Refrigerator help!!! Again

[The Enemy]

The Norcold is not a easy unit to have repaired..Or at least in my case..Most of the service centers at I looked up are RV dealers. I must of logged 2 hundred miles around my house looking for someone to repair mine.. I finnally gave in and went to Truckfridge in Georgetown KY and took one off the shelves..
The Truckfridge units are build just like the one in your house and can be repaired nearly anywhere. The Norcolds use a different type of cooling system and your average repairman doesnt touch them..
When I was searching repairs for my Norcold I came across a thread that stated sometimes its possible to turn your unit upside down for a day or so and this allows the coolant/gas to run back where it belongs..I did that and it didnt help.. I was leaning towards a circuit board gone bad on mine and my search showed all circuits boards to be discontinued for my unit.
So far the Truckfridge is working great..Small freezer is my only draw back but the fridge holds way more then the same size Norcold..Good unit for the money. I did not go with the one that allows shore power,,just to avoid one other thing that can go wrong..Plus it saved a few dollars.
Mine is 12volt only..

Thanks for the info on the Truck fridge. After looking at their site the direct replacement model for our truck is $1395+ shipping. We want one that fits the same hole that the Norcold is in, that way we don't have to modify the sleeper. Bolt sleepers has the direct replacement Norcold for less than the truckfridge brand, and the price includes the installation.

 

[Big Al]

The Norcold is not a easy unit to have repaired..Or at least in my case..Most of the service centers at I looked up are RV dealers. I must of logged 2 hundred miles around my house looking for someone to repair mine.. I finnally gave in and went to Truckfridge in Georgetown KY and took one off the shelves..
The Truckfridge units are build just like the one in your house and can be repaired nearly anywhere. The Norcolds use a different type of cooling system and your average repairman doesnt touch them..
When I was searching repairs for my Norcold I came across a thread that stated sometimes its possible to turn your unit upside down for a day or so and this allows the coolant/gas to run back where it belongs..I did that and it didnt help.. I was leaning towards a circuit board gone bad on mine and my search showed all circuits boards to be discontinued for my unit.
So far the Truckfridge is working great..Small freezer is my only draw back but the fridge holds way more then the same size Norcold..Good unit for the money. I did not go with the one that allows shore power,,just to avoid one other thing that can go wrong..Plus it saved a few dollars.
Mine is 12volt only..

This is a temporary fix for an rv refrig whatever is causing the orfice to plug will do it again shortly

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[Big Al]

RV refrigerators are absorbtion type that use a heating element. There is no compressor , the element heats an amonia mix which circulates and absorbs heat from the box that is why they really take a long time to cool. The primary cooling is on the freezer then it goes through an orfice to the box. Sometimes there is scales in the coolant and it gets plugged. Freezsr will freeze and box will be lukewarm.

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[Jamin_Joe]

It is too bad that I threw away my refridgeration text book and hot rid of all my troubleshooting materials. Most of my experience was with the controls. Most of the problems was with air flow, restricted refrigerent flow, bad sensor, and bad control board. Since that refrigerent is strictly regulated by the EPA, normally a leak is the last thing to check for.

Just an fyi.

 

[JoeS]

RV refrigerators are absorbtion type that use a heating element. There is no compressor , the element heats an amonia mix which circulates and absorbs heat from the box that is why they really take a long time to cool. The primary cooling is on the freezer then it goes through an orfice to the box. Sometimes there is scales in the coolant and it gets plugged. Freezsr will freeze and box will be lukewarm.

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Not all RV refrigerators are absorption types. The Norcold in question is a dual current AC/DC refrigerator with a compressor. I have the exact same unit in my sleeper.

 

[JoeS]

Ohh I love the black

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Jenny, that's just a black acrylic front that can be purchased as a kit. Runs about $50

 

[Big Al]

Not all RV refrigerators are absorption types. The Norcold in question is a dual current AC/DC refrigerator with a compressor. I have the exact same unit in my sleeper.

Then it is more an apartment style made by an RV Refrigerator company. I assumed it was a absorbtion because of the price tag. You can get apartment refrigs. for a couple of hundred dollars but you do not have 12VDC capacity but you can run it off a gen. Or inverter. Used to be able to get 3 way refrigerators in RV's but they were a waste because they will drop your batteries fast with a 1100 watt element. Absorbtion refrigs are much more expensive

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[Slo-Ride]

Thanks for the info on the Truck fridge. After looking at their site the direct replacement model for our truck is $1395+ shipping. We want one that fits the same hole that the Norcold is in, that way we don't have to modify the sleeper. Bolt sleepers has the direct replacement Norcold for less than the truckfridge brand, and the price includes the installation.

