Norcold 1210

[dcrbtt]

Freezer works but the fridge is 73 degrees. The right side of the fridge fins are cool, the right side is warm.

Had a guy out he got the fans in the back working again but no change. Another guy suggested removing the fridge and turning it upside down for a day and replacing it, but I leave in the morning.

The current plan is to replace the fridge/freezer in about 6 weeks while I have an area that I will be in for 11 days.

Any thoughts?

 

[Kirk]

First of all, here is a copy of the Norcold service manual that you and download. Absorption refrigerators work by sending the refrigerant up to the top where it passes down through the freezer first and then into the coils in the top of the chill box area. For that reason the freezer will cool first, even when refrigerant is low or movement poor. After leaving the freezer area in most cases it them passes from top to bottom and right to left so what you describe sounds suspiciously like a problem with the cooling unit. Years ago it was a popular fix to turn them upside down for a few days and that often helped, at least for a while. In the past 20 - 30 years the cooling units have been improved to where they are less susceptible to the problem that solved and so it is far less likely to do anything at all and if it did, that might last for a short time if it worked at all. I don't know of any modern RV tech who does that since it is such a waste of time. You have not said how old the refrigerator is but it sounds very probable that your cooling unit is failing.

 

[dcrbtt]

First of all, here is a copy of the Norcold service manual that you and download. Absorption refrigerators work by sending the refrigerant up to the top where it passes down through the freezer first and then into the coils in the top of the chill box area. For that reason the freezer will cool first, even when refrigerant is low or movement poor. After leaving the freezer area in most cases it them passes from top to bottom and right to left so what you describe sounds suspiciously like a problem with the cooling unit. Years ago it was a popular fix to turn them upside down for a few days and that often helped, at least for a while. In the past 20 - 30 years the cooling units have been improved to where they are less susceptible to the problem that solved and so it is far less likely to do anything at all and if it did, that might last for a short time if it worked at all. I don't know of any modern RV tech who does that since it is such a waste of time. You have not said how old the refrigerator is but it sounds very probable that your cooling unit is failing.

5 years old.

 

[8Muddypaws]

There are a lot of things it could be. I would check things in this order.

1. Are both electrical heaters working? Ohmmeter will tell you.
2. On gas is the flame healthy? Visual inspection. Cleck burner for debris.
3. Are both fans working?
4. Is there anything blocking airflow?
5. Is thermistor in spec. Ohmmeter again.

 

[dcrbtt]

There are a lot of things it could be. I would check things in this order.

1. Are both electrical heaters working? Ohmmeter will tell you.
2. On gas is the flame healthy? Visual inspection. Cleck burner for debris.
3. Are both fans working?
4. Is there anything blocking airflow?
5. Is thermistor in spec. Ohmmeter again.

We do not use the propane, both fans are working, no blockage Thermistor's good.

Everyone thinks the cooling unit is failing.

 

[Ray-IN]

For very informative reading, in addition to the service manual read this website for suggestions: Fridge Defend | ARP Control | RV Safety | Dometic | Norcold | RV Fire

 

[8Muddypaws]

We do not use the propane, both fans are working, no blockage Thermistor's good.

Everyone thinks the cooling unit is failing.

Did you check the two heater elements?

What you describe is a common symptom on 1200 series refers with impaired cooling. Freezer gets cold, box doesn't.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Don’t have your model but my norcold flipped freezer to fridge and vise versa. The motherboard was bad and needed replaced. If yours has a motherboard, maybe that needs replacing. Just a thought.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

If you get on the google you can read about bypassing the control board to see if you have a control, or cooling unit problem. You would first go through the checklist 8muddypaws posted though. What bypassing does is apply power directly to the heating element and you observe internal temperatures. If the freezer and fridge reach nominal temperature after a few hours, then the cooling unit is working and the control board is suspect. If it sits there and cools little, or nothing at all then there's a heating element or refrigerant problem.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Ray-IN]

Don’t have your model but my norcold flipped freezer to fridge and vise versa. The motherboard was bad and needed replaced. If yours has a motherboard, maybe that needs replacing. Just a thought.

I fail to see how that can happen given the way the cooling unit functions.

 

[OldWEB]

Freezer works but the fridge is 73 degrees. The right side of the fridge fins are cool, the right side is warm.

Had a guy out he got the fans in the back working again but no change. Another guy suggested removing the fridge and turning it upside down for a day and replacing it, but I leave in the morning.

The current plan is to replace the fridge/freezer in about 6 weeks while I have an area that I will be in for 11 days.

Any thoughts?

Freezer works - ok... is it cold or COLD or COLD?

fridge is 73 degrees - sounds like the door was left open.

The right side of the fridge fins are cool, the right side is warm. - and the left side, 73 degrees?

You did not indicate if both electrical electrical elements are working, you have not tried the propane and the plan is to replace it in 6 weeks.

but I leave in the morning - Case closed then? You need to help us too.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We do not use the propane, both fans are working, no blockage Thermistor's good.

Try it on propane for 24 hours and see if there is any change. The 1210 uses two electric heaters and if one isn't working the result can be what you describe. You could prove that with an electrical meter in the right places, but pushing the LP Gas button is an easy test.

Sadly your symptom is that of a cooling unit failing. It's a two-stage process, where the chiller cools the freezer first and then enters a re-cool second stage evaporation to provide some fridge cooling. It appears you aren't getting much or any second state. Lack of heat to the boiler can do that, but more likely it is a loss of hydrogen gas from the coolant. It's the hydrogen that drives the second stage cooling.

 

[Ray-IN]

I agree Gary; the service manual tells how to test the 120V heating elements, but simply switching to LP is easier. Well, maybe not if he's never used the LP heater. It might be too corroded to function.

 

[dcrbtt]

It did not work any better on LP. switched back AC and this morning fridge was 39, still plan to replace.

I did replace my converter. It may not have been working for quite some time. Last week the fridge had a low battery alarm before I replaced the converter. This shouldn't have anything to do with the fridge not cooling could it?

 

[Ray-IN]

It did not work any better on LP. switched back AC and this morning fridge was 39, still plan to replace.

I did replace my converter. It may not have been working for quite some time. Last week the fridge had a low battery alarm before I replaced the converter. This shouldn't have anything to do with the fridge not cooling could it?

Yes, low voltage will affect refrigerator operation. I think the low voltage minimum is 10.5 VDC, it's stated in that service manual.

 

[Kirk]

This shouldn't have anything to do with the fridge not cooling could it?

Low voltage can cause some problems with the controls of and absorption refrigerator, since the controls are all powered by 12V but it is highly unlikely that it could cause the problems that you have described. Reread posts #2 & #12. Generally, if the control circuits see much less than 10.5V they will turn off and not operate at all.