Norcold Removal

Wanderoo · June 2014

Larry -- Thanks for the explicit instructions on problem solving for the refer rattle. I printed it out and put it with my Norcold stuff for future reference. If I'm lucky, I won't need it. So far, my Norcold is a perfect child. I'll be boondocking this weekend and intend to run it out on propane for longer than my initial 1 hr. test, so I hope it still performs well.

Lisa33 · June 2014

I don't know if anyone said this already, but if the refridge is driving you nuts at night, you can pretty safely turn it off as long as you don't intend to open it during the night. Mine has been pretty quiet, but I have turned it down or off at night in the past to conserve battery power (before I installed 300 watts of solar and a second battery).

RZRBUG · June 2014

Since I started this discussion, I guess I should say that I have decided not to remove the Norcold after all. The steps I took above have pretty much eliminated all noise, and for the times I may decide not to use it as a refrigerator, it will make excellent storage for dry foods or other staples. I did order the ARB refrigerator/freezer, so the two unit system should give me plenty of cold storage. I really do not need the extra storage space since I have ample space in the back of the truck, coupled with what I have in the T@B. Thanks to all who made comments and suggestions.

RZRBUG · February 2016

I started this thread a long time ago. The Norcold was one of the first concerns I had with the T@B, and I have been cussing and discussing it ever since. First let me say that I do not have the 3-way. I THOUGHT I had a 2-way, but when I removed it today, I discovered it was DC only. That may explain why it was such a drain on the battery. Any time it was on, it was draining the battery.

Although I thought I had mostly solved the noise problem, it returned on my last trip. I refuse to put up with such a nuisance when I'm supposed to be relaxed and having a good time. Plus, it was very inefficient. I was introduced to an Engel by a couple of T@DA owners in AZ, and was very impressed. So, this morning I ordered one and have already removed the Norcold. It ain't going back in even if the Engel happens to not work out.

The Engel is a 2-way. Since I will need an AC connection somewhere and there is not one in the fridge cabinet at present, looks like I may have to drill a hole in the counter above the fridge and plug it in one of the receptacles by the door. Can't wait until it gets here so I can try it out.

jkjenn · February 2016

Larry - glad to hear you worked it out. I love my Norcold now that I know how to use it and my battery correctly. I had a lot of issues that were 100% user error the first few months I owned the T@b.

The ARB fridges are very nice, but I prefer, for now, to stick with just the Norcold to save space. Maybe if I have the chance to FT, I will feel different, but truthfully, if you went to my kitchen fridge now, you could fit most of into the Norcold. I did pick up an Engel cooler, recently, off of Woot for cold drinks in the TV for longer trips. I had a big 45qt Yeti Tundra a few years back but it was overkill for me. The design is phenomenal, but for what I use of it, not worth the cost.

Nomad · February 2016

I have the three-way so it could be an entirely different deal - Been running on propane and literally haven't heard the fan come on once in a week.

RZRBUG · February 2016

I understand the 3-way works great for most people, but I just am not interested in it. Besides, installing one would require running an LP line which I don't want to do. I have had an ARB for about two years, and it works great. The only reason I wanted to stay with some type of indoor fridge was for the convenience...not having to run outside to the back of the truck every time I needed a cold drink or whatever.

At first I thought that I might just have a quirky unit, but I have read that others with the same model have had noise and vibration problems with it, and it is not very efficient. I have had it drain the battery while connected to the 7-pin and driving down the road. The Engel may be the same way, but I don't see how it could be any worse. Fingers crossed.

Nomad · February 2016

My point was that "if" mine doesn't make noise (considering that it is a three-way), maybe there's something wrong with it - sorry that wasn't clear.

Verna · February 2016

That's a great decision, Larry. If Pleasant Valley hadn't installed the auxillary fan on my 3-way, I know I wouldn't have been as happy with it. As with PXLated, I haven't heard the internal fan for weeks. The auxillary fan is much quieter than the internal fan.

RZRBUG · February 2016

Understand, but since I didn't want to go with the 3-way (not a knock on them in any way), I figured my best bet was to go with a different brand and not take a chance on purchasing the same problem. I also plan to replace my little stick-on level indicators with something more reliable just in case that may have added to the problem, although I have had no indication of that in my two years' experience with it.

Verna · February 2016

yes, those extra noises are very irritable!

Nomad · February 2016

Verna - I actually haven't had to turn on the retrofit, aux fan either.

Verna · February 2016

PXLated said:

Verna - I actually haven't had to turn on the retrofit, aux fan either.

Mine has ran for the past 3 weeks. The built-in fan ran twice one evening and I realized I had bumped the auxiliary fan button. What can I say? Different units, different locations.

TropicalJohnson · February 2016

I have the Norcold 3-way, and the green light will not stay on when lighting. I have tried everything in the documentation. How do I get to the burner to see if that is the problem?

Nomad · February 2016

TropicalJohnson - First, are you level side to side? It's sensitive to that.
As I recall, one person found they had a misaligned ignighter. They got at it by unscrewing the cooktop and sliding it off to the side so they could see and get at it.

Nomad · February 2016

Verna - Shouldn't have opened my big mouth, the fridge fan came on last tight for a period. Has stayed off again since though.

Verna · February 2016

PXLated said:

Verna - Shouldn't have opened my big mouth, the fridge fan came on last tight for a period. Has stayed off again since though.

I forgot to turn on my aux fan at my
new campsite, came back inside and the built-in one was on. I flipped on the aux and the built-in one stayed off.

