happy happy w/new frig October 16, 2010, 10:18:37 am Yahoo Message Number: 117563Wow...while it was an unexpected and not particularly thrilling experience to watch all my groceries turn to garbage fodder, I am SO happy with the new Norcold frig!!Very very nice...the black front matches the rest of the kitchen appliances, it is BIGGER all around inside, and the freezer is easily a third again roomier---best of all NO ICE MAKER!! And it has more than enough room for ice cube trays--something the old Dometic couldn't have accommodated.More interior shelves, better arrange-ability, weighs less; guarantee...I'm glad in the end run to have done this now. The repair shop near me turns out to have a really good reputation in this tri-state area..very knowledgeable and competent..another plus! They simply opened up the driver side front window and took the old one out and brought the new one in --so simply, no problem-o!!Repaired the 12v in the dash; serviced the generator, all for $47 labor...grin...As they took out the old frig, we had to remove the bottom of the AC...it has insisted on leaking/spraying thru the air vent when on in spite of repeated attempts to correct the problem...it was the reason I was back at "that" shop when they ruined my paint...well, there's no fixing the old without major work, so I'm opting to have it replaced with a new Coleman on Tues. by this same shop...might as well bite the bullet and fix it NOW instead of waiting til next season and enduring more of the old problem.They told me in their experience that the Coleman is a much better unit, works better on lower speeds and settings [something the old one could NEVER do]..more efficient, yada yada...like the Norcold over the Dometic.Just being 13 yrs. newer HAS to help...Anyway, the paint shop is standing behind the deterioration of the paint after buffing, so as soon as I get back to AZ., they have to 'fix' the problem...and as far as I and other knowledgeable people say, that means a new paint job...So, even tho it's been an interesting trip, all's well that ends well!! Big GRIN!!!Sitting in my Aunt's driveway in Kansas, about 20ft from her pond, and twenty Canadian geese just airplaned down...ahhh life is good! Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "Kooch" our little red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
Re: happy happy w/new frig Reply #1 – October 17, 2010, 10:08:01 am Yahoo Message Number: 117584Gini, I'm glad your fridge replacement was so easy and works so well. And what a great attitude you have! It's nice to read your posts.Chuck - Bellevue, WA 22' FL Lazy Daze
happy happy w/new frig Reply #2 – October 17, 2010, 02:56:48 pm Yahoo Message Number: 117589I hope you have better luck with your Norcold than I-I'll be buying a Dometic the next time I replace one.My 14 month old Norcold decided the 12 volt out of my standard Parralax 7345 converter was too dirty (AC bleedover into the DC voltage). When I turned on the Norcold, the lights would come on for about a three count and then all would go out. It didn't matter what mode. Unless.I wasn't hooked to shore power-then it would run in LP mode.So, I replaced my 2 year old converter with the Intelli. Charge Wizard. Progressive Dynamics upgraded one you guys are always recommending. Why didn't I put this unit in 2 yrs ago? I didn't have time to wait for it. Boy-Howdy, that cost me an unanticipated pretty penny, although it was actually a few bucks cheaper than a straight swap out for the old style. All appliances happy now. (There's a money maker for someone to develop an in-line filter on the DC line to the Norcold.).and I can most highly recommend Mountain Automotive and RV Repair in Mariposa CA-he's a little rough around the edges, but he really knows his stuff.Lori and the girls Moseying along to Mesa AZ and looking forward to ordering Godzilla II, LD 24' FL[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
happy happy w/new frig Reply #3 – October 17, 2010, 03:31:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 117590Lori, if I understand your post correctly, your Norcold fridge had a problem with bad 12VDC power from your Parallax 7345 converter, and you solved the problem by replacing the converter with a better one. That doesn't sound like a reason to buy a Dometic next time. It sounds like a reason not to run a fridge on 12VDC from a not-so-great converter. In fact, I'm having trouble understanding why one would run a fridge from converter-produced 12V at any time. In that situation, the converter is forced to pump about two thirds of its output into the fridge, so you're stressing the converter... and if I remember correctly, most RV fridges can barely maintain temperature when running on 12V. That 12V mode is only intended to be used when you're driving down the road and have a ready supply of DC amps from the engine's alternator. When you're parked, the fridge should be in either propane or 120VAC mode. Look at it this way: you can't get 12VDC from the converter unless 120VAC is available from shore power or your genset. And if it is, there's no sense in forcing that power through an inefficient conversion to 12V, when your fridge can use 120VAC power directly. The fridge will cool better on 120V, you won't strain your converter... and you won't have the problem you described--even with the Parallax converter. :-)Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
happy happy w/new frig Reply #4 – October 17, 2010, 11:27:39 pm Yahoo Message Number: 117602"In fact, I'm having trouble understanding why one would run a fridge from converter-produced 12V at any time."Andy The refrigerator's control board probably runs on 12-VDC, even when 120VAC is available, the same way Dometics operate. There is no way to operate a 2-way refrigerator on 12VDC only unless a rather large inverter is used. Either Lori had a bad converter or Norcold's electronics are overly sensitive.Larry
Re: happy happy w/new frig Reply #5 – October 18, 2010, 08:08:33 am Yahoo Message Number: 117605I ran my new (2 years ago) Norcold on my old Magnetek converter. It ran fine on the old converter. About a year ago, I put in a new Intelli-power converter, and it still runs great. (G). What I have found with the new converter, is my lights don't go soft, and power is much better.BTW, I've changed out my most-used lights to leds (from starlightsinc.com), and I love them. They're pricey, but I've not had one problem with them.Cheers,Helen(Lori, have a good time....I'll be looking forward to hearing about Godzilla II)
happy happy w/new frig Reply #6 – October 19, 2010, 10:17:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 117636Apparently I didn't explain my situation clearly enuf.1. My comment about buying a Dometic next time is based on information that it's not as touchy as the Norcold. I was told that my old converter would have worked just fine with a Dometic refrig, which isn't as much of a power purist.2. I don't have a 3-way refrigerator. Our 2-way refrigerators require 12 volt dc whether running on 120vac or propane. It's this 12 volt dc that I was referring to-not running solely on 12 volt dc.Lori and the girls[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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