Having to defrost fridge often

[dllapell]

I am having to defrost the coils in our double fridge every weekend it seems. Is this normal? We keep in on 50 amp service year round. What is my problem? We took it in for service at our Keystone dealer, but we still have the problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[DQDick]

Can you tell us what type of refrigerator you have. From time to time folks have had problems with Norcold's seals leaking outside air into the unit. In answer to your question of is this normal, no it isn't. We have a Norcold four door and we full time. We defrost a couple of times a year, even when we're in Kansas in the summer with all this years storms and humidity.

[Rondo]

Duayne-- Where are you located--around the Knoxville area all the time or somewhere else? Are you set up permanently on a site year round? Besides the gasket like Dick had posted you may have a problem with the thermo on the unit. It may need to be slide one way or the other but since the weather back there has been humid I'd put my money on the gasket leak problem. It could be the alignment of the door also. They do come out of alignment and can be adjusted with the door hinge screws. Here's another possibility-- It could be the latch on the door not closing tight enough also!

[bigskyjimmy]

Yes something is wrong, We are fulltimers and we never defrost our fridge it does automatic every week or so,the Freezer on the other hand I have to defrost every couple of months I do it pretty quick with a hair dryer I turn off the power to the fridge set the hair dryer on WARM to speed up the defrost and wipe it out and good to go another couple of months

[1retired06]

Agree, not right. With our previous montanas, Dometic, had to be defrosted on a regular basis. With the Norcold, we set up in Florida 5 months each winter, and never have to defrost.

[dllapell]

We have a Norcold four door. The door chime doesn't go off that the door is open. I haven't felt any cold air leaking. We live in Knoxville, but keep the Big Sky on Norris Lake when not traveling. I have never had any problem with build up in freezer, but coils in fridge keep frosting over. When I opened the right door yesterday, water dripped from the inside top, near the door. The right side coils are already frosted over from being unopened for 2 weeks. Does that mean it's the seals? If so, is that something we can fix ourselves, or do we need to take it back to Northgate for service?

[bigskyjimmy]

My fins frost on the right too but like I said it defrost's itself every week or so sometimes 2 weeks and also I also get condensation on the top right ceiling but the fridge works great so I think that is normal?? ,I get frost in the freezer because we are opening and closing it all the time and also I heard that ice cubes left in the plastic trays contributes to frost so now after the ice freezes I put the cubes in a Ziplock bag and that has kept down the frost

[dllapell]

Is there a setting that automatically sets it to defrost? Also, we are still learning all about this website. We think is awesome! I just found that I posted it under Winter Camping somehow. Do I need to move it to the correct forum? If so, how? And how do I post pictures?

[bigskyjimmy]

No automatic"setting" that I am aware of it just does it ,as far as picture posting I just started doing that myself and you have to use Photobucket or similar and Then you are off and running there is a how to post pics on this website and Other Senior members on the forum that can walk you through it

[Montana_9856]

quote:Originally posted by dllapell
... Do I need to move it to the correct forum? If so, how? ...

This post probably better belongs in the "GENERAL DISCUSSIONS / General Discussions about our Montanas" portion of the forum. To move it, go to your first post. As the author, you will see an icon of a piece of paper and pencil. If you hover the cursor over it, you will see it says "Edit Topic". Click on it and you will be in edit mode. Then you can change the "Forum" to something more appropriate.

quote:
...And how do I post pictures?....

Here is a link to several helpful postings related to posting images or pictures.
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=31662

[1retired06]

quote:Originally posted by dllapell

We have a Norcold four door. The door chime doesn't go off that the door is open. I haven't felt any cold air leaking. We live in Knoxville, but keep the Big Sky on Norris Lake when not traveling. I have never had any problem with build up in freezer, but coils in fridge keep frosting over. When I opened the right door yesterday, water dripped from the inside top, near the door. The right side coils are already frosted over from being unopened for 2 weeks. Does that mean it's the seals? If so, is that something we can fix ourselves, or do we need to take it back to Northgate for service?

On a previous thread, I mentioned that I had put rubber window insulation strips on the frig side of the door for better sealing. The reason I did that was because of the exact same symptoms you describe. After the install (home depot product), problems went away. The open door alarm would often kick in after travel, and even sometimes when walking around the fiver, and it took care of that as well.

[dllapell]

Well, I have done done it now! Had to defrost coils in fridge again today. They were heavily frosted this time as it has set since July 21. Just as I have done every time, I did it as follows:
Turned fridge off.
Took the shelf bumpers off each side so that I would be able to slide tray out to dump water.
Set a plastic container on top shelf to catch the ice as I bring it off coils.
The ice is always a lot thicker on the coils on the right side, so I start on the left.
My left hand is under the ice.
One by one I heat the ice with a hair dryer until I can pull it off.
If it doesn't come off in one piece, I pull top half off before starting to the next coil.
I worked my way all the way over to the final 3 coils.
Had to spend a little extra time it seemed because ice was over to the wall at the top.
Once I got those off, I dumped what little water was in the tray.
Screwed the shelf bumpers back in.
Wiped the fridge out and closed the doors.
After I turned it back on, set the mode to AC. Alarm goes off.
Duayne is working outside, so I think he's hit the power cord. I have him check the cord, he said all is fine.
I try it again, Alarm. Dang it! So I go check all the connections myself.
Try it again. Alarm.
Double Dang it! Now I have to get Duayne to stop what he is working on, take his boots off, come inside. Not pretty.....
He turns it on. Alarm. Goes back outside, turns on LP, lights the stove to bring in LP thru line. Tries it again on LP mode. Alarm.
Giving us the code L1op.
Also notices light in fridge won't come on.
Please help us. What do we do? Leaving out Thursday.

[dllapell]

What is the proper way to defrost the coils?

[Carl n Susan]

Here are two postings with suggestions on how to reset the L1op error code. Good luck!!!!

http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...archTerms=L1op
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43635&SearchTerms=L1op

[dllapell]

Thank you Carl n Susan! We will try it! What an incredible picture you have by the way.

[Phil P]

Hi

Using a dollar bill stick it between the door seal and the door jamb where the seal touches. Close the door. If the dollar bill is easy to pull out then you’re not sealing. Continue doing this all the way around each door.

I use this on all the doors on the trailer and adjust any seal that doesn’t take a firm grip on the dollar.



Phil P

[dllapell]

Great idea Phil. Thanks.

[oldelmer1]

If you find that the dollar bill test fails, as I did, went to Home depot and bought some 3/16" thick felt window seal. I wanted 3/4 inch wide, but could only find 1.25 inch wide. I cut this down to 3/4" wide with a pair of scissors. Slipped this behind the weatherstrip all the way around the fridge.

Dollar bill tested again and what a difference.