way-Caravan-RV-Camper-Gas-Fridge-110V-LPG/14898008914?classType=REGULAR&from=/search To get me thru till I find a better solution.  If you want to camp out you got to take it out, propane (admit it, you sang that didn’t you)

The 3-way in the 2015 is a different model then the one in my 2019. The condenser in the 2015 was on the left of the unit while the one in mine is on the other side where the 2 vents are. The bottom vent is for intake and the top to let heat out on the 2019. On the 2015, intake is in the trailer and you have one vent on the outside for exhausting heat - after it rises and crosses the top of the refrigerator.  Where is the condenser on the one in your link?  Even if it fits, you may have to build ducting and add fans to make it work and get heat to the vent. For example, this unit has the condenser in the back and that will require both fans and ducting: https://www.amazon.com/Smad-Refrigerator-Fridge-Trucks-Peopane/dp/B01N2MEJJL

In any case a 3-way is GREAT for Boonbocking

Shadrax

My 3 way NorCold died beyond repair in our 2015 Outback; the ammonia leaked out.  I replaced it with an Isotherm Cruiser 2 way which fits nicely with only some trim added.  While the propane feature is nice for boondocking, at least for me the tradeoffs are not worth it.  The NorCold 3 way uses a regenerative ammonia system with a heater which means there’s a flame when using propane, and the trailer must be level for the system to work.  The 12 volt mode never really worked at all. The new Isotherm 2 way uses a conventional coolant compressor pump system and the 12 volt mode actually works.  We also have a small very efficient Isotherm cooler/freezer.  We’ve been fine with a 100AH AGM battery, 100 W solar panel, but what folks are doing with lithium battery banks really kick things up a notch if that’s what you need.  Unfortunately the replacement unit is expensive, like $1400.00, the small cooler about $700.00.

AnOldUR

Shadrax said:

... Unfortunately the replacement unit is expensive, like $1400.00, the small cooler about $700.00.

There are cheaper 12V alternatives. This compressor type chest has traveled almost 50K miles and still is 100% better at holding consistent food safe temperatures than the 3-way that we pulled out.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BJT3LYP/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A3VX33IIC1R2MT&psc=1

Cherokee

Shadrax said:

My 3 way NorCold died beyond repair in our 2015 Outback; the ammonia leaked out.  I replaced it with an Isotherm Cruiser 2 way which fits nicely with only some trim added.  While the propane feature is nice for boondocking, at least for me the tradeoffs are not worth it.  The NorCold 3 way uses a regenerative ammonia system with a heater which means there’s a flame when using propane, and the trailer must be level for the system to work.  The 12 volt mode never really worked at all. The new Isotherm 2 way uses a conventional coolant compressor pump system and the 12 volt mode actually works.  We also have a small very efficient Isotherm cooler/freezer.  We’ve been fine with a 100AH AGM battery, 100 W solar panel, but what folks are doing with lithium battery banks really kick things up a notch if that’s what you need.  Unfortunately the replacement unit is expensive, like $1400.00, the small cooler about $700.00.

Yes, Sparky has it's quirks - Sorry to hear the ammonia leaked out on yours. We've pulled our T@B all over this country and down a lot of moderate dirt trails. The relocated condenser on my 2019 allows for two vents to make a convection current greatly improving cooling retaliative to the 2015 units without after-market fans. For us, the inconvenience of reading a temperature gauge and adjusting the knob accordingly is worth the efficiency of running it on propane when boondocking. However, the cost of Lithium and solar panels keeps coming down making the alternative more and more attractive.