Absorption fridge fires and recalls?

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Frank B

Frank B

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Joined
Apr 23, 2005
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Found an old thread here about problems with Norcold 1200 series fridges and a recall on them because of the chance of fires.  I looked up all I could on the Internet with regard to class action suits on them, and recalls that Norcold did as a result.  It seems that all of this took place around the turn of the century.  Ours is a Norcold n821 made some 10 years later. Can I safely assume that lessons learned during the recall have been applied to newer units since?  I found no information on any recall on our model since 1999, and our rig was made in 2010.


Thanks.
 
I have the Norcold 1201 and was able to enter my serial number online to determine if mine has been repaired. It had. I later confirmed that with a local repair shop. So do an online search and you should find the site.
 
If you are worried about the refer problem, there is a product called ARP that hooks into the refer and will shut down the heater, propane or electric when the boiler exceeds a certain temperature.  There used to be an ad for it on the forum so maybe someone, Gary Brink?, will know how to get in touch with the company.  I have been out of the loop or while and don't have current contact information.  A quick Google search turned up this site,https://www.arprv.com/products.php.

I have one and it worked well till it was damaged by an RV Tech.
 
13 years ago the Fridge Fires were beign talked about all over forums.. Then both Dometic and Norcold did recalls.. Now I don't hear so much about 'em.

They are actually fairly rare.. Someone was recently talking about a motor home with some serious issues.. I won't go into 'em so someone researched teh company. They get an average of one complaint per month.. Think of how many RV's this major company make and they only get one complaint a month.. That's actually very good.

Same with fridges. THink about how many are out there. THEN think of how many fires are reported.. Darn few on a percentage basis. 
 
Go to the official Norcold website for specific recall information on your fridge, but I think you will find that the Norcold N8xx models made after 2000 are not subject to any recall.

https://www.thetford.com/customer-support/norcold-cooling-unit-recall/

That doesn't mean they can't ever catch fire, though. Any ammonia-hydrogen based cooling unit can catch fire if a coolant leak happens near a heat source (the cooling unit boiler).  The welded joints near the boiler are subject to a lot of heat stress, and the entire cooling unit can get corroded inside if it is frequently operated off-level. The latter is considered abuse by the owner rather than a recallable manufacturing defect.
The ARP module mentioned previously is a more sophisticated cooling unit boiler manager than what Norcold & Deometic include in their design. It has a patented method that claims to detect and prevent damage from off-level operation and as a result also reduces the chance of fire.
 
I was recently concerned about the used RV we purchased. Found on the Norcold website an 800 number to call regarding this. They used serial number & colling system serial as well to tell me when recall service was completed and also transferred registration to me for future notices (if any).

The ARP websute also gave a contact address and based on my serial number they replied with their model for my unit.
 
I think you will find that the Norcold N8xx models made after 2000 are not subject to any recall.
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That is kind of what I thought, but figured that I should check to be sure. It's not that I am concerned about it, it is just that it is good to know. If there was a recall outstanding, then I would have taken them up on it.


Thanks everyone for the additional input. Much appreciated!

 
Our MH originally had a Norcold 1200; we've had a Samsung residential fridge for the past 7+ years.

Not to exacerbate your concerns but I think it's worth knowing that the so-called "recall" of the Norcold 1200 wasn't a recall in the sense that it fixed an operational problem and reduced the chance of it happening in the future.  In fact, all that was done was that a "limit switch" was installed which was designed to shut the fridge down if it started to overheat.  In other words, nothing was done about the propensity for these fridges to overheat, just to hopefully force them to turn off when they do.

Unfortunately, we had an experience ~2 years ago which demonstrated that even with the recall device installed the Norcold 1200 could still catch fire.  One evening an unoccupied 5th wheel a few doors up from us had its Norcold start to go up in flames.  The local fire department was called quickly and they acted to try to save the RV by pulling the smoldering fridge out of the RV and setting it on the driveway.  Sure enough, hanging on the back of the fridge was a small box which had a tag identifying it as the Norcold recall hardware.  I guess this time the fridge burned up anyway.

I recognize that this anecdotal story doesn't, by itself, prove anything, but it made me and my wife all the more grateful that we had installed a residential fridge.  We get better overall performance and we can sleep better at night!
 
I did not want to be the only one to say something negative about the Norcold Refer.  A few years ago I saw a DP that was pretty much a total loss sitting in the parking lot across from the west exit at Quartzsite.  You could easily see that the fire started in the Refer area.

