Norcold not working

Mark

Need any help in trying figure out why my frig is not working in any setting.  I can ignite the propane, green light comes on but does not cool frig. I also tried shore power and that is not working either.  Is there a panel somwhere that I'm not seeing?  The T@B is a 2015 with 3-way frig next to the outside door with two burner stove resting over the top. I found the flow chart for trouble shooting but indicates reseeting breaker and checking fuses.  Where is this hidden? Much thanks for any help. Mark

jgram2

There's 1fuse for the fridge in the converter-passenger side, pry the top off, think it's a 15 amp, and 2 fuses on top of the fridge-remove the stove top to find them. See under manuals category-Fuses for Newbies is the top selection. That's all I can think of.

Tabaz

Having experienced the same problem two days ago, make sure the trailer is perfectly level.

jkjenn

Tabaz said:

Having experienced the same problem two days ago, make sure the trailer is perfectly level.

Here are a few things to trouble in addition to being level:

1. Do you have enough battery? The Norocold uses a little battery. It won't run without it.

2. Make sure you have adequate LP and that your connections are tight.

3. Was your fridge pre-chilled on shore power? Getting the fridge from warm to cool on LP takes forever and it can be tough to achieve in warmer weather.

4. How long was the fridge on before you determined it was not working.

5. Check the fuses below the stove. Search, "Fuses for newbies"

6. Some 2015 T@bs did not include the auxiliary fan. If you have one, run it, if you don't you might need one. Is the countertop warmer above the fridge?

Michigan_Mike

The fuses are located on top of the Norcold unit.   And keep in mind too that even if it is running on propane you are going to need considerable time for it to feel cold and realize actual cooling properties.  If you left it running overnight it should be cold by morning.   If the Norcold is chuck full of food, beverages, etc. and the cooling fins have items jammed in alongside them the unit will not cool.   Try turning the temperature knob in both directions 360 degrees multiple times back and forth as I was told that this does help as the system "gets confused" occasionally.  I would also try shutting the unit down completely, powering the trailer down and letting it sit a day or two as I had the same issue (would not cool) and after letting the frig settle down it did return to full operation.  Check and clean the igniter too as cleaning does help in the over all operation of the unit as well.  



And from the Norcold Guy:

Is Your Norcold Refrigerator Not Getting Cool Enough?

There are several components that work together to get the refrigerator to cool properly. Understanding the basics will help you in locating the cause of the failure.

AC/DC model Norcold refrigerators are fairly simple in troubleshooting. You will know that you have one of these models if the refrigerator has a compressor in the back (typically installed in boats and trucks). Most RV's have gas absorption refrigerators and these can be more troublesome since there are more components that affect the cooling. 

Below is a useful diagram of the gas absorption cooling unit on your Norcold refrigerator:

1. The first thing to know is that the cooling units on every Norcold gas absorption refrigerator are gravity operated and MUST be level in order to run properly.
2. The second thing you need to understand is that the refrigerator will not cool properly if it is too hot outside (typically over 90 degrees F ambient). The refrigerator needs good air flow across the "condenser fins" that are located at the top of the cooling unit. If you remove your refrigerator's access panel on the outside of the RV you should be able to look up and see these fins. Make sure that there are no obstructions. If your refrigerator doesn't have good air flow it will not cool properly. Many models do not come with external fans behind the cooling unit. For the RVers that love the heat, we recommend installing some fans in the back to help with the air flow.
3. The next thing to check is your Thermistor (thermostat/ resistor) located inside the refrigerator. It has a 4-prong connector located at your light fixture at one end and the other end connects inside the refrigerator on one of the back fins. To test this Thermistor you don't need any tools whatsoever. Provided your refrigerator is not showing any fault codes, you can turn the temperature setting as cold as it gets and disconnect this Thermistor. If it cools properly, you have a bad Thermistor. If, however, you do have a multi-meter, here is an article on testing the thermistor for resistance:
   Norcold Thermistor Test (<-click)
4. If you checked all of the following and it's still not cooling as well as it should, we highly recommend purchasing a Camco Aerator (<-click) and having it pointed towards the fins inside the refrigerator compartment. This should drop the temperature in the refrigerator section several degrees.

Brettster

I have a 2015 T@B. The other day I set fridge on shore power to pre-cool before our trip.
After 15 hours counter very hot and no evidence of attempted cooling. Works great on propane. 
Spent an hour with a service guy (recommended by Norcold). He couldn't figure how to access the back. Do we need to remove the fridge to service it? He called Norcold and they are sending a manual. Any experience here?

jkjenn

Brettster said:

Do we need to remove the fridge to service it? He called Norcold and they are sending a manual. Any experience here?

So sorry to hear of your woes!

Yes, it has to be removed to service it, unfortunately. I believe that @Michigan_Mike had a thread on the forum on how to remove it  a couple of years, ago.

Michigan_Mike

Brettster said:

I have a 2015 T@B. The other day I set fridge on shore power to pre-cool before our trip.
After 15 hours counter very hot and no evidence of attempted cooling. Works great on propane. 
Spent an hour with a service guy (recommended by Norcold). He couldn't figure how to access the back. Do we need to remove the fridge to service it? He called Norcold and they are sending a manual. Any experience here?

You will need to pull the stove top out, undo the front screws on the face of the frig and remove the plastic cover on the front and remove the screws on the exhaust port. Once this is done the frig can be pulled out of the cabinet. This is more easily done with two people, especially when you put the frig back and try aligning the screw holes.  Make sure you caulk the front good and seal things up to make it weather tight.