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Norcold 1200


IlliniCathy

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we have been fussing with our Norcold 4 door fridge.  It has the Article cold replacement electric/LLP unit.  The refrigerator does not get cold.  We have taken fridge out, disassembled, replaced mastic, and insulated.  Freezer stays cold but not fridge.  It is installed in a slide.  The fridge interior, and exterior is in good shape. Question is do we switch to residential, replace cooling unit again?  How does the fact that it is in a slide complicate the issue?  We have a 2002 Knight.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!

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We have the Dometic in the slide of our 2007 Holiday Rambler Endeavor, we also had cooling issues in 2020 pre-pandemic.  our mobile tech diagnosed faulty fans in the rear as well as inappropriate installation during manufacture regarding baffles to disperse heat.  The fans come in a pair, he replaced them and also installed baffling. No problem since.

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I'm sure you will get a lot of replies to replace with residential. I did not! My wife really likes the wood exterior that matches the coach and doesn't like the metal look of a residential in the coach. So, I was like you, seals where good and refrigerator was in good shape. I took it to Indiana and had JC replace the entire cooling unit with their 12v compressor unit. I don't have an inverter but wanted the refrigerator on all the time so the 12v made the most sense for me. Keeps both Freezer and Refrigerator plenty cold: zero to -3 and 35-37 at all times on a 5 or 6 setting. And it works for boon docking - draws 7 to 13amps (DC) so runs 24 hours without battery recharge. One year/20,000 miles working great.

Steve

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I recently did the same as SteveJ, installed 12volt DC compressor in my 1200. I did the swap myself and it wasn't difficult. Only problem now is we need to let the ice cream sit out to thaw awhile before we can scoop it!

I highly recommend the JC Refrigeration compressor swap.

-Jamie

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If you prefer to continue to "fuss" with the NotSoCold RV fridge aka Norcold then go for it.

I spent way TOO much money and time trying to revive the NotSoCold by adding fans to the roof top vent, fans inside the fridge, new thermistor and a fire suppression system as the NotSoCold's were burning coaches to the frame because of the electrical heaters used in the early models and some other issues. That's why Norcold decided to install a "black box" at the back of the fridge wired to the main power control board that is probably by now on the 5th or 6th version or maybe even higher by now as I have lost track after 2012 when I swapped over to a residential.

I also had to fuss with both large fridge doors falling off onto the floor, defrosting the freezer once a month (we were Full-Time RVer's at the time), fridge door seals falling apart, not packing the fridge full to allow for plenty of air movement, and the BIG one - throwing away thousands of dollars of spoiled food over the 9 years we fussed with the POS.

Going from 11.5 cu/ft of storage to 18 cu/ft of storage was a blessing and no more defrosting. In fact the residential has been trouble-free except for a very early warranty service call after 6 months for replacing the Defrost Drain Line Heater Clips with larger ones.

My time and money are now spent on other coach concerns but for the last 9 years I haven't had to deal with all of the crap listed above.

Do what is best for you and your RV needs as everyone's RV lifestyle is different

Edited by Dr4Film
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Keep in mind that the new residential frig's have the coils in the sides and top of the frig.  That means several inches of space needs to be maintained around the sides and tops of the frig for cooling purposes.  Depending on the size, the new frig will probably need to come into the coach through a window.  That means a fork lift will be a great help.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

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I did everything  Dr4’s did in the post above plus a Amish cooling unit, finally replaced with a 21 Whirlpool through the driver’s window... BEST mod ever. Most residential refrigerator coils are on the bottom or the back and the Whirlpool was almost an exact fit...1/2” to tall. One battery will run it 20+ hours...draws 8 amps DC (40% of the time) measured before the 1000W PSW inverter I added and 1.2-1.3 KW/day or 16 cents.

Edited by Ivylog
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We had the same issues and after I had a talk with the guys at JC Refrigeration, ended up having them  put in the gas/electric replacement (mainly because of how we like to use the coach).  It has worked AWESOME.  Runs on #5 at about 38 in the refrigerator and the freezer keeps the ice cream solid.  Pretty simple: Double the coils and they are also thicker tubing.  Also had everything else including cooling fans replaced.  Only electronics and box are original.  All in about $1600 and 3 hours at their place in IN.

