Norcold Question

Twinpsb · April 2017

Thank you for all of your help.

ChanW · April 2017

Twinpsb, is your Tab fairly level? The Norcold is a bit persnickety that way.

I'm not convinced that 4-6 hours is enough to start to chill the fridge. Leave it on for 12-24 hours. (The cooling fins inside the fridge should feel cool, as a tell-tale).

Michigan_Mike · April 2017

We experienced an issue with the Norcold while we were out in Arizona back in March. We were running on propane, it was unseasonably hot and we did have to toss some food because the unit seemed to be stuck in neutral if you will and thank God I had the ARB in the back of my pickup or things could have gotten worse. I'm curious whether higher temps might have been the culprit here in diminishing the efficiency of the Norcold as temps were hovering at or above 94F?

Also, upon further investigation we surmised that too much food/bottled water, etc. was stored in the unit and was probably in too close to the cooling fins of the unit, thus lowering the efficiency and output of the Norcold unit. I discussed this earlier with other forum members and was told that the Norcold controls can become "confused" if you will. I was told to take the temperature know, run it full up and down a few times and to see if this made a difference. Unfortunately that didn't work and after losing more food we shut the unit down completely. After a day or so we fired up the unit once again and it seemed to run better and the thermometer I stuck inside indicated that things were okay. Has anyone else experienced this or similar outcomes?

I'm also curious as to the effects of cleaning the igniter or pilot light area. Does this improve the overall cooling and efficiency of the unit? As Chan noted above, I also tried running the propane while traveling from one campsite to another in an effort to keep things cool but the unit will not stay lit. I discussed this with Martin Raber last week down at the factory and he noted (as many of us know) that the unit is designed to run best when the trailer is level and it WILL shut down if the Norcold is subject to un-level conditions, so that would explain the pilot going out and hearing the clicking sound when it is trying to relight itself. That's why I am asking about cleaning/servicing the pilot light area because if it DOES make a difference, maybe the unit will cool and function more efficiently for me? Is there a simple/recommended way to clean the device/pilot area???

And regarding the carrying of frozen water jugs, etc. I do see the value added but what do you folks do when the jugs un-thaw, you are traveling longer distances and camping for weeks on end? What tips have you got for preserving food, using the Norcold while traveling across the country and for longer stints away from home and shore power?

GrandmasKid · April 2017

After driving about seven hours to home with the Norcold on battery my charge was down to 12.1 volts and 33% of capacity, so my TV was not charging my battery while driving.When we left our camping spot we had been on electric (shore power) so the battery was fully charged. The cutoff switch to the T@B was on. If I turn that switch to off the refrigerator will run off the TV, but will the car be able to charge the camper battery, or does the cutoff switch isolate the battery from the tow vehicle as well as the T@B?

Michigan_Mike · April 2017

GrandmasKid said:

After driving about seven hours to home with the Norcold on battery my charge was down to 12.1 volts and 33% of capacity, so my TV was not charging my battery while driving.When we left our camping spot we had been on electric (shore power) so the battery was fully charged. The cutoff switch to the T@B was on. If I turn that switch to off the refrigerator will run off the TV, but will the car be able to charge the camper battery, or does the cutoff switch isolate the battery from the tow vehicle as well as the T@B?

Remember that your trailer lights need to be functional, so to answer your question, even with the cutoff switch turned to the off position the trailer will now be running off your vehicle as the harness is tied into the trailer wiring. Yes, your trailer battery is isolated, but the Norcold will sap your tow vehicle battery if it is left in the 12 volt position and the battery switch is in the off position. It is beneficial to always unhook the trailer harness from your tow vehicle too when camped as you could wake up to a dead battery in your vehicle via the above scenario. Another thing to do would be to add a battery isolator switch to your vehicle and this will eliminate draining your vehicle battery via the trailer.

Also, check your vehicle battery and see whether or not a dedicated charge line has been run back to the 7-pin female port at the rear of your vehicle. If it is, your vehicle might be able to handle charging the unit and running the Norcold if your vehicle alternator is large enough. Some people have noted this in earlier discussions. You can also check the charge line question by plugging the trailer into your vehicle, checking the voltage in the trailer, unplugging from the tow vehicle and again checking the trailer voltage... Obviously your voltage read should show a higher read if the vehicle charge line is charging from your vehicle than when it is unhooked.

ScottG · April 2017

Back when I actually used the fridge's DC setting, I also found that my T@B battery would lose some charge while enroute. I assumed that my alternator just wasn't putting out enough power to run the fridge and keep the battery topped up, so the T@B battery was being called upon to make up the difference. However, it's likely that not turning off the fridge when I stopped for lunch, etc. was a big contributor to the problem.

I assume your cutoff is installed at the battery (as opposed to at the converter). If so, turning it off will isolate the battery from both the T@B and tow vehicle. However, the tow vehicle will still send power the fridge (and other 12V devices) via the converter.

(If your cutoff is in the camper at the converter it's a whole different ballgame. It has to do with the way all the wires join together under the T@B.)

GrandmasKid · April 2017

There is a power supply "charge line" running from my tow vehicle battery to my seven pin connector and the T@B battery cutoff switch is in the battery box. I'm running an experiment. I've proven to myself that the T@B battery box cutoff does indeed totally isolate the T@B battery, i.e. the T@B battery voltage did not change after running the TV with the Norcold on battery and the T@B battery switch in the cutoff position. I ran that for 30 minutes. Now I'm running the TV with the Norcold on battery and the T@B battery switch in the on connected position and I'll evaluate the T@B battery after 30 minutes of this. I notice that my harness connectors are too hot to hold for more than a couple of seconds. OK, I let it run for 50 minutes and the T@B battery dropped just a little, from 12.7 to 12.5 volts. I'll have to start monitoring everything a lot more closely as I travel.

