Norcold with no flame

[Bill Dean]

We started our trip to Florida and six days in the Norcold stopped working with a "No Fla" code.  I opened up externally and made sure that the combustion chamber was clean (it was), vacuumed out some dust.  Then looking at the recall mod, the light wasn't on.  I took my magnet and held it against the unit with no success (had done this before when a detailer had inadvertently sprayed water into the area).  This is the original unit in our 2001 Beaver Patriot Tic and I'm concerned that something such as the board has given up the ghost.
My thoughts are to just keep ice in the unit until we get to Tucson (planning on staying a few days at Lazy Days).  Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations as to whom to contact for repairs?
Thanks!
Bill

[David T. Richelderfer]

While in the Yuma, AZ Foothills this Winter my fridge stopped working.  The problem was the recall unit had failed.  Norcold will replace the unit at no cost to you if you find a firm that is accredited by Norcold to perform the exchange.  Norcold will pay for the replacement unit and the labor to replace it.  Sooo... how do you find that Norcold accredited firm?  In my case I had a guy who it turns out was not accredited to come repair the unit.  He verified the recall unit had failed and proceeded to tell me which firm in the area was accredited.  In your case I suggest contacting any RV repair firm and ask for what firm is Norcold accredited.  You might also try calling Norcold to get the name of the firm/s in your area who are accredited.

You will have to wait about three days for the replacement unit to arrive after the accredited firm verifies the old unit has failed.  Performing the exchange takes about 15 minutes.  The firm, in my case, also looked around my fridge's backside while in there to see that things were as they should be, such as no leaks, replacing the asbestos wrap around the flame, etc.

Note:  After the unaccredited repairman had verified the recall unit had failed, he bypassed it so the fridge would operate without it.  He gave me the choice to do that or not.  In my case the fridge's backside is nearly pristine with absolutely no signs of coolant leaks.  I was told a coolant leak is what causes the fires.  I ran the fridge for almost a week with no problems waiting for the replacement unit - three days shipping that lapsed over a weekend.  Bypassing the recall unit is not a recommended practice, but I didn't have to clean out the food from my fridge and I watched the fridge closely and was fully aware of the associated risk.

[Bill Dean]

Thanks David. Mine is "pristine " too. Hopefully there's a Norcold qualified tech in Tucson. I have no problem wiring around the issue until, and if, that's the issue, as it is very clean and no evidence of leaking, etc.
Bill

[LaMonte Monnell]

Hi all,

Same issue here. Tried to turn on frig after being off for two months. No power. Pulled the access cover off and recall box blinking.

The one on the frig is Revision "E" replaced already one time for failure.  Got the multimeter out and checked everything. It's a bad box again. Cooling unit is almost new.

My assumption is that moisture does a number to these and causes them to fail, not a great coverup (cya)repair for frig fires.

 I bypassed again and gonna put in a halon fire system, heat activated and safer and more efficient than a box that shuts down a frig that is not even turned on!

[Bill Dean]

Well, this has become an interesting trip so far. The Norcold decided to work while driving down I5. But, that may be because my teeth fillings were falling out. Going down I5 from Bakersfield to Indio today everything was being beat to death. However, the adventure almost didn't start as the front slide didn't want to come in this morning - I could hear a slight electrical hum while trying to engage the slide toggle but zero from the hydrolics. I checked all connections thinking that the prior day's rough trip jarred something loose but to no avail. As I was on hold for Ken at BCS, I decided to try again and the slide retracted as if nothing was wrong.  These are real mistries to me as nothing seems to be consistent- gremlins in disparate electrical systems?
And then to add insult to injury, our toad (Jeep GC) AC is now non-functional - perhaps again an electrical connection after bouncing along behind on this trip.
Has anyone had similar problems?
Bill

[Gerald Farris]

Bill,
The slide issue could be one of four issues depending upon were the electrical hum was coming from. The problems could be the switch, solenoid, connection, or the pump motor. However the switch is of low probability because of the noise your heard upon pressing the switch. I need more information to narrow the problem down any more.

