ATF: Big Country - Compressor Motor Noise on Norcold

[Donszarko]

Currently on a road trip in hot weather (30C or 90F) and Norcold Fridge started making a buzzing noise when cooling. Also makes a whining noise as it winds down and cuts out. I opened up the exterioe vent and the noise seems to be coming from the compressor? Fridge vents are both in the slide.

Noise is still persisting even though we have moved into cooler Mountain temps. ? Unit is still cooling fine. Should I be concerned?

 

[cookie]

I am not real familiar with the Norcold but I think what you are hearing might be cooling fans. There is no compressor on and absorption type refrigerators.
When you opened up the vent did you see any fans back there?

Peace
Dave

 

[jmgratz]

Only the residential refrigerators have compressors.

 

[MCTalley]

Sounds like something might have fallen into or against one of the cooling fans on the back of the fridge. May correct itself over time. If it continues to get louder I'd say have it looked at.

 

[jmgratz]

I would check in the back for mud dauber nests. They could cause the fan to make unusual noise.

 

[Donszarko]

Sounds like something might have fallen into or against one of the cooling fans on the back of the fridge. May correct itself over time. If it continues to get louder I'd say have it looked at.

Thanks. Checked the cooling tubes and everything else that is visible and all seems clear aside from a lot of dust. Funny that we had no noise from the fridge all day and then it appeared again just a few moments ago. Seems rather intermittent today.

Think that it may be worth having a service tech. check it out prior to heading out on a long trip again.

 

[MCTalley]

Thanks. Checked the cooling tubes and everything else that is visible and all seems clear aside from a lot of dust. Funny that we had no noise from the fridge all day and then it appeared again just a few moments ago. Seems rather intermittent today.

Think that it may be worth having a service tech. check it out prior to heading out on a long trip again.

I agree.

 

[dougrat]

Seems like it could be the fans to me as they cycle on and off. I replaced the cooling unit with one built by the Amish. The fans are placed lower on the unit and it now runs cooler and quiet. Good luck to you.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Donszarko]

Noisy Norcold

Just thought I would share that the buzzing noise in my Norcold was in fact a fridge fan.

So thanks to everyone who chipped in their suggestions. As info. and the way it was explained to me by a service manager, fridges built into slides create a cooling problem but typically only in extreme hot weather. The two side vents and the fridge compartment really are not suffocient to dissipate built up heat. Thus Mfg. installed fans inside the top part of the compartment to draw heat away from the cooling coils.

It's simple and inexpensive to replace the fan. The Service Manager advised that they are seeing more of this occurrence with certain Norcolds.

Dave, your diagnosis was bang on.

Don