Norcold 2118 Troubleshooting, not cold enough.

[ip076]

Looking for some pointers. My Norcold 2118 fridge doesn?t seem to quite cool enough, even on the highest setting 9.

The fridge gets down to about 40, the freezer in the mid teens. I?ve tried gas and electric, gas gets the fridge a couple degrees cooler.

Ambient temps have been less than 80. 

Does anyone have the link to the repair manual or troubleshooting guide for this fridge? Or any pointers on where to start?  I think my next step will be completely powering it down and removing all sources of electricity from the coach and seeing if a reset helps out.

Thanks!

 

[ip076]

Oh, I?ve done the dollar bill test and the seals feel normal and reasonably tight. 

 

[Alfa38User]

Those sound like pretty normal temperatures to me if they are shown in ?F. What temperatures are you expecting??

 

[ip076]

I have a thermometer (residential) that has a target of 32-40 for refer and below 0 for freezer.

Fridge is actually at about 42.

Really, what got me thinking is the milk really didn?t taste cold.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I would expect a 2118 to be able to reach zero in the freezer and 32 in the fridge. If it cannot, the fault is nearly always substandard installation, resulting in inadequate ventilation for the waste heat or hot air leaking into the area on the sides and top of the fridge. Both of those are all-too-common flaws in the RV manufacturing process.  This problem is especially common for fridges installed in a slide-out, where the upper vent is in the sidewall rather than the roof.

Try removing the outside access door and placing a small fan in the opening, blowing air in and up through the outer vent. A $8 personal-size plug-in fan from Walmart works fine if it is going to help at all.  If that does the trick, you can work on a more permanent slution with either improved baffles or extra 12v fans (the 2118 has two fans of its own already).

Installation specs:

https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/IM_2118_636901A_201408221.pdf

 

[Ernie n Tara]

Check the flume (from outside) to be clear of any blockage - webs, etc. Next try positioning a fan so that it forces extra air through the flume (exaust at top) and see the effect.

Change the position of the clip, if any, on the fins inside the fridge and observe the effect. These may be performed in either order, but be sure go give enough time for either to have an effect.

Ernie

Oops Gary is too fast. I suspect he can type! ;D

 

[Henry J Fate]

Important information is if the 2118 is cycling or running continously.

If the unit isn't found to be cycling set on 9, a cooling unit problem becomes likely.

 

[ip076]

Thanks for the info guys. It does get a little cooler on LP vs electric.

I?ll check that the flume is clear. Mine is in a slide, so that would be found in the upper access panel on the side right?  The exhaust anyways. The intake is below? I?ll try the fan idea on that.

Jared

Oh yeah. It?s not scientific, but I haven?t heard it cycle off, so I think it may be running consistently.

 

[Henry J Fate]

Propane offers a higher temp at the boiler which results in additional cooling. Propane will also provide a quicker recovery to the set temperature.

Did the unit work better previous to this problem?

 

[ip076]

Update:

After driving 3 or so hours, the fridge is down to 34 and the freezer is sitting around 14. Maybe there was something blocking the flume and it cleared going down the road. The unit had been functioning very well previously, occasionally being so cold it would freeze the milk. My RV day for five weeks, level, plugged in, fridge on, with little use. I?ve been back occupying it for 4 days or so.

 

[Henry J Fate]

Do we assume you are running it on propane while driving?

 

[ChasA]

Guys, it is a flue, not a flume or flu. Google is your friend.

 

[ip076]

Yes. Flue. Thank you.

Sorry, yes. On Propane while driving.

 

[Back2PA]

the fridge is down to 34 and the freezer is sitting around 14.

That's exactly where my Dometic sits (sometimes freezer gets down a little under 10). I've had both Norcold and Dometic and have never been able to get a freezer down to 0, even on a brand new Norcold with auxiliary fans (4 total with OEM fans)

 

[Henry J Fate]

I guess the next question is.....

After the problem was realized and still stationary, did you switch to propane and give it 24 hours before checking temps?

 

[ip076]

I didn't give it 24 hours no.  I'm going to leave it on electric for a little while and see what happens, maybe there really wasn't anything to it at all.

Thanks again for your input. 

 

[Henry J Fate]

My thinking was if tested within reasonable guidines on propane, that info would be very valuable. The fact that the propane produced favorable temps while driving wouldn't offer as much info as other changes may have come into play. However it does tend to signal a working cooling unit. It does not explain the problem you experienced on electric.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A related question is how you measured the temperature. The accepted method for an absorption fridge is to put a thermometer in a glass oor bowl of water and allow several hours to cool. That's because absorption fridges lack forced air circulation within the fridge and freezer, so they cool unevenly as convection causes temperature shifts within. The volume of water helps stabilize the reading.

 

[ip076]

For now it's been a thermometer sitting on the rack.  I'll try the glass of water idea.

That said, I think my issues have resolved themselves.  I've had the fridge on electric set at 9 for about 16 hours.  This morning, my water jug was nearly frozen solid, the temp in the fridge indicated about 28 and the freezer was at 2.

 

[Henry J Fate]

Good news. Hope it continues. It is possible there was a blockage in the sealed cooling unit that was loosened during your travels.