Norcold 841 Not Cold....:(

ryoo · December 17, 2009, 02:51:30 PM

From what I'm reading the fridge is calling for cooling with the stack hot and is not doing what it should. The turning the fridge upside down is called burping the unit. And yes the insides of the piping become dislodged and block the venturi in the cooling of the fridge and burping sometimes helps free the particles free and hopefully the cooling process will begin again. Hope this helps.

JohnEd · December 17, 2009, 02:56:43 PM

Paul,

The stack MUST be hot or your flame is too low and it doesn't take much flame OR there is no fluid inside to carry the heat up the tube. That would mean that there has been a leak. I think you need to resolve that first to advance in the troubleshooting. Also, listen carefully at the rear of the refer when it is on and hot.....hear any gurgling sounds? That is, I am told, an indication that it is really dead from being run off level.

Lin,

Thanks. I have been told that the interior of all that plumbing is mild steel and that it most certainly rusts. The mind boggles! And, yes the tubes get blocked. In my case I was told that I have a "cabin" refer that will NEVER live long in an RV application. Really wish I had learned that another way.

Thanks,

John

Dreamscape · December 17, 2009, 03:59:33 PM

I just went out to check the temp of the stack, it's around 225 degrees. Inside freezer, 39, fridge 60......Not good! It's not making any gurgling sounds.

I'm paitently waiting for the codes to appear........again!

gus · December 17, 2009, 08:10:35 PM

My understanding is that the area that usually rusts is around the burner, not the coil insides.

Also that the problem inside the Z shaped coils is caused by the frige running when not level which causes the liquids to solidify inside the tubing because of poor circulation. When these liquids don't separate and drain back properly the frige won't cool.

If you look at these coils from the back of the frige you can see their large Z shape and see why they need to be level.

This uneven position is only important fore and aft for the bus (Side to side for the frige).

Fred Mc · December 17, 2009, 08:58:05 PM

Further to the suggestion by myself and Nick(and others, I'm sure) to turn the fridge upside down, my understanding (from Nick, I think) was that crystals form in the amonia solution and block the circulation. Turning it upside down (or rolling it for that matter) will unblock it. I'm sure I had also seen that reccomendation previously but because I didn't have the problem at that time didn't pay much attention to it.

When I inquired last year on this problem I was told to "turn it upside down" which I have already stated. This was exactly what I DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR. The reason -I had built the fridge in with the idea it would never have to come out and flipping it meant dismanteling some of my kitchen. But whether I flipped it or replaced it I still was going to dismantle some of the kitchen. So I took the opportunity to make some kitchen mods and now I have a fridge that still works (so far, anyway) and changes to the kitchen my wife likes.
Win-Win.

Fred Mc.

JohnEd · December 18, 2009, 10:20:50 AM

Fred Mc,

As I recall you had exactly the same symptoms as Paul and yours fully recovered.

No gurgling is a truely good sign. There is still hope.

Good luck, Paul.

Dreamscape · December 18, 2009, 11:49:48 AM

Well, I yanked her out and smelled amonia, not good. Guess it's time to bite the bullet!

I can't tell where it's coming from, but no matter!

Paul

white-eagle · December 18, 2009, 12:15:10 PM

i just had some friends that barely excaped with their lives and their motorhome due to a refrig fire. Norcold is now debating on where a fire that started in their refrig is their fault. no debate on my friend's part though. they are going for an electric model, 18 cuft that has no history of catching fire.

when i called norcold to see if i was on the recall list, they said yes so i got it fixed. they also siad there was only about a 1% chance of fire. i know 3 people that have had a fire. that's got to be more than 1% since i don't have that many friends

.

my next unit will be electric, even if i have to add batteries. if you look at the cost differential, add the fire hazard, and the increased room in an electric model, it seems to me to be a no brainer.

buy an efficient electric frig.
my 1.5 cents.

Lin · December 18, 2009, 12:40:19 PM

A 1% chance of failure is 1 out of 100. That is really quite high considering how many units are out there. When you think about it, even a .1% chance of failure is not acceptable in many, many areas. That would be 1 in 1,000. Just think what is would mean if the Post Office lost 1 in every 1,000 letters, or if flight controllers screwed up that much.

Dreamscape · December 18, 2009, 01:12:56 PM

Tom,

We are going electric. It just doesn't make sense to spend over $600 on a cooling unit when a complete new fridge in the size we can fit in the space is less moolah.

I"m not modifying the kitchen that I just finished for a bigger fridge. The current Norcold is 7.5 cu ft. so an apartment size will do nicely. Besides I don't eat that much, just need the fridge for my occasionaly adult beverage of choice.

I'll just have to plug the vents and leave them alone, at least for now!

Now to get the suspect ammonia fridge outdoors and let somebody steal it!

Merry Christmas to Paul and Becky!

Just Dallas · December 18, 2009, 01:18:24 PM

Removed

Dreamscape · December 18, 2009, 03:25:49 PM

Good Idea!

I thought about posting an add on CL and say "Oak Panels for Norcold Fridge 25 bucks, FREE FRIDGE"

Paul