Another Norcold Question

jehdfd

We just returned from a trip to Utah. We started the Norcold on propane before we left and it was nice and cold. We ran it on DC during towing...still nice and cold. We got to Moab where it was over 100 every day. We went back to running the fridge on propane and returned from our first full day out and found the fridge still running but warm. All our food went in the trash. My question is, is the Norcold not working properly and needs repair or was the 100 degree plus heat just too hot for the fridge to overcome?

Nomad

Do you have the aux fan kit installed? If not, call Elsie at the factory and get one. Totally required if it's hot out.

jehdfd

I believe that I do although there isn't a switch for it like I see on the newest models. I can hear a fan running though. Can I tell by removing the panel to the side of the fridge?

Nomad

The fridge has an internal fan that runs periodically which is more than likely what you hear. The aux fan would have a seperate switch and the fan is built into the exhaust vent forward of the door. If you took that vent out, you'd see a fan mounted to the back side of it if you have one.
Can't recall exactly when they started installing them standard but it might have been later in 2016 than yours.

Tabaz

I have a 2016 that has a manufacture date of 8/15 and it has the auxiliary fan.  If you don't see a separate round rocker type switch, with a small light, on the face of the fridge, you most probably don't have the aux fan.

ChanW

Was your Tab level?

Also, I found that the fridge doesn't do well if the Tab's door is blocked open, which can restrict the fridge's heat exhaust vents next to the door.

Tommy

OutbackAZ said:

I have a 2016 that has a manufacture date of 8/15 and it has the auxiliary fan.  If you don't see a separate round rocker type switch, with a small light, on the face of the fridge, you most probably don't have the aux fan.

How do we find out the date of manufacture?

Our 2016 Outback has the vent but does not have the fan. I got a hold of Elsie at the factory today and she is sending out the kit to us on Monday at no charge.

Verna

@Tommy, your month and year date of manufacture is on your VIN tag on the left side of the tongue. 

jehdfd

Perfect! Thanks everyone. This forum has been incredibly helpful!

Bjreimann

We have the fan - when should that be switched on?  We thought all the time, but we used it while using frig with gas and the fan drained our battery within 24 hours (not plugged into electricity). We emptied and turned off refrigerator and later tried it without the fan but smelled gas and turned it all off until we could get to wifi access and research to make sure we were using properly. Our refrigerator manual didn't mention the fan or show it in the illustration at all. 

Nomad

Bjreimann - You sure there isn't some other draw - I run on propane and run that aux without much affect on the battery. On hot days I run it most the day depending on how warm the countertop feels. Other times I leave it off and just turn it on if the main fridge fan kicks on.

Bjreimann

We'll have to do more looking - when I turned the refrigerator off completely the charge on the battery held stable. We turned the water pump on very rarely and I can think of anything else we had on - we didn't use lights or other fans. 

Nomad

There's several sources of parasitic draw like the TV/Media center, etc that could be one source of the draw. Search "parasitic" and you should find what those sources are.

ericnliz

Bjreimann, Is your main fan on the fridge coming on? You said you smelled gas and you shouldn't be at all. Have you tried it just on battery power to see if the main fan comes on at all? I agree with PXL, mine doesn't seem to have much draw either. Maybe something else is going on in conjunction causing a big draw. Please let us know what you find. Thanks.

Bjreimann

I haven't noticed the fan coming on but we have always used the aux fan so maybe we couldn't hear it over that. We lit the pilot for gas with the aux fan off and definitely smelled gas - since we weren't sure, we turned everything off. I never smell gas when using the stove. 

ericnliz

Always better to be safe, than sorry for sure. Have you tried it on just battery?

Verna

I use my aux fan when I am camping (not "all" the time). I rarely hear the left side Norcold fan come on.  If I don't use the aux fan, the Norcold fan runs almost constantly. The Norcold fan is louder, to me, than the aux fan and the Norcold fan wakes me out of a deep sleep when it comes on during the night. I rarely notice the aux fan's sound. 

But, PXLated's doesn't use his aux fan as much as me, and his Norcold fan runs very little. 

Our heat sensors must have different temperature ranges. 

