26 replies to this topic

[MBKeller]

Our refrigerator was upgraded in the recall campaign. It worked fine on both LP and AC on a weekend trip. After returning home, we emptied the box and parked it for 2 weeks. Yesterday I plugged the coach in to charge the batteries and cool the refrig and now it won't turn on at all.

No fail codes on the refrig display, there is AC power at the plug in the access bay, and the red LED is lit on the High-Temp Cutoff Module that is part of the recall.

Any similar experience/remedies?

[danorske]

Our refrigerator was upgraded in the recall campaign. It worked fine on both LP and AC on a weekend trip. After returning home, we emptied the box and parked it for 2 weeks. Yesterday I plugged the coach in to charge the batteries and cool the refrig and now it won't turn on at all.

No fail codes on the refrig display, there is AC power at the plug in the access bay, and the red LED is lit on the High-Temp Cutoff Module that is part of the recall.

Any similar experience/remedies?

Yup. I had mine done and it lasted about 3 weeks then died, same as yours. They (the service techs) ordered a new one and replaced it at no cost to me. That’s been about a month and a half now-- seems to have fixed it this time.

Good luck,
Ron

[MBKeller]

Thanks, Ron

[carolvj]

I had the first recall done on my 2007 Bounder - and didn't even get out of the service area. The recall device they installed was defective. The replacement device has been working fine for several months.

[hermanmullins]

Had the first recall done and everything worked. Got the second recall done and it worked and I took the coach home. The very next day I was getting ready for a trip and turned on the ref. NOTHING. The recall module is a probe on the coil on a small circuit board plugged in between the input power and the main board. The probe is to detect leaks. I called my dealer and they handed me a replacement that I installed it and it is still working. They said that they have had quite a few failures with the boards. That being said one friend of ours had the same power failure on their ref. and called a tech. He by passed the recall and the ref. came on and they found that his coil had a leak. The recall worked as it was intended.

Eveyone with a Norcold 1200 is very frustrated. It may not seem it, but I truly beleive that Norcold is really trying.
Get in touch with Norcold tell them your problem and let them work with you.

Good Luck

[TBUTLER]

All this makes my decision to replace our Norcold 1200 with a residential refrigerator much easier to live with. I spent more money than I wanted but now I can sleep at night not worrying about what the refrigerator might do... or not do. I'm sure that Norcold is doing what they can to resolve the problem but it may just be that their refrigerator is not designed properly from the ground up. A band aid may work to solve some problems but other problems demand starting over from the ground up. Because of the marginal performance of the Norcold 1200 from the beginning and the added fire danger, we decided to do away with it. I'm betting you will see more residential refrigerators in new motor homes in the future.

[mclavey]

I believe Norcold is just trying to sell new refrigerators .... things must be slow for them with the economy turn down.

My second recall lasted one weekend .... I called Norcold and was told to go back and have it checked and I would probably need a new unit (refrigerator) .... so I will disconect the wires from the box and run it without the mod.

[JohnERich]

My NORCOLD was repaired under the recall. When I started to check my refrigerator for a trip last week there was no 12v power to the refrigerator. Technication checked the unit and found that the retrofitted sensor has failed.

[curley9946]

My 1210 (2005) has taken a dump I too. Went to dealer for recall. All was fine. 2nd trip no ref.

Should I buy another Norcold? I was told that I was lucky not to have had a fire. I just do not know what to do??

[efrisco]

This is the third time my Norcold 1200 has malfunctioned. Norcold refuses to send a Tech. out here unless I pay for the service call. They say they have to determine if there is something wrong with the frige or if it is their recall kit.

I think 3 tries at it is enough. I know they will replace the recall with another box, but I don't' think anyone should have to pay 3 times to get the thing serviced. They need to be sued for putting our lives in danger. I suggest that all RV owners never even consider replacing a frige or buying one that has Norcold in it. If they cannot make a reliable product they should go out of business.

