Nevercold (Norcold 1200) not working properly. Seaking guidance

[dennis.mcdonaugh]

We rarely boondock, but have spent 3-4 days without hookups occasionally. The Frigidaire draws very little on the batteries if you don’t continuously open and close it. We replaced the original modified sine wave inverter with a Magnum pure sine wave unit which helps.  

[VinceB]

On 6/14/2023 at 4:50 PM, 1nolaguy said:

Our 18 year old Nevercold is not working. I know the refrigerator door gaskets need replacement but also , while the freezer gets cold the fins in the refrigerator does not. Since the freezer (both sides) will freeze with temperatures dropping even after about 1 Hr the chilling portion (back furnace and ammonia re-circulation) seems to work fine the problem is something else. This unit is the original in our 2005 Safari so I do not want to spend a bunch on trying to put it back in service. If repair is going to cost more than $200-300 I would rather put that toward a new unit. If replacing it will likely be a 12v system. Thought about standard residential but the lack of efficiency vs 12v is leading me that direction if I go new. ANy help diagnosing this would be helpful.

I had a simlar problem. My door seals are good. So I tightened up all the screws in the rear of all 3 compartments that I could find in order to draw tight the cooling plates to the compartments.  That worked like magic since they were all pretty loose.

I suggest you try that in the interim and maybe it will delay the inevitable swap out.

I know it is a temporary fix but I'm known to milk my equipment for as long as I can. 22 years and still going.

[1nolaguy]

4 hours ago, VinceB said:

I had a simlar problem. My door seals are good. So I tightened up all the screws in the rear of all 3 compartments that I could find in order to draw tight the cooling plates to the compartments.  That worked like magic since they were all pretty loose.

I suggest you try that in the interim and maybe it will delay the inevitable swap out.

I know it is a temporary fix but I'm known to milk my equipment for as long as I can. 22 years and still going.

Thanks. I think I am going to still plan to replace the fridge long term but this is certainly worth trying as a short term solution.

[Agpopp]

Came across this post after traveling with my 06 Neptune the last few days.  Had the 1200 on at the house for 2 weeks, no problem and ice cold. But, apparently when traveling it quits cooling, goes up to 60 and ruins all the food. At camp, back under 40. I've had 8 rvs and the only fridge that ever worked correctly the 12v everchill in my last tow behind.  However,  this issue is a new one for me, and I thought maybe the doors were opening and letting warm air in. At any rate, I guess I'll start shopping for a residential, because I see this issue has no real solution.  

[cbr046]

I have the same problem . . . . I wonder if, while driving down the road, the vacuum from the coach sucks air past the door seals and out through the condensate drain.  I have a loop in my drain but it might be overpowering the water in the condensate P trap.

I'm unable to travel until probably September.  Let me know if you try that with any effect.

- bob

 

1 hour ago, Agpopp said:

 . . . when traveling it quits cooling, goes up to 60 and ruins all the food. At camp, back under 40.

I have the same problem . . . . I wonder if, while driving down the road, the vacuum from the coach sucks air past the door seals and out through the condensate drain.  I have a loop in my drain but it might be overpowering the water in the condensate P trap.

I'm unable to travel until probably September.  Let me know if you try that with any effect.

- bob

[pulsarjab]

I have posted my experience of replacing the Norcold in our 2000 Diplomat. I found the Frigidaire in Home Depot that would fit in the space above the furnace, with room to spare on the side and top. I have four 6 volt, golf cart batteries and it runs 24 hours without recharging batteries. It gets cold in about two hours, holds a lot more food than the Norcold, produces loads of ice, freezes ice cream, and I sleep at night. If it fails, Home Depot has a $700 replacement. What's not to love?

Changing out involved a month of worry planning, wore out a tape measure, and many trips to hardware store to assure me I could do it. When time came, I disconnected the Norcold, slid it out of the space onto a motorcycle lift, removed the doors, and called two friends. It took less than an hour to get out and new one in. Several hours latter, the Frigidaire was hooked up and running. I fussed with the trim on the sides and top and will end up redoing it to make it look nicer, but that does not inhibit the joy of knowing all is well.

I should add, several years before replacing the Norcold, the inverter had failed and I had replaced it with a 2000 full sign wave unit which got rid of the worry of destroying some 120volt accessories. It does a wonderful job of recharging the batteries when plugged in to shore power. I am not sure the Frigidaire needs full sign wave, maybe others can answer that question. It does run the Keurig and Whirlpool microwave with no issues.

[dennis.mcdonaugh]

I believe anything short of installing a residential fridge is just delaying the inevitable and adds to the cost. Just do a web search and you’ll see myriad problems with all the alternatives to extend the life of the Norcold. 

[Agpopp]

20 hours ago, cbr046 said:

I have the same problem . . . . I wonder if, while driving down the road, the vacuum from the coach sucks air past the door seals and out through the condensate drain.  I have a loop in my drain but it might be overpowering the water in the condensate P trap.

I'm unable to travel until probably September.  Let me know if you try that with any effect.

- bob

 

I have the same problem . . . . I wonder if, while driving down the road, the vacuum from the coach sucks air past the door seals and out through the condensate drain.  I have a loop in my drain but it might be overpowering the water in the condensate P trap.

I'm unable to travel until probably September.  Let me know if you try that with any effect.

- bob

The internet has no actual solution,  but many have the same theory.  I did come across a few that said traveling with a window cracked did help, so I'll try that when me move. 

42 minutes ago, dennis.mcdonaugh said:

I believe anything short of installing a residential fridge is just delaying the inevitable and adds to the cost. Just do a web search and you’ll see myriad problems with all the alternatives to extend the life of the Norcold. 

I agree completely.  Though the the new 12v fridges are pretty good,  and would settle for one if they weren't so expensive.  

[Tom Cherry]

1 hour ago, Agpopp said:

The internet has no actual solution,  but many have the same theory.  I did come across a few that said traveling with a window cracked did help, so I'll try that when me move. 

I agree completely.  Though the the new 12v fridges are pretty good,  and would settle for one if they weren't so expensive.  

Most folks go Res Refer and never would go back.  We have had folks with the “compressor” kits on the Norcold that are happy until compressor issues or they start having control and door alarms issues. In the final analysis, many wish that they had not dumped money into 12 VDC conversions.  The 12 VDC units need to be compared from an energy consumption standpoint to the Star Energy higher efficiency Res models.  They also have “energy” saving modes.

i had a very expensive Dometic and wish I had swapped 5 years earlier than I did.

[cbr046]

4 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

I had a very expensive Dometic and wish I had swapped 5 years earlier than I did.

I guess I have 4 years to go with my Dometic replacement . . . .

- bob