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Old 06-29-2021, 08:46 PM   #1
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Freezer works/Refrigerator doesn't

I have a 2020 Cardinal 5th Wheel with a Norcold Refer/Freezer. It's been stored for two weeks with no power. I connected power and the freezer works fine but the refrigerator is not working at all. Any ideas?
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Old 06-29-2021, 08:48 PM   #2
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I have a 2020 Cardinal 5th Wheel with a Norcold Refer/Freezer. It's been stored for two weeks with no power. I connected power and the freezer works fine but the refrigerator is not working at all. Any ideas?
How long have you had it turned on?
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Old 06-29-2021, 08:49 PM   #3
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About 4 hours. But the cooling fins are still warm.
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Old 06-29-2021, 09:01 PM   #4
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But the cooling fins are still warm.
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Old 06-29-2021, 09:21 PM   #5
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The refrigerator fins on mine take about 12-16 hours to have any coldness when started from room temperature.
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Old 06-29-2021, 10:35 PM   #6
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About 4 hours. But the cooling fins are still warm.
On 2-way absorption RV fridges, the freezer(because it's a smaller space)will cool much faster than the fridge compartment. It will often require more than 8 hours.
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Old 06-29-2021, 10:46 PM   #7
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Put some already cooled cans or water bottles in there and it will cool off quicker.

Always put in mostly cooled items in that style (absorption, 120VAC/LP) fridge, and be fairly level when running the fridge... it does not like being off-level
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Old 06-30-2021, 04:57 PM   #8
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I keep a gallon jug and several water bottles in my house freezer. The day before I travel I put them in the RV fridge and turn it on. Cools in no time and maintains temp from that point forward.
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Old 06-30-2021, 06:46 PM   #9
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I'm having the same issue with my Dometic RM2351 fridge. I have had it plugged in for weeks and tried running it on gas, sometimes overnight, but still can't get the fridge to cool down. The freezer is freezing properly but nothing in the fridge. I have checked the gas burner and it is working there is power to the plug and adjusted the thermistor other then that I am stumped. I ordered a Snipthetip thermister replacement but have not received it yet. Anyone have thoughts??
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Old 06-30-2021, 07:10 PM   #10
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do you have anything in the fridge section at all?

The hardest thing to cool is air... put a 12 pack of pre-cooled cans of soda or beer in there and give it 24 hours.
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Old 06-30-2021, 07:27 PM   #11
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I just went out an put three frozen 1/2 gal. jugs in it. I will keep an eye on it.

Thanks for the suggestion
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Old 06-30-2021, 08:59 PM   #12
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I just went out an put three frozen 1/2 gal. jugs in it. I will keep an eye on it.
I think you are missing the point...

frozen water jugs will cool the inside but also melt cause you might get 35-40 degrees in the fridge part... and you will probably get water condensation dripping off the jugs.

The more full I keep my fridge the colder it will get... but not if I put warm stuff in all the time, like warm cans of soda and keep opening the door in real hot weather which I think we are all having about now. IF you got kids, bring a cooler for drinks and buy some ice.

You need some cooled mass in the fridge to take up some of the room, even in the bottom drawers. A cold case of soda would help and maybe do the trick. The cold cans should stay cold. Place the frozen jugs in the freezer and they should stay frozen.
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Old 06-30-2021, 09:19 PM   #13
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I understand your point. I put the jugs in to get the temp down quicker. Once it has done that I plan on replacing them with something cool such as chilled water bottles or beer cans. I don't plan on keeping the frozen jugs in the fridge permanently.
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Old 06-30-2021, 10:27 PM   #14
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I understand your point. I put the jugs in to get the temp down quicker. Once it has done that I plan on replacing them with something cool such as chilled water bottles or beer cans. I don't plan on keeping the frozen jugs in the fridge permanently.

We do the same thing. We'll freeze a couple of gallon water jugs and put 1 in the refrigerator and the other in the cooler. Usually put a frozen ice pack or two in the freezer. Once the refrigerator is cooling nicely, we'll add cold grocery items. The thawed gallon jug goes back in the home freezer until we're ready to leave, then back in the camper fridge. We then have a couple of gallons of drinking water that lasts for a while. We usually have to wait a few days for the one in the fridge to thaw completely before we can drink it.
I like to pre-cool the cooler before we load it up, thus the frozen gallon in the cooler. We keep water and beer in the cooler, along with ice, thus the frozen jug before loading.
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Old 06-30-2021, 10:31 PM   #15
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We do the same thing. We'll freeze a couple of gallon water jugs and put 1 in the refrigerator and the other in the cooler. Usually put a frozen ice pack or two in the freezer. Once the refrigerator is cooling nicely, we'll add cold grocery items. The thawed gallon jug goes back in the home freezer until we're ready to leave, then back in the camper fridge. We then have a couple of gallons of drinking water that lasts for a while. We usually have to wait a few days for the one in the fridge to thaw completely before we can drink it.
I like to pre-cool the cooler before we load it up, thus the frozen gallon in the cooler. We keep water and beer in the cooler, along with ice, thus the frozen jug before loading.
EXACTLY... Pre-cool the coolers and the fridge before loading them up.
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Old 07-01-2021, 04:14 PM   #16
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These absorption refrigerators will cool faster on propane than electric
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Old 07-05-2021, 04:45 PM   #17
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These absorption refrigerators will cool faster on propane than electric
Seems to vary from fridge to fridge which mode works better. Up at altitude - has some negative effect on propane efficiency - my fridge definitely works better on 120V AC. Haven't use propane mode at low altitude enough to know if it's an altitude effect.

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Old 07-05-2021, 06:00 PM   #18
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I understand your point. I put the jugs in to get the temp down quicker. Once it has done that I plan on replacing them with something cool such as chilled water bottles or beer cans. I don't plan on keeping the frozen jugs in the fridge permanently.

I leave mine in there if I don't need the room. Just got back from a 10 hour trip and they were still frozen even though I turned the fridge off during the drive.
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Old 10-12-2021, 08:55 AM   #19
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I have been having the same issues with my just purchased 2022 FR3 30DS. The Fridge was on for more than 24 hours and still wasn't cold. The freezer got cold and even had ice on the back panel, but the fridge stayed warm. It did get cold for a bit but then warmed back up again. It seems a bit odd that it would get cold and then just warm up again. I did place a large ice pack in both the freezer and the fridge, and it initially appeared to work in the fridge as it cooled off, but then it got warm again. I have heard that there are sometimes circulation issues with these when the freezer cools but not the fridge. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


One last thing, how cold should I expect the fridge to get?



Thanks

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Old 10-12-2021, 09:08 AM   #20
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I have been having the same issues with my just purchased 2022 FR3 30DS. The Fridge was on for more than 24 hours and still wasn't cold. The freezer got cold and even had ice on the back panel, but the fridge stayed warm. It did get cold for a bit but then warmed back up again. It seems a bit odd that it would get cold and then just warm up again. I did place a large ice pack in both the freezer and the fridge, and it initially appeared to work in the fridge as it cooled off, but then it got warm again. I have heard that there are sometimes circulation issues with these when the freezer cools but not the fridge. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


One last thing, how cold should I expect the fridge to get?



Thanks

Scott
As cold as you want it to. I always use a small fan that runs off of two class D batteries set in the bottom of the fridge. Air circulation is very important for the fridge due to its size in comparison to the freezer. And as important as everything, BE LEVEL.
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