Norcold refer help
- Thread starter Markcross
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
weewun
Well-known member
Battery Disconnect.
Kevin Means
Site Team
Well, 12 volts is 12 volts so that's a weird one. The control board is obviously working, or you'd have the same problem when plugged into shore-power. Are there any fault codes that get displaed for your model of fridge? Is this a new problem? Is the fridge not cooling down at all when not plugged into shore-power? Does it completely shut down when disconnected from shore-power?
Kev
Kev
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
The fridge uses 12v when in 120vac mode too, so it must be getting 12v power. Do other LP appliances work when the fridge does not (stove, water heater)?
Maybe the 12v power is low without the converter running (shore power)? With converter running, the voltage should be around 13.3-13.6. If you are getting lower voltage when on battery alone, maybe its not enough to open the gas solenoid valve on the fridge. It's supposed to work as low as 10.5v, but sometimes they lie!
I have a satellite dome that is supposed to work on 11.5v, but in fact it needs 13+ to function. The dome manufacturer denied it, but "advised" that their optional booster would solve my problem. And it did. But they refused to pay for it.
Maybe the 12v power is low without the converter running (shore power)? With converter running, the voltage should be around 13.3-13.6. If you are getting lower voltage when on battery alone, maybe its not enough to open the gas solenoid valve on the fridge. It's supposed to work as low as 10.5v, but sometimes they lie!
I have a satellite dome that is supposed to work on 11.5v, but in fact it needs 13+ to function. The dome manufacturer denied it, but "advised" that their optional booster would solve my problem. And it did. But they refused to pay for it.
8Muddypaws
Well-known member
Are you sure it's running on gas?
Open the inspection port and look at the burner. If you don't see a flame it's heating the coil with 110.
If you do see a flame then you might have an electrical problem such that your refer gets 12v from the converter/charger and not from the battery. Never heard of that happening before but there's so many novel ways it could have been done wrong it can't be ruled out.
What model Norcold is it?
Open the inspection port and look at the burner. If you don't see a flame it's heating the coil with 110.
If you do see a flame then you might have an electrical problem such that your refer gets 12v from the converter/charger and not from the battery. Never heard of that happening before but there's so many novel ways it could have been done wrong it can't be ruled out.
What model Norcold is it?
Kevin Means
Site Team
8MP makes a good point. You may think you're running off propane when you're actually running off AC. If the coach has been sitting for awhile, or if the propane tank has been emptied, you may not be getting any propane to the burner, which would explain why it shuts off when you disconnect from shore-power. If you think that could be the case, make sure the tank has propane in it then open the valve on the tank. Bleed the lines by lighting the stove-top burners first, (that might take a few attempts too), then keep trying to light the fridge.
(Sorry if this seems obvious, I don't know how much experience you have with RV systems.)
Kev
(Sorry if this seems obvious, I don't know how much experience you have with RV systems.)
Kev
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Most Norcolds indicate on the front panel whether it is in gas or electric mode. What model of Norcold are we talking about? Those that have an "Auto" mode will automatically select Electric operation whenever shore power is present, so it would not stay in LP mode unless forced to LP mode via the front panel selector.
While we are on this Norcold issue. I have a 2000LRIM which I just finished installing a new cooling unit. As I was about to push this unit back into the cabinet I noticed two wires with spade ends hanging down along the coach wall. I scratched my head and wondering what I failed to tag when I started this job. Need to start troubleshooting and I have not even started it back up. The rig is a Newmar 04 Moutainaire 3778. Anyone have any idea what these wires are for? The mention of 12vdc power got me to thinking was this DC power and I failed to tag it when starting the job.
Thanks
Thanks
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Hard to guess what those wires may be. 12v power to the fridge is a single +12 wire to the controller circuit board, which you surely must have tagged when you removed it. Nothing works without that wire, not even electric mode.
Wonder if a previous owner added extra fans in the upper vent area and those were plus & ground wires for that?
Wonder if a previous owner added extra fans in the upper vent area and those were plus & ground wires for that?
I got it figured out. I was getting 12v at the panel only when shore power was connected. There is a bad wire somewhere preventing the current from getting from the battery to the refer. I ran jumper wire and it works great. Thanks for the suggestions.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Battery disconnect switch turned off?
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
RV year/make/model?
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Trailers may not have a disconnect, but motorhomes nearly always do.
