Norcold 1210 Fridge - Montana Owners Club

dafurrow · 10-31-2018, 06:04 PM

We bought a 2012 Montana 3625RE in November 2017 which has a Norcold 1210 fridge in it. We took it on a couple of short trips here in Florida last winter and the fridge was cooling as it should. We started our summer trip to the north east and Niagara Falls the first of June and as the outside temps got hotter the fridge's temps rose to the point we couldn't keep perishables more than a couple of days. We are seasoned rv owners and know the do's and dont's of using a rv fridge and I have checked the door gaskets, the thermister and have ran the fridge on 120 volt and propane with the same results. I started reading on the problems that the 1210 has had and that there were recalls and some had added fans on the outside coils which I have seen pictures of how the fans are mounted. My question is how to tell If the fans have been installed without pulling the fridge out of the wall.

**DQDick** · 10-31-2018, 06:57 PM

You should be able to pull the outside vent panels and look in there and see if any fans were installed and if they are working.

rohrmann · 10-31-2018, 10:13 PM

Our 2012 3402, with the 1210 fridge had the two factory fans installed from new. At some point a couple years ago, we were having cooling issues due to the fans not working and it turned out to be the thermal switch on the top condenser fin on the outside was not working. I replaced it and the fans started working again and the fridge went back to cooling as it should. When replacing it, make sure the screws holding it keep the switch firmly against the fin it is mounted to, even if you have to install the next size bigger sheet metal screw. I got this one for our fridge https://rvcoolingunit.com/Norcold-Fa...-P1802602.aspx

The way to test for a failed switch is to just jumper out the two sides of the switch when the fridge is running and if the fans come on, change out the switch. I also have the ARP device with two of their fans added, one at the top grill and the other at the bottom grill. Extra fans do not hurt, and when hot outside, the more air you can get moving, the better, especially when the fridge is mounted in a slide.

psomers · 11-01-2018, 08:16 AM

My 1210 has two outside vents and you can not see the fans from either vent. They are mounted some where in between the vents and because of baffles they are hidden. I've thought if they ever need replacing the frig will have to be removed.
There's no doubt when the fans are running. They are loud. You can tell when they are running even inside with tv on.

dafurrow · 11-01-2018, 08:26 AM

I removed both outside access doors to the cooling unit, the fans are not visible through either of the doors but the thermo disc was mounted on the last fin on the right side of the door opening. I checked the voltage on both sides and only had voltage on one side of the thermo disc at 130 deg I jumped around the switch and could hear the fans running within 5 minutes the temp on the cooling fins dropped to 100 deg. I have ordered a new thermo disc from the link you provided.

Thanks for your advice!!
Dave

Kyle and Lisa · 11-01-2018, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rohrmann

Our 2012 3402, with the 1210 fridge had the two factory fans installed from new. At some point a couple years ago, we were having cooling issues due to the fans not working and it turned out to be the thermal switch on the top condenser fin on the outside was not working. I replaced it and the fans started working again and the fridge went back to cooling as it should. When replacing it, make sure the screws holding it keep the switch firmly against the fin it is mounted to, even if you have to install the next size bigger sheet metal screw. I got this one for our fridge https://rvcoolingunit.com/Norcold-Fa...-P1802602.aspx

The way to test for a failed switch is to just jumper out the two sides of the switch when the fridge is running and if the fans come on, change out the switch. I also have the ARP device with two of their fans added, one at the top grill and the other at the bottom grill. Extra fans do not hurt, and when hot outside, the more air you can get moving, the better, especially when the fridge is mounted in a slide.

Thanks, good info.

Dave W · 11-01-2018, 09:34 AM

Curious !

Will pulling the complete upper fridge vent assembly which will then remove that baffle allow better access to the cooling fins and thermostat along with the fans?

dafurrow · 11-01-2018, 11:22 AM

There is a piece of aluminum between the wall and the cooling fins that comes about half way up on the fins and is attached to the wall possibly if it wasn't there you might be able to see the fans but I am not going to attempt to remove it my luck kinda runs on the bad side when I get too curious and I wind up with another problem as the old saying goes if if ain't broke.... From the pictures and diagrams I have seen of the cooling unit it appears that the fans are mounted between the upper and lower vent doors.

rohrmann · 11-01-2018, 01:22 PM

The baffles are intended to force the air to fully pass through the condenser fins and if they weren't there, the air would exit out the vent without doing the job. If the fans needed replacing, they are high enough that I think you could get to them by pulling the fridge part way out.

**Carl n Susan** · 11-01-2018, 05:09 PM

Since I have a spare Dometic 1210 in my garage I thought I would take a picture to show where the fans are located.

dafurrow · 11-02-2018, 06:56 AM

thanks for the picture that confirms my suspicion it looks like the fridge has to be pulled out of the will to access the fans.

You may also like: