Norcold refrigerator 1210 not cooling

[trholthus]

I have a BC3650RL fifth wheel with a Norcold 1210 refregerator. The refregerator slowly gets warmer and warmer. It starts at the normal 34 degrees and slowly gets up to about 42 degrees. It doesn't matter if it is on LP or electric. On LP I can see tht the burner is normal and never shuts off. Norcold has replaced the cooling unit 2 times and the unit is doing it again. Any suggesstions? Norcold is no help.

 

[danemayer]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Hi trholthus,

I'm assuming the temperature climb isn't just for a few hours while in the defrost cycle.

With a bad cooling unit, it would be unusual for the temp to only get up to 42. When the cooling unit fails, the temp usually climbs to the maximum that the display is programmed to show - often 50 or higher.

Is the freezer staying cold? If so, the cooling unit may be ok. A refrigerator compartment-only temperature climb can be due to air leaks in the refrigerator compartment. If the freezer is working, the cooling unit is probably ok.

If the fridge has double doors with a flap that seals the space between them, make sure the flap is sealing. Also check the seals around the edges. Pull a dollar bill through the closed doors to see if there's drag, indicating the seals are good.

Dometic refrigerators, and I assume Norcold as well, have a drain hose that lets water drain out the exterior wall of the RV. Dometic uses a one way cap on the end of the tube to allow water out without letting warm air into the refrigerator. Norcold probably uses something similar.

 

[trholthus]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Thank you for reply. I check the door seals. They are good. I have recycled the unit (turned off and onn) and the fin temp is comming down. I will continue to watch it. I ran the diagnostics and everything is normal. I will report as this case evloves.

 

[Prairiedog]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

trholthus,

Next time this happens, before you cycle the unit, run (or check) your diagnostics and compare with the user manual -- typically, if there's a fault in there...that's where it will show up. If its an ammonia clog, it won't show and you're just going to have to power it down for a while until it shakes loose. At least, that's what I've had to do in my experience.

The Diagnostic Screens where my faults show up have been on Screens 4, 5 and 8 -- you can often find someone to help walk you through the next step or two if you can clearly identify the fault, so try that. After you've cycled it (off and on), the diagnostic fault will go away. I'm having a similar case right now that I can't replicate, but I know what the fault is when it happens.

Make sure you can report the fin temp on the Diagnostic Screen and an internal thermometer temp to see the differential. Dan makes a good point about the freezer as well. Oftentimes you'll get very different readings on the bottom of the left freezer compared to the top part of the right. My fin temp is the only common indicator I have to go on most times.

Finally, do keep track of the defrost cycle timing. I've come home to find my temp showing going up, only to remember (after a slight period of panic) that its probably in the defrost cycle. I'm chalking it up to a sign of age (not the fridge, my own)!

I wish you luck!
Rob

 

[gasman]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

I just barely went through this on my BC about 2 weeks ago. Behind the light inside the fridge you will see a wire connector. Unplug this connector. The light will be disabled as will all the automatic controls. You need to set the temp to 9 when it is in this override mode and leave it there. This is the method they use to test the cooling unit. If the cooling unit is working, the fridge will start cooling again. My problem turned out to be a short in one of the electric heating elements. The repairman ordered the parts which took about 10 days to receive. He spent about 20 minutes making the repair. The fridge worked fine in the override mode.

 

[trholthus]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Thank you for your post. I cycled power and the unit is working. I have been monitoring the diagnostic screens and other than the fin temp being around 30 degrees, nothing else is abnormal and there are no errors set. I vote for a blocked cooling circuit. If anything hits the expansion valve the unit will stop.

 

[mslater]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

going thru the same thing...mine was just rebuilt last year ..waiting for extended warranty company to ok the work , hopefully today, tired of living out of a cooler and neighbors fridge

 

[trholthus]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

I just got off the phone with a supervisor at Norcold. Given they have already replaced the cooling unit 2 times, he offered to replace the complete refrigerator if it fails again even though it is out of warrantee. Currently the refrigerator is working. They won't pay to have it installed.

 

[LovinAZ]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

So here we sit in our BC3650RL with no fridge, end of week 1. Our great Norcold (Notcold) for the 3rd time and as many bandaids has gone kaput. Norcold is supposedly sending out a cooling unit on Monday, guess they don't work on Fridays. Sending by a slow boat to China as it may get here in a week (+). Hmmm - lots of problems with this fridge. Wouldn't you think they would either fix it right, quit making it or maybe better yet Heartland should stop installing them? Warranty work, ha, Norcold will give you the part BUT NOT LABOR, that now gives someone else a license to steal.

 

[LovinAZ]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

I must update! Thru a bunch of mix ups on Norcold's part, a new cooling unit was finally shipped to our RV dealer, Greenway RV in Wisconsin Rapids. As we had let Heartland know of issues a few months after purchse of our BC, they stood by the labor charges AND PAID THE BILL! Norcold only sent the part. I must say, knock on wood, our fridge is working better now that it did when we first bought our rig, April 2, 2016. Thank you Heartland!

 

[edelberg]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

I am having the same issue. Bought this BC 3150 5th Wheel Sept. 2015, already the fridge completely quit. I had the freezer full of meat from my hunts and lost it ALL! Still under 8 months and it fails? So biggest problem is that I am currently using teh trailer on the road and trying to find a repairman to come onsite and then the whole wait time for parts is really not acceptable. After some research, these Norcold products seem to have a high failure rate and should not be put in any RV. Waiting for the repairman to show up in 2 days from now due to the busy repairman's schedule. When I called Heartland they were great but I had to call Norcold for the warranty reference number. Tech at Norcold asked a few questions and told me over the phone the cooling unit is most likely failed and needs to be replaced. Will keep you posted as to how this unfolds, but looking like several weeks without a frig or freezer.

 

[mlpeloquin]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Had a very warm Norcold going cross country. 48 in the refrigerator and mush ice cream. It actually got to 52 at one time. I have bypassed the thermostat at the top that controls the cooling fans on the outside. They now run full time. I added fans in the inside. Now instead of setting it at 8 or 9, I use 2 to 3 in the refrigerator with no freezing so long as the fans continue to run inside the refrigerator. The ice cream is firm, but not hard. Left freezer is 13 and the right is 17 degrees.

 

[McTaggart]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Having issues with my fridge now. The code says it's the high temperature limit switch is open. The camper is level and we we're using the fridge for the first time on the long weekend. I then had to drive 8 hours and reset up. The fridge worked fine for two days but 3rd day I came home after work and it had quit during the day. Any Idea's why it tripped the high temperature limit switch?

 

[danemayer]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Having issues with my fridge now. The code says it's the high temperature limit switch is open. The camper is level and we we're using the fridge for the first time on the long weekend. I then had to drive 8 hours and reset up. The fridge worked fine for two days but 3rd day I came home after work and it had quit during the day. Any Idea's why it tripped the high temperature limit switch?

If the cooling unit on the backside of the fridge gets too hot, the limit switch trips. So the first thing to check is airflow from the lower vent to the upper vent. If the fans aren't running, or for any reason aren't moving enough air, or the fan thermostat is malfunctioning, that could cause the problem.

 

[McTaggart]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Thank you, I did check to see if there was a blockage of air flow but everything looked good and checked to make sure I had power to the back of the fridge.

 

[mlpeloquin]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

Outside top service opening and vent for your refrigerator as a thermistor. It turns on the fans when the outside temperature get hot. Unplug the thermistor and jumper the wires together. The fans should start and draw air through the coils. If they don't run, you may need new fans. If they do run, see if you still have the hot limit switch problem. If not, you may have a bad thermister.

 

[Harry1]

Re: Norcold refrfegerator 1210 not cooling

FYI. Had the same problem 12 months ago and had to have the cooling unit replaced. Its now be 12 months and 8 days and have the same issue. This time there is yellow residual on the outside visable after removing outside panel. This is chromate, a rust inhibitor thats in the ammonia. This indicates a leak in the system that is not repairable. Contacted Norcold yeaterday and their response is the first cooling unit was replaced under warranty. The replacement comes with no warranty. Bottom line your on your own. Their quality is very poor and their standing by their product, knowing there are many people having these same issues is terrible. Heartland should step up the pressure with Norcold 1210 refrigerator usage in their builds. Even though Norcold is their vendor and they should resolve these quality issues, the Heartland brand suffers for these type customer relationships. Owners of these failed units are in a frustrated quandry on what to do. Replace a cooling unit every year???? Pretty poor.

 

[carl.swoyer]

Has anyone considered articcold after market replacement cooling unit. They carry a lifetime warranty transferable if you sell your rig. I am seriously considering this as mine is not cooling. My freezer stays frozen thank God! As it's full of grouper yellow tail and mangrove snapper. I have an appointment 7 July for extended warranty claim.these units are two time the original and guaranteed to cool up to 130 degrees outside temperature

Carl & Christine, 2012 Landmark Rushmore, 2005 Silverado crew cab lt 8 foot bed 6.6 lly /Allison -custom dual exhaust-205000 miles !

 

[mlpeloquin]

There is also the Amish RV refrigerator replacement cooling units.

http://www.jc-refrigeration.com/products.html

http://rvcoolingunit.com/Dometic-Cooling-Units-Amish-Built-Brand-new-C4436.aspx

 

[Harry1]

Looking on the internet, this company has had alot of bad PR. Alot of complaints. Not sure about using Articold.