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Old 12-10-2015, 08:06 AM   #1
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Norcold need help

My problem is on LP in the summer the fridge doesn't stay cold enough. I just cleaned the burner and orifice and ran it over night. I had it on setting #6 34 degrees. I think that's good but it's not summer temps. I believe the door handles are not holding the doors closed tight enough I don't see away to adjust. My question is there away to adjust the doors and if not I think I need to replace the handles two of them seam sloppy. The only place I can find to buy the handles is Camping World is there a on line source? One other problem it takes 3 times to get the fridge to lit on LP not sure why.
I forgot to state that this is a 2006 1200
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Old 12-10-2015, 01:34 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66farmer View Post
My problem is on LP in the summer the fridge doesn't stay cold enough. I just cleaned the burner and orifice and ran it over night. I had it on setting #6 34 degrees. I think that's good but it's not summer temps. I believe the door handles are not holding the doors closed tight enough I don't see away to adjust. My question is there away to adjust the doors and if not I think I need to replace the handles two of them seam sloppy. The only place I can find to buy the handles is Camping World is there a on line source? One other problem it takes 3 times to get the fridge to lit on LP not sure why.
I forgot to state that this is a 2006 1200
66farmer
A web search for "norcold 1200 parts" will yield links to sources for most anything you need for that refrigerator.
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Old 12-10-2015, 06:00 PM   #3
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Are you shading your refer in warmer months?? Park that side in the shade, put the awning over it. Stop people from opening and closing the doors all the time. Put cold drinks etc in coolers for people to access. You might try a small computer type fan to help circulate the air. Ambient outside temps certainly affect how efficient it is as witnessed by its ability in cool weather to chill down
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Old 12-10-2015, 06:38 PM   #4
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Also check the vent stack behind the refrigerator venting up through the roof and make sure it is clear of debris so the hot air rises out. I recently added fans to the vent stack to pull the hot air out. The other suggestions are also right on target.
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Old 12-10-2015, 08:38 PM   #5
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Is it installed in a slide? Does it have circulation fans above the cooling unit? Is it properly baffled? Call pplmotorhomes.com for parts.
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Old 12-11-2015, 09:40 PM   #6
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Try simple things first = the KISS principle. Place a dollar bill between door gasket and sealing surface, close door and pull on bill. it is slips out easily, gaskets are not sealing properly. Do this all around the doors. If the doors are sagging and uneven, most likely the bottom hinge is worn-out. It's possible to shim the door up using nylon washers if it isn't worn through.
BTW, replacement gaskets are not made, the entire door must be purchased @ near $600 ea. Not an option for me, I'll just replace the entire frig first.
Check everything previously suggested, chimney, flue, keep from opening any frig door unnecessarily. A refrigerator(even the frig in our house has this advisory) can take up to 24 hours to recover from being warmed up. I had a difficult time convincing my wife to know what she wanted from the frig before opening a door.
Make sure the thermister is tight against the fin after removing it and cleaning all corrosion off both pieces.

If none of this works, it's time to get out your wallet.
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Old 12-12-2015, 06:40 AM   #7
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Thanks for the great info. Just a few more questions.
1. How do I know if the baffles are properly positioned.
2. I don't know if a fan on the coils would help, the fridge is in the slide.
3. I will do the dollar bill test today.
4. Were is the thermalmister.
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Old 12-12-2015, 03:16 PM   #8
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Read the installation and service manuals.
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Old 12-13-2015, 04:20 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by 66farmer View Post
Thanks for the great info. Just a few more questions.
1. How do I know if the baffles are properly positioned.
2. I don't know if a fan on the coils would help, the fridge is in the slide.
3. I will do the dollar bill test today.
4. Were is the thermalmister.
Refrigerators in slides seem to be problematic for cooling. Download the installation manual and compare your installation to the manual specs. The thermister is on the cooling fins in the upper rear wall of the frig interior. You should see a fan near the top of the chimney by removing the upper vent grill and looking down inside. It will be thermostat-controlled, so it may not be running on a cooler day. This fan pulls cool air into the bottom grill and expels warm air out the top grill on outside of the slide.
It's hard to explain in writing, much easier to download the installation and maintenance manual from BryantRV.com
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Old 12-14-2015, 08:27 AM   #10
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If you are using the refrigerator only on propane, you are never going to get it to cool like you would on electricity. They are not made to work the same as on AC. My experience has been that you cool the fridge down while hooked up to shore power and then run it while driving on either propane or preferably, on your invertor while driving. The propane mode will keep the fridge cool, once it is already cold, but is not good for an extended time.
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Old 12-14-2015, 04:06 PM   #11
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Check the service manual but I recall it's also possible to test the cooling unit with the thermistor unplugged. If it gets colder than normal, replace the thermistor.
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Old 12-14-2015, 04:24 PM   #12
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FWIW most dual fuel work better on propane than electric.