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On 5/26/2021 at 11:07 PM, SteveJ said:

I'm sure you will get a lot of replies to replace with residential. I did not! My wife really likes the wood exterior that matches the coach and doesn't like the metal look of a residential in the coach. So, I was like you, seals where good and refrigerator was in good shape. I took it to Indiana and had JC replace the entire cooling unit with their 12v compressor unit. I don't have an inverter but wanted the refrigerator on all the time so the 12v made the most sense for me. Keeps both Freezer and Refrigerator plenty cold: zero to -3 and 35-37 at all times on a 5 or 6 setting. And it works for boon docking - draws 7 to 13amps (DC) so runs 24 hours without battery recharge. One year/20,000 miles working great.

Steve

Is that “7-13 amps” per day? My Whirlpool 17cf residential draws 90-95/day and I consider that good. I still have the Norcold 1200 and have considered converting it to the JC 12v cooling unit for better boondocking.

 Ed             
‘05 HR Ambassador

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Many times in the past I have read about the Amish upgrades. What is a ballpark cost on the upgrade hardware not including installation as it seems any handy guy/gal can probably accomplish themselves?

 

 

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On 5/28/2021 at 9:36 AM, SteveJ said:

No, that is 7amps dc per hour. Since I have over 400amps dc available, I don’t worry about overnighting without hookups

I had read the JC 12v cooling system uses about 25 ah per day. Anyone else have experience with it?

Edited by saflyer
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4 hours ago, Grampy OG said:

Many times in the past I have read about the Amish upgrades. What is a ballpark cost on the upgrade hardware not including installation as it seems any handy guy/gal can probably accomplish themselves?

 

 

Norcold Hvac units Archives | JC Refrigeration (jc-refrigeration.com)

Dometic Hvac units Archives | JC Refrigeration (jc-refrigeration.com)

 

I asked for a labor install quote and was told $350 to replace my Norcold 1200 cooling unit (Nov. 2020).

Edited by Rattler_24
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There may be obstacles that many competent DIY RV'ers can overcome, but I have yet to read a SINGLE post about someone converting from absorption to residential fridge and REGRETTING it.  I replaced the Norcold in my 93 Dynasty and ran it from a tiny Heart MSW 1200W inverter.  My wife and I were both pleased.  I replaced the Norcold in my 2000 Dynasty with a Samsung RF19(?) and retained my underneath furnace.  It ran from an OEM MSW inverter, which I later upgraded to a Magnum 2812 PSW.  We were both even more pleased, and continue to be to this day, six years later.

As Bill D so often repeated, "Tell us what you KNOW from your personal experience...NOT what you have read."

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The JC conversion is an option for many Norcold owners. However, there are many things one has to take into consideration before proceeding.

Your current Norcold seals should be checked over carefully. If those seals are marginal then you are going to be extremely PO'ed after you spend your money on a JC conversion and then have to purchase new seals. The seals cost over $ 1,000 because you have to buy the entire door. They do not sell just the seals. Other issues are hinges which break. This is one reason why I elected to go the Resi fridge route.

Another consideration is size/volume. The Norcold 1200 has 12 cu ft of space versus a residential which has 19 cu ft and up. Doesn't sound like much but in fridge sizes it is a big increase. For people who full time, resi fridge space is a big bonus. Going from 12 cu ft to 19 cu ft when I converted to a resi fridge was a big plus and I appreciate being able to stock the fridge full of food and soft drinks and not have to make extra trips to the grocery store.

The coach refrigerator debate is very similar to tires and oil. Every one has their opinions and makes their own choices. I can personally say after hauling my Norcold to the landfill I was really PO'ed at myself. I was mad because I hadn't done it sooner and instead kept pouring money into that norcold. In regards to amp draw, inverter use, etc. My Resi fridge has never been plugged into an inverter. The reason being is that whenever I leave I start the generator before I back out of the driveway and it never gets shut off till I hit my destination. When you live down here in the Swamp ( Florida ) you learn generator use is a must. Not much fun traveling in 90 degree weather without AC. 🙂

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On 5/28/2021 at 6:10 PM, vanwill52 said:

As Bill D so often repeated, "Tell us what you KNOW from your personal experience...NOT what you have read."

Thus my question “Anyone else have experience with it?”

Ed

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13 hours ago, saflyer said:

As Bill D so often repeated, "Tell us what you KNOW from your personal experience...NOT what you have read."

 

13 hours ago, saflyer said:

Thus my question “Anyone else have experience with it?”

Ed

Unfortunately there are no longer a huge amount of members that still have their NotSoCold POS fridge. Therefore it will get harder and harder to find active members who still own and use that piece of junk with current first hand experience. However, most of the owners have HAD first hand experience over the years dealing with the many problems that had plagued them until they could not take it any longer. I did for WAY TOO many years and now my RV lifestyle, my pocket and our lives are so much more enjoyable without dealing with the constant headaches.