RZRBUG · February 2016

Still waiting for the shipment of my new fridge, but I went out today to check the space and to determine where I might need to drill a hole in the cabinet to accommodate the AC cord. I also checked everything I could think of that might create a rattle or other noise when the new one is installed. And...I discovered that the gas line was routed up through the cabinet where the refrigerator sits then through other front cabinets to the stove on the side. I found several places where this copper gas line either rubbed/squeaked or rattled against the cabinets where they were routed. Not enough rubbing to wear on the gas line, just create a little noise. I took some time to place rubberized material between the line and the cabinets anywhere there was contact. Doing whatever I can to eliminate any noise when the new one is installed.

Verna · February 2016

Great idea, Larry, to look for potentional noise makers. . Looking forward to hearing about the Engle. Few people have written reviews on them.

RZRBUG · February 2016

It will probably be April before I give it an actual road test, but I will certainly hook it up and run it a while. I'll check out the noise level, how often it cycles (although cold weather may not be a good test) and how many amps it draws while running. The folks in AZ gave it a great review. At $720 (free shipping), it better be good.

ChanW · February 2016

Tropical, ours had that problem and I found that it had a (chronic) loose connector on the thermocouple. You can check it under the stovetop, where it screws into the control panel. It's a tiny aluminum tube with a brass nut-type fitting on the end.

After having to tighten it up twice, I finally put a dab of Locktite on it, which seems to have worked.

TropicalJohnson said:

I have the Norcold 3-way, and the green light will not stay on when lighting. I have tried everything in the documentation. How do I get to the burner to see if that is the problem?

RZRBUG · February 2016

Well, the Norcold (DC only) has now been removed and the Engel installed (AC/DC). It will not get a true test until summer when ambient temperatures are a bit higher, but here are a couple of observations so far:

1) The Engel is made by Sawafugi Electric Co. of Japan. The Norcold (mine) was made in Thailand.
2) At a distance, you could not tell the two apart; same size, same profile, same layout inside. Leads me to believe they were designed by the same company.
3) They definitely have different compressors. (I read the specs somewhere, but don't have them before me and don't remember them.) The Engel has a smooth, easy startup and runs without all the shake, rattle and roll of the Norcold. And, the operation is whisper quiet. OMG!

Quite sure I will be much happier with the Engel. If anyone has specific questions, I'll be glad to answer.

NOTE: I understand the Norcold 3-way does not have the vibration/noise characteristics of the DC only model. Maybe the 3-way has the upgraded compressor? I did not have (nor want) the 3-way, so my only experience is with the DC model that came with the T@B.

Ratkity · February 2016

RZ, my 3-way has none of the noise you've described, but I've made notes of places where I could pad if I need to in case of gremlin rattles. I'm so glad your new frig is quiet and seems to be everything you need!

SweetlyHome · February 2016

Larry, there is no compressor in a 3 way refrigerator. With exception of any fans added for circulation of air around the cabinet there are no moving parts. The issues with 3 way seem to come from inadequate vent area that most of us and the factory are addressing by adding a fan on the upper vent. I've read the Wikipedia description of how they work but I'm not a chemist and how it works remains a mystery to me. Big issue is does take longer to cool down than a compressor based refrigerator.

jkjenn · February 2016

When I was trying to decide which options to get on my T@b before I ordered I was given some strong advice to not get the 3 way. I am glad I didnt listen. Now that I understand how it works, I love it. I wrote up some tips for new users, here. http://jenngrover.com/2015/11/chill-out-lessons-learned-from-the-norcold-three-way-fridge/

RZRBUG · February 2016

SweetlyHome said:

Larry, there is no compressor in a 3 way refrigerator...

Thanks for that clarification. No wonder they are so quiet. As I said, I've had no experience with them and just assumed...which usually is not wise.

BTW, both my old and new units have small cooling fans attached. I didn't look at the specs, but they are similar to fans found in computers. Quite sure they are not large enough to dissipate the heat created by the 3-way.

in2mtns · February 2016

RZ, our three way Norcold has become unreliable and I'm thinking of going with an Engel. What model did you end up getting? Does the 60 qt model (Engel model SR70) fit in the old Norcold space? Any and all advice welcome.
Can hardly wait to get out this season and go T@bbing!
Thanks, Rich

RZRBUG · February 2016

Rich, I'm not sure. I had the Norcold DC only model and the Engel SR48 was a perfect replacement fit. I think the 3-way Norcold is larger, so I'm not sure what size/model you would need. Maybe you could look them both up on the Internet and check their specs. Good luck, and sorry I couldn't be more help.

in2mtns · February 2016

Sounds good. I'm going to go with either the Engel SR48 or the slightly larger Engel SR70. I'll double check the dimensions before ordering anything.

RZRBUG · February 2016

Rich, since you're Norcold is a 3-way, I assume you will be removing a gas line, or do you plan to cap if off some way? I'm sure you are aware of this, but if you are doing the work yourself, just a reminder to disconnect all power sources (AC and DC), and shut off the LP at the tank. Although you won't be using LP on a 2-way, you want to be sure there are no gas leaks after it is installed.

I also suggest you wait until you have the new unit and read its installation instructions before removing the old one. The reason is that although these units are made at different locations, they are (I'm pretty sure) designed by the same company. This means doing the removal/installation helps in understanding the reverse process.

When you take the unit loose from the cabinet, pull it forward (if you can) enough to expose the electric fittings on top. Remove the junction cover and expose the connections. Here you can pull the plugs loose and use them on the new unit. I made the mistake of cutting the wires from the old unit before reading the instructions. This means I had to crimp new plugs onto the wires before installing.

Again, good luck and happy T@bbing!

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