Norcold "NO CO"

[thelazyl]

My norcold refer is throwing a "NO CO" error.  This is the first issue I've had with it in the last 4 years.  I found an article that suggests turning it off, and back on.  This didn't reset it.  The next step says to take it to a service center to have the board reset. 

The day prior I noticed my house batteries were reading 9.5.  They are newer batteries (2019) and I had the battery disconnect "on" for the last 2 months of storage.  Now I am hooked up to 20amp and am trying to run the refer on LP.

I plan to call a mobile mechanic next but would appreciate advice.

 

[thelazyl]

I found the following thread with input from Gary.  Hopefully this explains my issue. 

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,85799.msg775051.html#msg775051

 

[Arch Hoagland]

https://www.arprv.com/no-co-norcold.php 

That is the procedure to reset the Norcold 1200 refrigerator.

I printed it out and carry it in my repair kit for the motorhome.

I had to reset mine and the hardest part was getting the plastic cover off the control board.  I have now fashioned an easier cover to remove.

My problem was caused because I turned on the refrigerator when it was 110 degrees outside. The refrigerator couldn't chill fast enough and that set the code.

So now I turn it on late at night after things cool down a bit. I live where it is HOT. 

 

[thelazyl]

Arch, thank you!  Yes, it was very hot the day this started (near 100 which is unusual in my area).  I took the access cover off this morning and noticed the board cover requires a special tool to remove the screws/bolts.  I believe I am going to use a mobile RV mechanic and watch him - I want to be sure there isn't a more serious issue that could lead to a fire.  I appreciate the prompt reply.  Mark

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The reset for a No Co fault depends on the fridge model, and in the case of the Norcold 1200 the serial number (there were a couple engineering changes over the many years this fridge has been manufactured).

The key thing is that this fault indicates a problem with the cooling unit function. In some versions of the fridge, there are some possible false NoCo errors, but generally it means something is going wrong.  You can reset the fault and odds are the fridge will work again, for awhile anyway, but if the fault re-occurs that is a solid warning of a potentially serious problem. Serious as in "fire!".

Really need the fridge model number and also the serial (or year of manufacture) if its a 1200 or 1210.

Depending somewhat in the quality of the installation, an absorption fridge can stop cooling when the outside temperature exceeds 100-110.  That would likely trigger a NoCo fault as the fridge struggles to chill but nothing happens. The boiler temperature goes high, which triggers the overheat sensor and sets off the fault.

 

[thelazyl]

Hi Gary.  The model# according to the manual I have is 120x-IM.  I talked to a reputable RV tech today near me - and luckily he has time tomorrow morning to look at it.  He said after reset they will need to monitor, and if it's a bad cooling unit he'll need to disable to fridge until a replacement can be installed.  I am already planning on using an ice chest for our trip on Sunday in case we need a replacement unit. 

Our RV is a 2003 and as far as I can tell the fridge is original.  I don't have a service record for the fridge from the previous owner.

I am glad I didn't do the reset on my own - the RV tech said the same as you in that there is a risk of a serious fire if an amateur (like me) botches it up.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

It was about two years ago that I reset my NoCo due to extreme heat.

It's been running fine ever since. Probably did 6 trips in that time span so I'm pretty sure the unit is good.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The model# according to the manual I have is 120x-IM. 

That's the 1200 series with the optional Icemaker (IM).  Either a 1200 or 1201, which are essentially identical.
Reset procedure attached.

 

[thelazyl]

Thanks again Gary.  I will update this thread when there is a solution.  The RV Tech is going to do the reset and then monitor to determine if the fridge is safe as it is, or if a new cooling unit is needed.  If a cooling unit is required he said you can't get one now - there is too much demand for them at the moment.  I'm prepared to use an ice chest for our upcoming trips (2 days and 6 days).  Luckily this Tech had an open spot for me today - most of the reputable places are backed up 3-4 weeks.  This is motivating me to continue to learn to be more self-sufficient in maintenance. Going forward I will print the reset procedure and keep it in my files - my only barrier is that the screws holding the plastic cover on the board have a special head (I'm sure I can figure it out). 

 

[Arch Hoagland]

OP sad : "- my only barrier is that the screws holding the plastic cover on the board have a special head (I'm sure I can figure it out)."

That was the exact reason I fashioned my own cover.

 

[thelazyl]

Update - the repair tech noted a lot of dirt and grime so he cleaned it out.  Then he noticed the LP flame was intermittent and put in a new burner tube.  It is running OK now and he is going to monitor for 2 more hours to make sure it's safe for our upcoming trip.

