Norcold N611v Refrigerator Does not stay cold enough in hot weather. - Dutchmen Owners
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Old 07-18-2018, 09:47 PM   #1
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Norcold N611v Refrigerator Does not stay cold enough in hot weather.

My 2018 Kodiak 201 QB refrigerator does not stay below 38 degrees when the camper is parked and it is above 85 degrees outside. It is level and the thermistor clip is set as far to the left as possible. We live in AZ, thus outside temps are often over 105. The refrigerator does maintain 38 or less degrees at higher outside temps, while the camper is being pulled down the road. It is at the dealership being checked out now. Other AZ Kodiak owners tell me they have no problems at high outside temps. Does anyone out there have problems with their Norcold refrigerators at higher temps ?
I was able to get the refrigerator to maintain proper temps while parked by taking off the outside side panel behind the refrigerator and placing a large box fan in front of it to blast air up the vent shaft to the roof vent.
If the dealer tells me the refrigerator is working at an acceptable level, then I will be forced to install an exterior vent fan. I am looking for recommendations for the type of fan for my particular trailer. Given the extreme AZ temps I must deal with, should I install a single fan below behind the fridge or a rack of two fans in the top of the vent stack or both?
Also, do I have a reasonable expectation that Dutchmen should pay for all fans required to make the refrigerator operate at proper temperatures when it is over 80 degrees outside?
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Old 07-20-2018, 06:16 PM   #2
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The two way RV fridges are an absorption type, the hotter it is the less cooling power they can get from the air. Moving air over the outside coils as well as inside are both going to increase cooling power. There is not a compressor to move the coolant around. They make a variety of fans just for the purpose. Do you have a roof vent for your fridge or does it have two side wall vents?

Aaron
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Old 07-20-2018, 08:12 PM   #3
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Aaron : It has side panel with 3 open portions to let air in plus there is a vent stack going to the roof. I took the cover off the vent stack and it is clear.
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Old 07-20-2018, 08:42 PM   #4
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Having lived in Arizona for many years and then in Sonora where it is the same desert hotness I can attest that you won't freeze ice cream until January or February.


I had a gas refrigerator in Sonora and it was just a given, summer and if I could keep the box at 40 degrees I considered myself lucky. I had a little Dometic in the shed that was used as my chiller before anything went in the kitchen refrigerator.


Some say fans help, they do to an extent but gas refrigerators weren't designed to work in hot temperatures. That's the down and dirty on them.


I had one large gas refrigerator that I inserted a smaller unit into the side of it. The small unit was the size one would find in the smallest of campers. Also, I had a Servel made in Indiana, a heavy box and it never was that cold in the summer. I've wrapped an entire box including doors with Styrofoam sheets and Luan plywood, same thing.



Only until the temperature gets below 70 or 80 will gas refrigerators work as they were originally intended.


Some will say the Amish built cooling units are the best, same situation with the high temperatures. Gas absorption cooling units can only absorb so much heat.


My gas refrigerator experience spanned a 20 year period, every day for 20 years with temperatures as hot as 110 in the desert.
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Old 07-20-2018, 09:03 PM   #5
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I did the computer fan mod in my fridge and it seems to work better. It's not desert hot here, but routinely hits the mid 90's in the summer. The fridge will freeze food with interior camper temps around 75f. It stays at 35f set on number 3. The freezer is outrageously cold, rock hard ice cream.
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Old 07-20-2018, 09:19 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guy Lombardo View Post
Aaron : It has side panel with 3 open portions to let air in plus there is a vent stack going to the roof. I took the cover off the vent stack and it is clear.
Those are a lot easier to add fans to. Here are the links I have stored for the cooling fans; inside and outside. I am sure there are other options out there. Another one I looked at for the roof top has a small solar panel to run it, but the reviews weren't very good for it. Here is another one with it's own solar panel. I don't see a real need for this.

I seriously doubt you will get Dutchmen to cover the cost of them.

I am dealing with similar issues on my motor home right now, I have a bit more checking to make sure it isn't the cooling unit going bad, fans are probably coming up soon.

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Old 07-21-2018, 09:35 AM   #7
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I installed a lower temperature fan switch in both of my campers and it helped. It is a small round disc switch that is likely screwed to one of the upper cooling fins with two wires connected to it. I also carry a small jumper with me just in case I need to force the fans on continuously.

We go to Darlington every year for the Southern 500 and no issues keeping the fridge cool since installing that switch. Fans run more but I am ok with that.
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Old 07-21-2018, 11:14 AM   #8
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Do It Yourself RV had a mod for refrigerators just this past week...

Fridge Mods: How To Make Your RV Fridge Run Better

I subscribe to their emails and some of the mods they have are pretty good. Computer fans are pretty inexpensive.
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Old 07-25-2018, 11:41 PM   #9
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I put fans inside fridge on coils, seemed to work okay ( we live in Tucson but vacation in CT). those two fans are dead now after two years,, I also blew cigar smoke while the outside fan was running ( fridge was on ) and watched how much air got out the top vent, not very good,,, there are some vidoes on fan modification to put up top and get that air out, the top of my fridge is not stuffed with insualtion etc and I think the hot air gets stuck up there till pushed out,, also the tin up top went up pretty high, trimmed it a bit,, seems to be better, but when it is 112 in the shade ( like today) even my AC doesnt work well..
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Old 07-26-2018, 03:40 PM   #10
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I might also check for recalls on the Norcold RV refrigerators. There was one around 2016, and another just sent out this year.
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