[desertdeals69]

It's really kind of funny that 5-6 years ago if I mentioned that I had a RR in my coach I was thought to be some kind of a snob or had an over priced coach or whatever, but it was rarely good. It seems that I had no idea of what RVing was all about and I was an energy hog for trying to use household equipment in an RV and this equipment could not possibly hold up to the rigor of the open road. I must simply be traveling from RV Resort to RV Resort because campers could not get by with those kinds of electrical requirements.

Today, the RR is the "in" thing. It has always been the in thing for us as I could not have gotten my wife to full time with an RV fridge (no that's not a statement from a snob, but the realities between having one and then having the other). It's funny that no one says I should not have a household Sharp convection/microwave or I should not have a household TV or a household DVR or a household dishwasher (which I don't have but the DW would love!) but if you mention that you have a RR in your coach people treat you like some kind of a pariah.

I have seen residential refrigerators in RV's since the 70s. A lot of the bus conversion used them and a small number of production coaches and this was before the advanced inverters that are available today. One of the popular models was Amana, noted for its low current draw.

[hermanmullins]

dd69,
We had an Amana in our home before our current Samsung. It preformed very well for a number of years however the one thing we noticed from the get go was the noise. It also ran quite a lot. We had it checked and were told that that was nornal. Hey, just my 2 cents.

Merry Christmas to you and yours

[desertdeals69]

dd69,
We had an Amana in our home before our current Samsung. It preformed very well for a number of years however the one thing we noticed from the get go was the noise. It also ran quite a lot. We had it checked and were told that that was nornal. Hey, just my 2 cents.

Merry Christmas to you and yours

The same to you and yours. The thing we have to remember is that was some 30 years ago. They have made some inprovements since then!

[carlpeterson]

After replacing two recall boxes, my Norcold 1200 is still working, but I have kept the wires to bypass it if it quits again. I'll just take a chance on a fire. Carl Peterson

[bthomforde]

After having the recalls done and it still isn't cold the only problem I have now is it won't fit out the door to replace it with a residential fidge so we have to take the drivers side window out but it will be worth it when the Norcold piece of c**p is gone.

[michaelhillhouse]

So far I've had two sensors replaced on my 1200 and Norcold swears that there is no problem with their sensors. I also found that when plugged in direct voltage past the sensor the ref works fine. To replace or not to, is the million dollar question.

Do I continue to have problems or just take a chance on a so called fire and wire direct

[DickandLois]

Michael,

You mentioned that the refrigerator works when directly wired, bypassing the safety circuit.

Have you demonstrated this to the Service center?

Could you get some help from an electrician with the proper tools to read the current drawn by the refrigerator when its operating. That information can be compared to the maximum current allowed by the sensor that is failing.

Second- what is the specified current requirement listed in the specifications for the model your have.

This is where I would start to find an answer to the problem.

Rich.

[michaelhillhouse]

When both I and the tech tested the circuit we found that the voltage through the sensor was 10.9 volts where the circuit was 13.2 volts of power available to the sensor . Both failures were the same on the sensors. I feel that Norcold has a problem and doesn't admit it and we, the consumer, have to pay for their faulty boards to be tested each time to have them checked out.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to be able to read voltage available to the main boards on the refrigerators but Norcold treats us like some kind of a child and insists we have their techs do the same procedures to get the same results. This probably makes me seem like a frustrated old fart which I am but I just want to be able to enjoy my coach and not have the problems which causes the refer's to not work properly.

Is their something I'm missing if so let me know ?

Regards,

Mike

P.S Happy New Year to all

[DickandLois]

Mike !
A reading of 10.9 volts is real close to the level where the system boards will stop working, if I remember correctly. I will need to look into it to get more details.
In the mean time try this link. It might lead to a solution or an option. I do not have the OEM board numbers for your unit.

http://www.dinosaure.../Nor_boards.htm

Rich.