I already had the ARP kit installed and my fridge worked fine but the sight of that fire damaged RV was enough to convince me to switch to a residential unit for safety.

I do have plenty of solar so that was a consideration for powering the A/C fridge.  I do not regret changing it for peace of mind.  Just my opinion.
 
Hi Frank and all,

My unit was built in 2006 and the frig had a recall on it. One of the things I checked out. The recall was done so I haven't worried about it since. I worry about how far off level I can be that might cause a problem but different subject.
 
The recall "fix" and the standard boiler monitoring function in both Norcold and Dometic fridges is designed to shut down the heat source only if the boiler reaches near-explosion levels (around 800 F.). This probably reduces the number of catastrophic failures that lead to fires and deaths, but does nothing to reduce the heat related damage that occurs whenever the boiler gets beyond its normal operating temperature (about 350 F.). It also shuts down the fridge in a manner that requires a technician to reset it. However, a skilled amateur can do it too (instructions are available online).

Extremes of temperature cause the internal anti-corrosion chemical (sodium chromate) to deteriorate and substantially increase the failures rate of the welded joints in the cooling unit. This leads to early-life failures. Furthermore, a corrosion-cause pinhole leak or a cracked weld near the boiler has a high probability of a fire before the standard fail-safe (aka recall fix) can react.

The ARP module was invented (and patented) by a pair of professional engineers with extensive experience in pressure systems and industrial safety. It is designed to manage the cooling unit boiler temperatures within about 20 degrees of optimal and avoid even short term overheating while also keeping the fridge operational.
 
My Norcold model 1200 built in 2008 is subject to the recall.  Check the web site and call to see if yours was "fixed".
 
Extremes of temperature cause the internal anti-corrosion chemical (sodium chromate) to deteriorate and substantially increase the failures rate of the welded joints in the cooling unit.
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So, then, an absorption fridge operated in lower ambient temperatures is less likely to suffer failure, right?


That is good news for us northerners that never see 100F temps.

 
Frank B said:
So, then, an absorption fridge operated in lower ambient temperatures is less likely to suffer failure, right?

That is good news for us northerners that never see 100F temps.
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I assume you're being humorous, but, in case you're not, the temperature extremes noted are those in the refrigeration system which have little to do with ambient temperatures!
 
docj said:
I assume you're being humorous, but, in case you're not, the temperature extremes noted are those in the refrigeration system which have little to do with ambient temperatures!
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No, I was serious. Sorry to be so dumb.  :-[


Gary talked about a breakdown of chemicals in the system. I assumed that had to do with absolute temperatures. I was assuming that these extreme temperatures would be more likely to be achieved if the ambient temperature were higher, and therefore the system was working harder.


Am I that far off base?
 
A difference of 50 degrees ambient is largely irrelevant when talking about a system that normally runs at 350 F.  Furthermore, the operating temperature doesn't change with ambient.  When the ambient is higher, it merely takes less gas or electric heat for the boiler to reach its normal working temperature.

The potential effect of a higher ambient temperature is reduced cooling capacity if there is insufficient air flow over the rear of the fridge. That doesn't make it more fire prone, though.
 
Our 2005 Dometic does not have any recall notices.  I wonder if there are any stats on refrigerator fires that are unrelated to the known recall issues.  Also are there any general maintenance/cleaning requirements?  I've pulled the exterior grill on our previous motorhome when it wouldn't run on gas.  Took a can of air and blew it out.  Worked just fine after that. 
 
Both Dometic & Norcold have strongly resisted providing any stats on failures and fires. They are extremely close-mouthed and protective. They ignored the problem for years until forced to action by the NHTSA, and then only on the models that shared the same cooling unit as was referenced in the NHTSA recall action.

That said, the incidence of fire is low in all RV fridge models, so we are talking about the difference between "low" and "lower".  The absorption technology that utilizes ammonia and hydrogen is inherently susceptible to heat stress and corrosion.  It's rarely a problem in the household use of those absorption fridges, but crops up more often in the rigors of RV usage.
 
Frank B said:
So, then, an absorption fridge operated in lower ambient temperatures is less likely to suffer failure, right?


That is good news for us northerners that never see 100F temps.
Click to expand...

Overheating happens if the refrigerator is operated off level, regardless of the ambient temperature. Water doesn't run uphill, so if the fridge is more than a few degrees off level the condensed refrigerant can't get back to the boiler.  The boiler then runs dry, drastically raising it's temperature.
 
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