Norcold 1200L-RIM trips recall box

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Back2PA

Back2PA

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I have a friend with the above mentioned Norcold (approx 2005), which is tripping the recall box. He reset the box a couple times with a magnet, and it tripped (red light) again. He had an RV tech come out and replaced the box, and the new one tripped again. I realize the obvious answer is that the fridge is overheating and the box is doing what its supposed to do, and I have advised him he may need a new cooling unit but I have a couple questions.

Is there anything other than an overtemp situation which could cause the box to trip? The box trips about 20-30 minutes after fridge startup - how can he best determine that the unit is indeed overheating? (He's done many things in his life, but is very non-technical. When I suggested he could replace the cooling unit himself he said he felt it was beyond his capabilities.)

BTW - the RV tech that came out said he could bypass the box to get the fridge working (!!  ??? :mad: ), and I strongly advised he not do this, not even for a day.

He no longer full-times and is currently using the fridge as an ice box on a weekend trip, but he has two longer trips planned this year so needs to get it fixed. They never boondock, so we did discuss a residential fridge, but again, he'd have to pay someone to remove the old, make the modifications and install the new. I'm thinking he could end up spending the same for the conversion as he would for a new cooling unit on the old fridge.
 
Low voltage to the control can cause problems but I am unsure if it could cause a premature shutdown.

If the probe was replaced with the new control box, I would think it is functioning correctly and the boiler temperature is exceeding a safe limit which I think is about 800f.

How does the fridge work on electric?
 
Henry J Fate said:
How does the fridge work on electric?
Click to expand...

He's only tried electric. I'm going to have him try and reset the box and try on gas.

Henry J Fate said:
If the probe was replaced with the new control box,
Click to expand...
When you say "probe", is this part of the recall box?
 
Yes. I don't know everything about those units but I do remember recalls on some of those units for the high limit safety circuit. I believe the recall box will have a probe in the boiler area detecting temperature. That probe should be replaced. It may be a simple thermocouple.
 
The probe is a thermocouple wired to the black box and physically clamped to the chimney tube of the cooling unit (just above the reservoir & heaters).
Tripping 20-30 minutes after a cold start is consistent with the amount of time it takes for the heater to bring the system up to operating temperature. Gas may be a little quicker than electric, but that's the ball park.

I can't think of anything that would cause false positives except a defective recall box, and that has already been replaced to no avail. You could check the voltage to the recall box, but anything over about 11.0v is plenty for it to work properly.  It's just a simple thermostat, on or off.

A Norcold cooling unit normally operates at around 350 F. and should never go above about 375. The recall box thermostat doesn't trip until about 800F., so his cooling unit i getting really hot.  Note however that the cooling unit will overheat if operated off-level, and it only takes a few minutes.
Overheat is going to occur the same whether on gas or electric.  The issue is loss of hydrogen gas and ammonia from the coolant, not the heat source.
 
The first night I drove my 2004 MH home in 2016 the box had quit working. I figured out the black box was malfunctioned. Unplugged it put it in the basement,connected the 12v wire to ice box and it?s working fine. We do part time for a month at a time.
 
Thanks Gary, my thoughts were the same. Was just hoping for a cheap fix for my friend's sake.


There's no obvious smell or leak, and when they put it in storage a few months ago it worked fine. Based on Henry's comments I have already suggested he also replace the probe - thermocouples do fail and it's cheap to try. After that $$ I'm afraid  :(
 
The first night I drove my 2004 MH home in 2016 the box had quit working. I figured out the black box was malfunctioned.
Click to expand...
Indeed, many of those boxes were of poor design and poorer quality and so failed in use.  However, that is not the case here, since a new recall box didn't change a thing. Ergo we conclude the cooling unit boiler actually is overheating, which is also an all-too-common event.

Bypassing the recall box is simple, but leaves you at risk for a fridge fire and RVs burn hot and quick. That risk is real and the reason the recall box is installed in the first place.
 
Based on Henry's comments I have already suggested he also replace the probe - thermocouples do fail and it's cheap to try.
Click to expand...
How about an IR gun reading from the boiler or the tube just above it?  If it exceeds 375-400, it is overheating.

Here's an inexpensive one on Amazon, but some Walmarts or auto parts stores have them at reasonable prices as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-Thermometer-Temperature-Non-contact/dp/B00DMI62HM/
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-Infrared-Thermometer-IR002/205509667
 
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