Gerald   

[Bill Dean]

Gerald,  the hum was coming from behind the switch with no other sound coming from anywhere else. I'm leaving Indio in a few minutes and will arrive in Tucson this pm. I didn't extend the slide here as I was worried that it wouldn't retract. I will extend it in Tucson at the Lazydays KOA and run it in and out a few times. I actually hope that it does fail as I think it would be easier to find the electrical fault in failure mode than an intermittent issue.
Don't know if this helps you or not.
Bill

[Gerald Farris]

Bill,
Your description does not help me diagnose your slide issue. I would have to take a meter and trace the circuit when the slide was malfunctioning. Therefore, like you said, it is much more difficult to repair an intermittent problem. Some shops will just through parts at the problem in hope of repairing it, and others will just refuse to address it until they see it malfunction.

Gerald

[Edward Buker]

As Gerald said it is difficult to diagnose an intermittent.....If you are handy, I would consider changing out the switch which gives you a new contact set and renewed connections at the switch and also the solenoid switch at the pump motor. Those items are relatively inexpensive and depending on position and access, not too hard to change. Both of those contain contacts that can oxidize, pit from arcing (especially the solenoid switch), and corrode. If that fixes your problem, then great. Be sure the batteries are disconnected that feed the pump solenoid switch and the charging system is off. If the battery connections have corrosion on them that needs to be fixed, that can be part of the problem if low voltage is what is reaching the pump. With those items ruled out it is likely that you may have a "dead spot" on the pump motor where depending on where the rotation stops, can be intermittent.

I am a little puzzled by the noise in the cabinet behind the switch. If an additional relay is in the circuit there, that is a contact set also and if it is available, I would consider changing that also. Basically you are changing out all the "switches" on the way to the motor. This is a bit of throwing parts at the problem but they are inexpensive parts that rule out issues and probably cost less than 1 hour of labor at a shop. It is a trade off cost wise but renewing some contacts on critical systems in older coaches is also a bit preventative.

Later Ed

[Bill Dean]

Thanks Ed. We're in Tucson and the slide went out yesterday evening when we got in (I tried retracting it with no problem), so, indeed an intermittent issue. I have scheduled with a local business (Freedom RV) and I'll request that they do replace all connections as you have suggested.
Again, thanks!
Bill

[Edward Buker]

Bill,

If you are a bit handy and had the parts that are in the cabinet, should be just the switch and maybe a relay. If you were comfortable with changing those yourself you could have them concentrate on the solenoid switch on the pump. That to me is the most likely candidate of the bunch.

If your solenoid on the pump looks roughly like this one in the link below, Cole Hersee makes a silver tungsten carbide alloy contact version that is far superior in amp rating (200amps) and contact life then what you have in there now. The cheaper relays are 65 to 85 amp ratings and have contacts that pit and corrode with the make and break arcing. There is a difference between a $50 and a $20 solenoid switch. They use this version in marine applications and is probably one of the best quality solenoids available. A NAPA store may have one or be able to get one or it could be ordered there. If you put one of these in it would outlast you. Hope this helps.

http://www.amazon.com/HERSEE-TERMINAL-CONTINUOUS-SOLENOID-24213BX/dp/B00FGJIJR6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426957981&sr=8-1&keywords=COLE+HERSEE+24213

Later Ed

[David T. Richelderfer]

My Revision E Norcold recall device is blinking.  It was new in December 2014, replaced while in Yuma.

The ice maker's water line split about 6 inches from where it connects up to the solenoid that activates to fill the ice tray.  (I assume that would be a solenoid.)  The split in the hose must have started small and grew over a week or two because we used the coach the last weekend of June and everything was fine that I knew of.  Two days ago I was walking by the coach and heard a noise; it was the water pump.  It had pumped the fresh water tank as dry as it could given the coach is on a downward slope parked on my driveway.  "How long had the pump been running," you might ask?  I don't know.  But when I put some water in the tank to check the pump, almost immediately there was water splashing out the inspection door over the back of the fridge.  When I took the access door off the split hose was shooting a small spray of water about 15' out into my yard.

Everything had to have been flooded around the back of the fridge - the fridge's main circuit board, the recall device's little circuit board,... everything.  I do remember seeing a small wet spot on the driveway below the fridge's access door, but saw no water on the access door or the coach sidewall.  Thus, I dismissed it as dew running off the coach.

Earlier in the thread Mr. Monnell stated that water must kill these recall devices.  This would be anecdotal evidence of his hypothesis.  I tried to reset the device with a super strong magnet.  The light blinks... and blinks... and blinks...