Frazzled Fridge issues

[Gina D.]

My Norcold 600 series 2 way fridge works great on AC, both fridge and freezer. On gas, however, only the freezer works. It freezes and does what freezers do, but nada in the fridge section. The coils don't even get warm in back.

Never heard of such a thing. Gas is flowing fine, flame looks good and obviously, the freezer is behaving, so it has to be beyond that.

Any ideas?

[Marinab]

I'm having the same issue with my fridge but haven't had time to really check it out. Hopefully,
someone out there has a solution.

[Bonnie B.]

Gina,
I did a quick little Google search and came up with this thread http://www.motorhomemagazine.com/cforum/in...sg/23796592.cfm

Although the issue does not fit your sitiuation, it does talk about cleaning the flue that goes to the refer and has other info about the older Norcold refers that may be of interest to you right now.

[David Morgan]

My Norcold 600 series 2 way fridge works great on AC, both fridge and freezer. On gas, however, only the freezer works. It freezes and does what freezers do, but nada in the fridge section. The coils don't even get warm in back.

Never heard of such a thing. Gas is flowing fine, flame looks good and obviously, the freezer is behaving, so it has to be beyond that.

Any ideas?

I am not familiar with the layout of the internals of that model. But I have herd that air bubbles can cause things like that. I have been told to pull it out of the trailer and rotate it upside down a few times. That would make sense if you had the problem on Gas and AC. It sounds a little fishy that it is only on gas you have that issue. But if it is an older refer it wouldn't hurt to give it a rotation or two.. I am curious to find out what the cause is!

[Gina D.]

me too! Doesn't quite make sense.

[Gina D.]

odd. I flipped the humidity switch and the fridge *seems* to be cooling, but it hard to tell. Its only been a couple hours, and the weather is chilly (I am in Oregon)

We'll see what the thermometer says in the afternoon tomorrow.

[David Morgan]

odd. I flipped the humidity switch and the fridge *seems* to be cooling, but it hard to tell. Its only been a couple hours, and the weather is chilly (I am in Oregon)

We'll see what the thermometer says in the afternoon tomorrow.

Interesting..... I guess humidity could have some effects on the cooling? Please keep us informed of your progress!

Thank you!

[Gina D.]

that wasn't it. It was not cold at all after 24 hours. But the freezer was so cold that it looked like a dry ice fog when I opened it this evening.

[Michael Pupeza]

Hi Gina;
In some 'conventional' fridges, the freezer compartment is the location for the 'cold' coils, and the fridge part depends on cold air pouring down a shaft at the back. This is 'sometimes' controlled with a flapper valve. The whole assembly is foam material and I have found that several things can happen. The whole unit could be frozen up solid, thus blocking the air flow. Solution, turn it off for a couple of days, making sure that the water is mopped up, or drains.
Or, a second thing I have found, is that the glue holding the foam pieces has given up, and a foam piece has dropped down, also blocking the air flow. In this case, you have to dis-assemble the back of the fridge and get at the workings within, if possible.
Hopefully, maybe, the first case is your problem - remember that if the box is so cold that it looks like dry ice, then there is certainly frozen material in the back.
Good luck.
Mike .....>

that wasn't it. It was not cold at all after 24 hours. But the freezer was so cold that it looked like a dry ice fog when I opened it this evening.

[Chester Taje]

Try these guys.
http://www.justanswer.com/tags/appliance/R...CFRJcbQodYmjGKg

[Gina D.]

they charge and make you jump through a few screens. Not an easy site.

[Gina D.]

Thanks Mike. How would this only be a problem on propane tho?

[Gina D.]

hmnn.. you may be on to something. I turned the temp down last nite to about 5, just to see what would happen, and because I wanted to see how low I could set it and still have freezer function. I forgot I did this. Just opened the door to the fridge and had ice on the fins, and the thermometer was in the "Safe" zone.

Perhaps it works TOO well on gas and isn't quite as proned to freezing up on electric.

I know the fridges in BOTH my Burros worked best on gas, perhaps we are dealing with user error here. On electric, I have to set it up high. I just figured gas was the same. Maybe not.

We are also dealing with a much colder outside temp here than I am used to dealing with. May need to adjust habits. We'll see how it goes.

[Frederick L. Simson]

... perhaps we are dealing with user error here.

We are also dealing with a much colder outside temp here than I am used to dealing with. May need to adjust habits.

I think you've got it.

I am constantly adjusting the thermostat in my 32 year old fridge when I first arrive at a campground I will be staying at for a few days or more. Put it on "max" and run the 12volt exhaust vent fans when I first start it up from being room temperature. Monitor the temp and dial it back once or twice a day if the refer compartment approaches the freezing zone. The owner's manual considers "4" to be nominal. In cold outside temps, I sometimes have to dial it back to "1" or "2" in addition to shutting off the vent fans.

[Gina D.]

I believe I may have found my problem via internet research. Seems the thermistor (That thingy with the wire stuck to the fins in the back of older fridges) actually sends it feed to the circuit board via the light in the fridge compartment on old style units.

When in boondock mode, such as I am for the next 4 months, I disconnect that light to save a little energy. The previous owner made this easy to do, he broke one of the connections and I just haven't soldered it back together again. When I want the light, I cheezily move the tab over and make a sloppy connection that way. When I don't want the light, I leave it dangling.

I made the connection, fired the fridge back up after a little more precision leveling, and all works as it should now. Been fine for several days.

Perhaps Harry Young could comment? I would think I would have the opposite problem if the thermistor was out of the circuit, fridge getting TOO cold, but I am no fridge expert.