ChanW · April 2017

I just have to say, if your connectors are too hot to hold, there's something wrong! Probably your wire gauge is too small for the charge line.

The smaller gauge wire would probably be fine for simply keeping your battery charged if you didn't use the 12V mode on the Norcold.

The Norcold has a high current draw in 12V mode, around 11A if I remember right, which really requires a large gauge wire on your charge line.

GrandmasKid · April 2017

ChanW said:

I just have to say, if your connectors are too hot to hold, there's something wrong! Probably your wire gauge is too small for the charge line.

The smaller gauge wire would probably be fine for simply keeping your battery charged if you didn't use the 12V mode on the Norcold.

The Norcold has a high current draw in 12V mode, around 11A if I remember right, which really requires a large gauge wire on your charge line.

While keeping the T@B battery connected and the TV running the Norcold runs without the connectors getting hot. If I want to use the refrigerator while traveling I guess I'll have to put up with slow drainage of my T@B battery, or try to run on propane (which seems dangerous). Maybe I'll have to give up on running the Norcold while traveling, but that's a shame.

irvingj · April 2017

Those absorption refrigeration systems only require a source of heat to operate. That heat is supplied by: a) burning propane; b) a 120VAC heating element (shore power); or c) a 12VDC heating element (battery). Of the three, the 12VDC is the most "inefficient," if you will, sucking a lot of amps, as Chan said. It will drain a battery quickly.

There are mixed feelings and results on this, but when we travelled with our T@B, I was able to run it on propane with no ill effects that I ever saw. Others have said theirs wouldn't work (flame would blow out), and some folks just weren't comfortable running on propane over the road.

I had no choice, as I didn't have a TV charging circuit, only a "flat-four" connector, so I tried it on propane. It worked.

ScottG · April 2017

@GrandmasKid, good job with your experiment--there's nothing like actual facts to get to the bottom of a problem! You've provided evidence for something I suspected but didn't mention in my previous post...

Your tow vehicle--charge line, alternator, or both--may not be sufficient to keep the fridge running on DC without a little help from the battery. That could explain why the battery loses charge even when you are driving, and why your tow vehicle connectors heat up when the battery is not connected.

SteveK · April 2017

The kind of heat you describe sounds like a loose connection or frayed wire. I would suggest going through the charging cable from your tow vehicle to the battery looking for loose connections. Make sure all the connector pins in the 7 pin connector are in good condition and making good solid contact. The 7 pin can get damaged when the tow cable is pulled on and off. Look at the connections to the cutoff switch, battery posts, any fuses, etc and make sure they are tight and not getting hot. The 11 amps drawn by the fridge should not make any of the wiring or connectors hot, at most the wire and connections should only be warm to the touch. If you find a connection that feels hot or looks discolored, that is a problem and will limit how much current your alternator can deliver to the battery. If the connection is hot and the screw seems tight, then it could be a bad crimp in the lug and this should be removed and a new lug properly crimped on with a correct tool.

GrandmasKid · April 2017

Hmmm. Thanks folks, I feel like I have a better handle on the problem. I'd like to know how many amps are coming through my charge line. I don't own any testers and obviously don't know much about electrical systems. I wonder if a different, more powerful alternator can be added to the car. That seems unlikely. I am thinking I'll try just running on propane. If the propane flame blows out will the system shut itself off? I assume so, but you know the old joke about assume. I just double checked the charge line. It comes off the TV battery then through a relay, and then back to next to the four pin flat connector, then connects to a seven pin adapter. The charge line is pretty thick but there's no gauge shown on the insulation. Hmmm.

ScottG · April 2017

Many of us (myself included) just pre-chill the fridge and pack it with ice and other cold stuff before departure. It works pretty well as a plain-old cooler until you get to your campsite.

This may not work as well if you are traveling very long distances or moving frequently, but that has yet to be an issue for me.

ScottG · April 2017

@GrandmasKid, on a tangential (but important) note, I should have also pointed out that if you have a battery mounted switch and you drive with it disconnected, your electric breakaway brakes will not operate in the event of a trailer separation.

GrandmasKid · April 2017

ScottG said:

@GrandmasKid, on a tangential (but important) note, I should have also pointed out that if you have a battery mounted switch and you drive with it disconnected, your electric breakaway brakes will not operate in the event of a trailer separation.

Whoa! I didn't know that! Thanks for telling me.

GrandmasKid · April 2017

We do tend to drive long distances between campsites, so I have an idea. If I start off with a cold packed refrigerator, and keep the frig off until the first gas refill the food should still be cold enough until the stop, then I'll turn the frig on battery which will slowly drain the T@B Battery. Then, at the next stop I'll turn the frig back off and let the TV recharge the T@B battery. I drive about 225 miles on a tank. If I keep alternating like that perhaps I can drive all day without ever running down the T@B battery too much. I think I read somewhere on this forum about a thermometer that would allow me to read the temp. inside the frig without opening the door. I'll have to look for that.

TabberJohn · April 2017

While researching this topic I found a post on rvforum.net indicating some model cars/trucks will put out higher voltage from the alternator by running the headlights while towing.
Anyone had experience with this and actually measured it?

GrandmasKid · May 2017

Since I made the mistake of running my battery almost flat a few times and I grew tired of worrying about it, I've replaced my group 24 with a group 27, 90 AH, AMG battery. The larger battery box fit fine in my Outback box and the work wasn't difficult. The higher capacity battery will take some of the worry out of our planned long trip back out west. I will monitor that baby closely and it should last a good long while.

Homebodyatheart · May 2017

GrandmasKid I paid the dealer the difference between a 24 and 27 battery including mounting before I took possession of the T@b. I'm glad I did it.

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