I'm glad I didn't try this one on my own although I'm sure it sounds fairly simple for you experienced RVers. 

I will report back if anything new pops up.

Thanks again for everyone's input on this. 

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Good to hear it was something fairly simple - hope that takes care of it.

If a cooling unit is required he said you can't get one now - there is too much demand for them at the moment. 

I wonder if he is talking about an official Norcold replacement cooling unit?  There are excellent replacement cooling units available from aftermarket suppliers and I haven't heard of any shortage there. Just Google 'norcold 1200 cooling unit' if you ever need one.

 

[thelazyl]

Here is (hopefully) my final update.

The fridge is working fine now and it was an $185 bill from the RV maintenance tech.  He put in a new burner tube.  In my 4 years of owning an RV I thought hearing a ?pop, pop, pop? noise outside was normal.  Now it is a smooth sounding burn.  Also, there was a defective part ? a safety that will shut down the fridge with a NO CO if it isn?t cooling fast enough.  This part can sometimes be reset by using a magnet but that didn?t work.  Since this part is redundant with a similar feature on the control board the part was removed.  While the defective part checks to see how rapidly the fridge is cooling, the feature on the control board checks for adequate cooling after a period of time.

The RV tech strongly advised me from following the NO CO reset procedure because I?m not trained with RV fridges that use ammonia and hydrogen (?) in the cooling unit.

If I have further difficulty with the fridge then a replacement cooling unit is the next step.  Gary - thank you for that feedback on finding one.

I appreciate everyone?s mentoring on this.  Thanks, Mark

 

[thelazyl]

Another update - Well, my cooling unit finally crapped out on me. I received another NO CO error but this time there wasn't a workaround. A replacement unit is $1,700. Thankfully they are in stock now - when this happened in 11/2018 there was a 6 month backlog.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I wouldn't buy another Norcold cooling unit - get one of the aftermarket ones from a supplier like RVCoolingUnit.com or JC Refrigeration. This is one of the rare cases where the aftermarket brands are superior.

Also, there was a defective part ? a safety that will shut down the fridge with a NO CO if it isn?t cooling fast enough. This part can sometimes be reset by using a magnet but that didn?t work. Since this part is redundant with a similar feature on the control board the part was removed. While the defective part checks to see how rapidly the fridge is cooling, the feature on the control board checks for adequate cooling after a period of time.

I have to seriously disagree with your tech. No 2003 era Norcold 1200 has adequate cooling unit safety management built in - that's why there is a federal safety recall on that model & vintage and why Norcold spent $millions designing and installing the add-on temperature sensor to prevent cooling unit fires. If yours was a much later year or a 1210 model, the tech would be somewhat justified in saying that, but not on a 2003 1200-IM. Yes, it will detect some overheated boiler conditions and throw the NoCO fault, but too often the boiler splits and catches fire before the circuit board senses it. The add-on sensor measures right at the boiler and reacts sooner.

Frankly, though, I'd add the ARP Fridge Defend module instead. It does a much more proactive job of boiler management and is much safer.

 

[thelazyl]

Thank you Gary! I will ask my tech about this and report back. -Mark

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You might want to educate yourself. You apparently missed the recall notice (and the class-action lawsuit that would have paid compensation).

Norcold Refrigerators Recall Information Page

Find out if your Norcold Refrigerator is under a recall. Check the serial number of your unit to determine if your refrigerator has been recalled, then check the website for more information. For Norcold product recalls call 1-800-767-9101 - Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm EST.

norcold.com

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2010/RCMN-10V563-0124.pdf

I don't normally get too excited about recalls, but RV fridge fires go undetected until they have spread in the walls and an RV is a major fire trap. They go up in literally a few minutes. RV owners have been lucky to escape with their lives (some did not).

 

[thelazyl]

Gary, I appreciate the help on this. We checked serial numbers and our unit was not subject to recall. We put in a new cooling unit, control board, and panel. We also finally replaced the electric motor on our main slide. It was old and tired and had some missing teeth (sort of like me). Your help is much appreciated. Thanks! Mark

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We checked serial numbers and our unit was not subject to recall.

I don't understand how a 2003 12xx could not be subject to the recall - all the ones built before 2011 were affected. And you would not have had the add-on black box (high temp sensor) installed if it was not. Is it possible the cooling unit had already been replaced once? The replacement cooling unit would be a later model and thus maybe outside the recall range.

In any case, you have a new cooler and a new control board, both with the latest design and safety features, so ought to be good for several years. Enjoy.