Norcold Fridge (1200 Series) won't turn on

[Ed Dubois]

We're getting our Beaver ready for use after a long winter storage. Tried to turn on the fridge but it's not responding to the on/off switch. There is AC and DC in the coach and the fridge was working fine when we closed down at the end of last season. Any suggestions where to look for the problem would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ed

[David T. Richelderfer]

We always start our Norcold 1200LRIM fridge on gas when it's been off and warm.  We were told it cools down faster on gas as opposed to 110v electric.  Several times it would not start on gas when warm, so I turned on the propane stove top burners first to get the gas moving... and then started the fridge successfully.

In the last year or so when changing from gas to electric when on the AUTO setting, the stove would not continue successfully on electric.  The fault code on the LED screen said something like "AC HI" and the fridge would beep or tweet to let us know it was faulting.  After forcing the fridge to LP and letting it go a minute, then switching it back to AUTO (sometimes two or three times), it would switch to "AU AC" and operate properly.

We have the RECALL DEVICE and a bottle of HALON fire suppressant on the back of the fridge.

[Bill Lampkin]

Check for DC at the fridge, take off the outside cover and find where the DC comes in to a small terminal strip usually mounted to the bottom of the compartment. Does yours have the recall device? Small black box with red LED. IF that red LED is on, you will have to reset the device using a strong magnet. I've heard you pass the magnet back and forth over the top of the  recall device until the red led goes out. Common to trip the recall device, especially after washing the coach or strong storm.

[LaMonte Monnell]

I found out too that if the red light on the recall box is flashing that the heating element is bad and needs replacing.

[Stan Simpson]

Ed,
We have encountered the same problem after a winter of storage. The solution that has always worked for us (knock wood) is to turn on the propane, then the fridge on propane. It always beeps and shows a fault code of 'no flow'. We turn it off, repeat, and end up doing it several times before we hear the propane flow start. We are good to go after that.

[Ed Dubois]

Thanks to all of you for stepping up to help out. Gwen & I really appreciate it.

So far no luck yet. We can't try the propane trick because the fridge isn't responding to the on/off switch so we're unable to select propane. We do have the black box with the red LED on it and the LED is on. Tried the magnet reset idea but no luck there either. It's possible our magnet isn't strong enough to handle the reset.

Gwen spoke with a service manager in Coburg OR (by phone - we're home in BC) and he thinks the 'eyebrow' may be the problem. The eyebrow is the little panel on the front of the fridge with the on/off switch. That part is no longer available from NorCold (it's obsolete) but we found an adaptor kit on line. The service manager thought that being reasonably handy we should be able to replace it ourselves. Problem is once that's taken care of the red LED still needs to be dealt with.

Gwen found an interesting article on another site about the reset issue. Here's the link if you're curious: https://heartlandowners.org/archive/index.php/t-62104.html

So that's as far as we've gotten with this latest mystery.

Life's never boring with a 'moho' is it?

Ed

[Joe Rhea]

Ed:
The safety switch breaks the 12 volt supply to the control board. Remove the 12 volt wire from control board and put 12 volts dc to back on that terminal from another source. If the fridge lights up you know its the safety switch.

[Ed Dubois]

Joe

We just tried that and the fridge works again. Many thanks for that. We'd ordered the new eyebrow adaptor but RV Parts Express were very cooperative and let us cancel the order since we apparently don't need to go that route. Next step is to see if opening the black box and getting the magnet in close enough to reset the reed switch as described in the link I posted earlier will do the trick.

Love it when something appears to go right.

Ed

[Jeff Ramey]

New to the forum and have a question in the same vein. I hope it's ok to chime in.
Just purchased a 2000 Beaver Patriot Thunder 425. Sans manuels. Not a single one. While inspecting the coach exterior. I discovered the black box in the refrig panel. There was a big yellow sticker on one of the wires. the exact wording eludes me. however I got the distinct impression it was a part of a recall/technical bulletin patch. Reading the above, looks like I guessed correctly. My question is. 2 of the wires on the black box with the LED are just hanging loose. unattached at the opposite end. My concern is the Blue and the Red wires appear to both be connected to 12 vdc on the black box end. Can anyine tell me. or post a picture. that would tell me where these 2 wires should be connected?

Thanks in advance. 

[Joe Rhea]

Jeff:
If my memory serves me correctly the red is +12 volts to the module, blue is + out of the module attached to the mother board of fridge. One of the blacks is a ground to the module and the other one goes to a thermister mounted to the burner tube.

[Dale Walker]

I also encountered the red LED . my recall box. The magnet I had wouldn't quite reach, but it didn't take much to hear it "click", went back in and tried the Fridge and it worked.

[Ed Dubois]

We're still trying the magnet reset and no success so far. At least we're sure where the problem is.

[Jeff Ramey]

Thank you! It seems a call to Norcold is in order to receive specific instructions on reconnecting these wires. If I were a betting man, I would wager that at one point the black box faulted and without the benefit of outstanding counsel (such as found here) a previous owner decided to just disable the device.

I heard from a trusted source, and fellow RVer, that a majority of LP fridge probs arises from very small critters. Specically, fleas. Apparently, they LOVE propane and will clog the plumbing near the burner.  A good cleaning is necessary periodicaly.   

[William Harmon]

Add me to the list of owners of the Norcold Fridge (1200 series) that was working perfectly before winter storage and now will not come on.  I have tried the magnet on the box with the red LED blinking with no success.  I do hear a click when the magnet is passed over it.  My Norcold was not in the recall last year.  Any other suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance, William

[William Harmon]

I have read in the Norcold Service Manual the refrigerator has a 5 amp DC fuse and a 5 amp AC Fuse.  I need a little help locating the fuses to see if one or both have failed.  Thanks, William