If you are not finding "useful" information from members than I suggest you consult your owners manual for troubleshooting tips and/or call Dometic and talk with one of their intelligent Technical Service agents.

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I did not mean to open a can of worms. I was looking for information especially in relation to replacing a unit in a slide.   Our Norcold has been updated with the article cold replacement unit, so no worries about the original Norcold catching fire.  We disassembled,  added new mastic,  added foam insulation around edge around the edge, and reassembled.  Freezer was cold, but fridge wasn’t.  So the last thing we did was smack coils with a hammer.  As I write this, the fridge is 38on 4 and freezer is 0.  So hopefully it’s fixed.  Peace and love to all.  Cathy

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15 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

 

Unfortunately there are no longer a huge amount of members that still have their NotSoCold POS fridge. Therefore it will get harder and harder to find active members who still own and use that piece of junk with current first hand experience. However, most of the owners have HAD first hand experience over the years dealing with the many problems that had plagued them until they could not take it any longer. I did for WAY TOO many years and now my RV lifestyle, my pocket and our lives are so much more enjoyable without dealing with the constant headaches.

If you are not finding "useful" information from members than I suggest you consult your owners manual for troubleshooting tips and/or call Dometic and talk with one of their intelligent Technical Service agents.

I’m not looking for troubleshooting tips. My post was a request for the experiences of those who have done JC Engineering conversions, particularly the 12v DC cooling unit. Energy use was my particular focus.

A small group, to be sure, but I’m sure some of the forum members have insight.

Ed

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Back when we had our Dynasty we replaced the Norcold 1200 with a Samsung RF197.  We dodged the proverbial bullet, noticed ammonia smell from the 1200 and shut it down. 

Back then I did a power consumption comparison.  Comparing the "amps" is meaningless; the ampere is just a measure of current flow, when the device is running.  The key is comparison of the power (KWH or WH) drawn over a given time.  

Any good comparison should consider the appliances running under the same conditions, eg. same ambient temperature and same target temperature inside the refrigeration and freezing compartment.  The 197 kept temperatures in both compartments lower than the 1200 ever did.  House batteries were adequate over night for dry camping for each. with the 197 drawing somewhat more electric power than the 1200 did when it was running on gas.  The 1200 on electric would kill the batteries in no time so we never tried that.    I recall doing the math but don't have those figures handy.  Ran the genset to recharge the next day either way.

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When we decided to go full-time in 2001, we traded in our Bounder and bought a new 2001 Diplomet LE.  It had a beautiful, full-body paint, cherry cabinets, etc.  It also had the NoCold 1200.  Over a few years, I spent a lot of money on the POS fridge.  The best money I ever spent was at Iron Horse RV in San Antonio.  They removed the Norcold, went to Lowes and bought a residential fridge and installed it.  They did an excellent job of installation and carpentry modifications.  The fridge held it's cold during travel.  I had the option of plugging into the installed inverter plug (part of the fridge installation), but chose not to.  I had read that the inverter might produce "dirty" electricity and damage the fridge. 

Now my current moho, a 2019 Phoenix Cruiser, has a Norcold fridge.  I debated on whether or not to go with a compressor-type fridge, but went with the Norcold in hopes they have improved.  It does a better than decent job...until I am in temps approaching 90 and above.  It keeps cool enough for food etc, but my beer is not cold enough.  If the Norcold ever fails, I will head to Iron Horse RV and have a residential installed.  If the option for installing a residential during the build had been available, I would have jumped on it.  I will eventually have fans installed to blow across the coils.  The Norcold is not in a slide.  

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You have received a lot of not helpful comments, some on the verge of crucifying you for even the thought of not having a residential refrigerator.  I have no personal experience with the "Article cooling unit" so held off on responding.  Do you mean the "Amish Cooling unit"?  If so, I have that conversion and love it.  

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3 hours ago, waterskier_1 said:

You have received a lot of not helpful comments, some on the verge of crucifying you for even the thought of not having a residential refrigerator.  I have no personal experience with the "Article cooling unit" so held off on responding.  Do you mean the "Amish Cooling unit"?  If so, I have that conversion and love it.  

Are JC Refrigeration and the “Amish” unit the same thing? As I understand, JC Refrigeration has two cooling unit upgrades. One a straight replacement of the original electric/propane cooling unit with an improved design. The other is a conversion to a 12v cooling unit. That is I the one I am interested in.

Ed

Edited by saflyer
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