FWIW2 most refrigerator door seals do not rely on pressure from the latch. They use a magnet strip in the seal that seats to the surface it is closing against. That is why the dollar bill test works well as it shows the door is really out of position.
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Old 12-14-2015, 06:06 PM   #13
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Norcolt 1201 RIM

While at the Good Sam Samboree at the Atlanta Speedway, I had the Norcold Technitions look at my unit. They said that there was a resized burner and regulator for the unit I had. Wow, what a difference. The unit stayed very cold even in hot weather. Mine was also in a slide in a 2005 Itasca Horizon.
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Old 12-15-2015, 01:33 AM   #14
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Cooling the fridge overnight, especially in summer is not enough. Additionally you need to measure it with contents loaded and properly cold soaked and that takes a good 24 hours. Load it with beer, soda, water, whatever and try again. If you don't have an internal circulation fan, buy one, they work. The newer Dometics finally have them built in. My 1200 NORCOLD makes the low 30's on #4 in the summer, and the biggest change I made to achieve that is to get the air moving in the fridge box and make sure there is sufficient space along the shelves to let the heat rise and the cold fall.

Also, propane is far better at cooling than a single point electric heater. It's far better to make these tests on propane.
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Old 12-15-2015, 08:02 AM   #15
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Ray
I did the dollar bill test. There is drag but I think the door could close tighter. It looks like both of the lower doors could be shimmed up that might help. I looked at Bryante web site but I didn't see a listing for Norcold 1200
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Old 12-15-2015, 08:10 AM   #16
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Iwasouth
Do you have a part number for the new burner
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Old 12-15-2015, 08:45 AM   #17
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What internal fan did you use and how is it powered
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Old 12-15-2015, 11:58 AM   #18
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After sending a lot of money trying to get my 1200 working right I joined the Norcold 1200 bashers club and went to a household refrigerator. I now this doesn't help you resolve your problem but you probably don't want to spend more than the cost of a household unit. Over a couple of years I spent just at $1800 on that Norcold and never got it right. Just my thought.
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Old 12-15-2015, 05:46 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramzfan View Post
If you are using the refrigerator only on propane, you are never going to get it to cool like you would on electricity. They are not made to work the same as on AC. My experience has been that you cool the fridge down while hooked up to shore power and then run it while driving on either propane or preferably, on your invertor while driving. The propane mode will keep the fridge cool, once it is already cold, but is not good for an extended time.
If that is your experience, something is amiss with your refrigerator. RV refrigerators generally operate better on propane than electric, that is my experience during almost 40 years of using them.
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Old 12-15-2015, 05:57 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by 66farmer View Post
Ray
I did the dollar bill test. There is drag but I think the door could close tighter. It looks like both of the lower doors could be shimmed up that might help. I looked at Bryante web site but I didn't see a listing for Norcold 1200
Since Bryant RV didn't have it, I know it is here: Northwest RV Supply
I scrolled down to Norcold and affirmed it is listed there (pdf).
Do your doors appear to be out of alignment? When the bottom hinge wears the doors drop and appear misaligned when looking at the front of the frig. I've read where the bottom of the door breaks from excessive wear, requiring new doors; but as I said, it that happens to mine I'll buy a completely new Norcold, rather than spend $1,200 for the bottom doors, then still have a 15 yr old frig.
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