Bjreimann

Hmm - we've had it on battery when traveling but, again, always have had the aux fan on. 

ChanW

Bjreimann, it doesn't make sense that you smell gas, unless you have the front window open above the fridge exhaust vents. If that's not the case, you need to find out why you smell gas. It could be a problem, because there is no outlet for the propane in the living space.

Also, make sure your battery is fully charged, via campground shore power hookup for at least 24 hours, or via a battery charger for 24 hours. That will guarantee a fully charged battery.

If you've been running the fridge on 12V, even with your Tow Vehicle connected, it may have depleted your battery, because your vehicle's alternator might not be able to keep up. The fridge fan draws very little from your battery's charge. The fridge on propane requires some of your battery, but not enough to mention.

Bjreimann

We did have the window open so hopefully that's all it was. We drove about 120 with the fridge on battery, stopped for about 75-90 minutes with it still on battery (but car not running), drove another 40 minutes to our campsite where we turned it to gas (with aux fan on). By early afternoon the next day our battery was low. Maybe the 75-90 minutes depleted it somewhat and 40 minute car ride wasn't enough to replenish. 
We'll try it again with a fully charged battery. It's good to know the aux fan doesn't use a lot and that you don't always have to have it on. 
Also, a couple weekends ago we forgot to unhook battery from car while camping overnight and completely drained our car and battery. Maybe we did some damage to our battery. 

Nomad

90 minutes will definately hurt ya - Your TV alternator (if big enough) will maintain as you travel but not really restore in my experience. If I'm stopped for 10-15 minutes, I remain hooked up but shut the fridge off - it has a pretty good seal and remains cold. If I'm going to be longer and I'm on relatively level ground, I switch it over to propane. I never leave it on battery unless the TV is running.

ericnliz

Bjreimann, I think at this point with your last statement, I'd have the batteries checked. Never hurts to have it checked, and most auto parts stores do it free of charge. While you are at the parts store, have them check to see what amperage your alternator puts out, and what the current output is. Again, should be no charge , and a piece of mind! Please let us know the outcome either way, Thanks!

Bjreimann

Thanks for all your help - I'll post an update when I know more!

ChanW

Yeah, that's a possibility, but maybe not. 

A full charge, 24 hours with a good charger, would be your best chance at restoring the battery, and would tell you if it's a lost cause.

If you charge your battery fully, then let it sit unconnected for a few hours, and then test each cell with a hydrometer type battery tester, you'll know if it's hopeless or not. Or just measure the voltage after charging fully and sitting. It should be 12.6 or so (with nothing connected).

Leaving the fridge in battery mode, without the TV running to charge it, is asking for trouble (spoken by one who knows...)

And see what voltage you get on the 'charge pin' at the 7-pin connector when your fridge is running, and your TV is running at a high idle. If it's not over 13V, you might not have a strong enough alternator, or your 12V 'charge' conductor might not be a big enough gauge.

It really does take 12-24 hours to fully charge a battery.

.Bjreimann said:

We did have the window open so hopefully that's all it was. We drove about 120 with the fridge on battery, stopped for about 75-90 minutes with it still on battery (but car not running), drove another 40 minutes to our campsite where we turned it to gas (with aux fan on). By early afternoon the next day our battery was low. Maybe the 75-90 minutes depleted it somewhat and 40 minute car ride wasn't enough to replenish. 
We'll try it again with a fully charged battery. It's good to know the aux fan doesn't use a lot and that you don't always have to have it on. 
Also, a couple weekends ago we forgot to unhook battery from car while camping overnight and completely drained our car and battery. Maybe we did some damage to our battery. 

Ratkity

@Bjreimann, you should never, ever smell propane in the T@B system (save the few sec in lighting the stove). Check the connection at your tank first since that is only a hand-tightened connection. If you ever smell it inside or out, please turn off your tank and go to an RV dealer. They have special sniffers that can locate the leak. It's a lot more efficient than the old liquid soap and find the bubbles method. Keep in mind you have something that sparks (battery) sitting next to something that contains explosive gas (propane tank). Be safe and have it checked out.