Help getting fridge to run while underway

[fijidad]

Our fridge and freezer run under these conditions: 1) while plugged into shore power, 2) on the inverter...with engine off, and 3) on propane...with engine off.

When I start the engine, however, the fridge and freezer do not function. I get an alarm sounding and codes flashing. The code indicated the problem is not something I can resolve, but need to take it to a dealer.

Just checking with the community before I go through that hassle...again.

Among my frustrations is that I've already taken it to San Diego RV and they told me just to reverse the plugs to the refer and ice maker. They didn't test it or fix it. When I later did that, I got the same results.

Any thoughts?

[dougrainer]

fijidad wrote:
Well, I think I'm in the final leg of this issue...I've spoken to Senior Member Jerry Parr, and Richard, a retired mobile RV mechanic, in pursuing why our fridge wouldn't operate correctly. Jerry suggested I call Norcold and run this by them. I did and they said if the red light on the Recall Kit black box was on solid, then that box was probably bad. They said go to Camping World and order a new one for free. I did and now I'm waiting for it to arrive. In the meantime, Richard suggested connecting the two 12 volt wires from that box together...basically they way it came from the factory...I did and now the fridge works fine in every situation. I asked the Norcold rep. how long the Recall Kit boxes are good for...she said some last 10 years, and some much less. I think mine had a couple of different phases of failure, as the symptoms changed a bit over time, but I'm a happy camper now that I tracked it down to the Recall Kit.

IF the recall box is installed correctly, it will show LiOP when the red led light on the box comes ON. You NEVER stated that the RED LED on the recall was ON. Also, the most common cause of a failure of the recall box is if water gets into it when washing the RV and blowing water thru the refer out door. IF the recall light was ON and you got NO AC on the inside, the recall wiring is NOT installed correctly. Doug

[dodge_guy]

Install the new box. All should be good.
If you have to bypass it again maybe look into a residential fridge.

[fijidad]

Well, I think I'm in the final leg of this issue...I've spoken to Senior Member Jerry Parr, and Richard, a retired mobile RV mechanic, in pursuing why our fridge wouldn't operate correctly. Jerry suggested I call Norcold and run this by them. I did and they said if the red light on the Recall Kit black box was on solid, then that box was probably bad. They said go to Camping World and order a new one for free. I did and now I'm waiting for it to arrive. In the meantime, Richard suggested connecting the two 12 volt wires from that box together...basically they way it came from the factory...I did and now the fridge works fine in every situation. I asked the Norcold rep. how long the Recall Kit boxes are good for...she said some last 10 years, and some much less. I think mine had a couple of different phases of failure, as the symptoms changed a bit over time, but I'm a happy camper now that I tracked it down to the Recall Kit.

[enblethen]

It takes 12 volts DC to operate the refer.
Best place to operate the refer, is on auto.
I would suggest putting meter on 12 volt supply to refer and see what happens when helper starts the rig.
I would test coach batteries. Check 12 volts DC to refer in all operational conditions. Operate refer manually in propane and 120 volts AC.
Check salesman switch.

[dougrainer]

time2roll wrote:
Any chance it has a propane detector that actually shuts off the propane?

Not on Monaco. Doug

If so, it would show NO FL

[time2roll]

Any chance it has a propane detector that actually shuts off the propane?

[dougrainer]

accsys wrote:
Still don't know what kind of rig it is so will not waste time guessing. It sounds like a 12V problem that occurred when the system switched from the converter to the alternator and perhaps popped a circuit breaker but really need more info.

2002 Monaco Windsor. Doug

[accsys]

Still don't know what kind of rig it is so will not waste time guessing. It sounds like a 12V problem that occurred when the system switched from the converter to the alternator and perhaps popped a circuit breaker but really need more info.

[dougrainer]

fijidad wrote:
Took me a while to get back to the storage yard where we have our RV parked. I've taken pictures of the fridge and some others I hope are helpful...unhappily, I can't figure out how to post them from my files. My thought is this is not a fridge problem, but rather something external to it...the power supply is disrupted to it when I start the drive engine. The code the fridge puts out when I start the drive engine is "no a/c." Why the propane supply would also be disrupted is a mystery. I can do some repairs myself if they're pretty straightforward, so would like to not have to take it back to a repair facility if possible. Thanks, Dan

You have a Norcold 1200. You have 3 modes to set the refer
AUTO
AC
LP
If on Auto, and it states NO ac, it should go to LP
If on AC, it will state NO AC if NO AC but will NOT go to LP
If on LP then it will NOT state NO ac and will operate on LP

[fijidad]

Took me a while to get back to the storage yard where we have our RV parked. I've taken pictures of the fridge and some others I hope are helpful...unhappily, I can't figure out how to post them from my files. My thought is this is not a fridge problem, but rather something external to it...the power supply is disrupted to it when I start the drive engine. The code the fridge puts out when I start the drive engine is "no a/c." Why the propane supply would also be disrupted is a mystery. I can do some repairs myself if they're pretty straightforward, so would like to not have to take it back to a repair facility if possible. Thanks, Dan

[larry_cad]

dougrainer wrote:

accsys wrote:
It would help TREMENDOUSLY if we knew the make, model and year of your motorhome!!! They are all different and each has its own idiosyncrasies.

AND the Model and Brand of refer. He appears to have a Monaco and that would be a 1200 Norcold OR a 2110 Norcold. Now one of his older posts indicates what the dealer told him about the 2 rear AC outlet plugs behind the refer. There are 2 plugs on the Back of the refer.
One plug is connected thru the Inverter and is dedicated to the Icemaker so you can make Ice when traveling and on Inverter. The 2nd plug is the standard 120 plug bypassing the Inverter to run the Refer on LP or 120. 120 when on Genset or Shore Power. It appears he swapped the cords per his dumb dealers recommendation. SO, that means when the Inverter is ON, his refer runs on 120 regardless when refer set to AUTO. The ONLY way to get it to run on LP is to go to the refer and set the refer to LP ONLY. Now, he states he has a problem when starting the engine and the refer goes haywire. That would appear to mean that he may have messed with the coach batteries or battery system. He also needs to state WHAT error codes are showing on the refer. There is NO interconnect on a Monaco between the Ignition ON or OFF, so that points to something wrong with the battery system. WE need a lot more info to help him out. Doug

Well said. I only hope the OP reads this!

[wa8yxm]

What is the code?
One possibility is the fridge is losing 12 volts when you crank it up

Recommend running on propane by the way If you drive very far the fridge sucks power faster than the tow vehicle will provide it.

Another option is over voltage.. The Tow vehicle may be pushing too much power. There are ways to load the charge line a bit to reduce that.

But we need the code.

[dougrainer]

accsys wrote:
It would help TREMENDOUSLY if we knew the make, model and year of your motorhome!!! They are all different and each has its own idiosyncrasies.

AND the Model and Brand of refer. He appears to have a Monaco and that would be a 1200 Norcold OR a 2110 Norcold. Now one of his older posts indicates what the dealer told him about the 2 rear AC outlet plugs behind the refer. There are 2 plugs on the Back of the refer.
One plug is connected thru the Inverter and is dedicated to the Icemaker so you can make Ice when traveling and on Inverter. The 2nd plug is the standard 120 plug bypassing the Inverter to run the Refer on LP or 120. 120 when on Genset or Shore Power. It appears he swapped the cords per his dumb dealers recommendation. SO, that means when the Inverter is ON, his refer runs on 120 regardless when refer set to AUTO. The ONLY way to get it to run on LP is to go to the refer and set the refer to LP ONLY. Now, he states he has a problem when starting the engine and the refer goes haywire. That would appear to mean that he may have messed with the coach batteries or battery system. He also needs to state WHAT error codes are showing on the refer. There is NO interconnect on a Monaco between the Ignition ON or OFF, so that points to something wrong with the battery system. WE need a lot more info to help him out. Doug

[accsys]

It would help TREMENDOUSLY if we knew the make, model and year of your motorhome!!! They are all different and each has its own idiosyncrasies.