I agree,,Sometimes a plug and play system is even worth a xtra few dollars..But in your case sounds like your money ahead replacing what you have. If ya have time to shop,,Shop some of the RV dealers..Ebay,,Amazon..Ya may find a better price then the Bolt truck dealer???
I had to rip a peice of Oak board down to just less then 1 1/2 inches in width to use as a filler board to go inside of my cabinet..What screwed me up was the outside of this new fridge is smaller but the inside holds way more then the Norcold.

 

[The Enemy]

I agree,,Sometimes a plug and play system is even worth a xtra few dollars..But in your case sounds like your money ahead replacing what you have. If ya have time to shop,,Shop some of the RV dealers..Ebay,,Amazon..Ya may find a better price then the Bolt truck dealer???
I had to rip a peice of Oak board down to just less then 1 1/2 inches in width to use as a filler board to go inside of my cabinet..What screwed me up was the outside of this new fridge is smaller but the inside holds way more then the Norcold.

We checked all of the places we could think of online, prices ranged from $1295 to $1799 for my model. On top of that shipping was $120-$199 for the unit. Rv dealers price was on average about $1599 plus installation.

Bolt custom sleepers (Bentz Sleepers) who designed this sleeper can install one for me for $1350+ tax. I can install it myself, but for that price we will just let them do it.

 

[Slo-Ride]

Bolt custom sleepers (Bentz Sleepers) who designed this sleeper can install one for me for $1350+ tax. I can install it myself, but for that price we will just let them do it.

I see Cold beer in your future soon...LOL
Hope ya get it fixed/replaced soon..I lived with a Ice cooler for a few weeks while searching a way to fix my old one..Didnt like that at all..I dont know how the van folks do it out here..

 

[xiggi]

I see Cold beer in your future soon...LOL
Hope ya get it fixed/replaced soon..I lived with a Ice cooler for a few weeks while searching a way to fix my old one..Didnt like that at all..I dont know how the van folks do it out here..

Many of us have a fridge. You can spend more on ice over a summer than what a fridge costs.

Sent from my - Fisher Price ABC - 123

 

[Slo-Ride]

Yep..I should have said..How some do it.
Im certain I couldnt do with out it now.

 

[The Enemy]

I see Cold beer in your future soon...LOL
Hope ya get it fixed/replaced soon..I lived with a Ice cooler for a few weeks while searching a way to fix my old one..Didnt like that at all..I dont know how the van folks do it out here..

No beer while I am in service and since I only go OOS when I'm at home once every few months, let's just say few and far in between cold beer.

We started out with a Sprinter so I know what you mean. I am enjoying the life of luxury now.

 

[ttruck]

just replaced mine aabout 10 mo. ago just slowly lost its cool so to speak it made it 8 yrs alsohad to take pass. seat out all told about an hour and half .

 

[Hightech_Hobo]

....been both rv'ing and expediting over 20 years....I am no fan of Rv refrigeration....I like the inverter/std fridge set up...reg fridges cheap..at least in truck usable sizes...

You prob already have inverter....$150.00 or less will get you one of those 4' tall jobs at lowes....mine has been in the truck for four years now and still going strong.

 

[zorry]

....been both rv'ing and expediting over 20 years....I am no fan of Rv refrigeration....I like the inverter/std fridge set up...reg fridges cheap..at least in truck usable sizes...

You prob already have inverter....$150.00 or less will get you one of those 4' tall jobs at lowes....mine has been in the truck for four years now and still going strong.

How do the batteries hold up ?

 

[Big Al]

How do the batteries hold up ?

Batteries do good if you maintain them, it is the alternators that do not hold up.

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[Big Al]

We used to use a 12vdc cooler but it only brings down a small box 40 degrees below room temp. And when you are sitting long in a hot area it is a problem because of box temperature and a continuous 5 amp draw on coach batteries. In cool areas it will freeze stuff. Apartment style at least cutoff when box temperature is good.

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[Hightech_Hobo]

Zorry, I'm getting 6 to 8 hours on two gal batts I piced up for $125.00 ea. Honda 2000i to back those up......gotta have power!!

 

[RETIDEPXE]

I couldn't justify paying that much for a Norcold and also found no one repaired them, something about the spiral compressor and cooling unit to repair cost as much as replacing the complete fridge. I instigated finding a cheaper cooling unit that may retrofit but looks like the Norcold is just too unique for this.

Problem with the cheapo 120V small fridges is the compressor not designed for constant shaking and extreme temp diffs in RV/trucks, so they say, so I went to Lowes and Home De shaking all the small fridges looking for the one that had the least amount of compressor rattle. The 4 cu.ft. 120V Vissani had the least and mounted it in the hole, cost @ $225. We run it off the on board inverter while driving, use a Honda 2000i while sitting. Been 2 years now, still enjoying my Blue Bell the is supposed to be ; ).

Anybody want a used notcold Norcold, free, pick-up only, located in NE TX, out of an '07 AA Sleeper. PM me if interested.