Installing an ARP control on a Norcold 1210?? - Montana Owners Club

jfaberna · 03-09-2017, 04:37 PM

So from what Mac the Fire guy told us about the #1 cause of RV fires being the RV fridge, I'm looking to protect mine. I already have Mac's fire extinguisher mounted in the back of my fridge but I have not added the ARPrv controller yet. I know several of you have either installed one yourself or had it installed when your system was repaired so I'd like to see what you think. I'm looking thru all the online doc and videos from their website, but I want to make sure I can do this before I order it.

First, my Norcold 1210 works fine with the freezer very cold all the time and the fridge just right at a setting 5 of 7. So I'm not trying to solve any issues. My Montana came with the 2 OEM fans installed under the condenser and it has the duct work at the top to direct the air out in a reasonable way.

ARPrv always recommends added their 2 fans, one at the bottom to suck in and one at the top to push out, in addition to the OEM fans. So if you go all out and buy the controller and the 2 fans you're out $225. Not a lot to protect a $3400 fridge.

So my questions are:

1. How hard is it to mount the boiler and fan temperature sensors given the tight spaces behind the Norcold 1210 fridge?

2. Do I need to pull the fridge out to do this?

3. The wiring of the controller looks pretty straight forward. Any issues there?

jfaberna · 03-11-2017, 04:18 AM

Not sure anyone is interested, but I sent the linked photos below to Paul at ARPrv and he confirmed that I will have to remove all the screws holding in the fridge and slide it out into the room a little so I can get access to the boiler tube. Gas and electric will have to be disconnected as well.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jfaber...57679583020670

TLightning · 03-11-2017, 08:03 AM

If you need to pull it out...leave it out and get a residential refer. You'll be glad you did.

jfaberna · 03-11-2017, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLightning

If you need to pull it out...leave it out and get a residential refer. You'll be glad you did.

Having to undo all the screws, gas and electric just to slide it forward to install the ARPrv controller does change things for me.

Since I don't have an issue now, I might just leave things alone until the unit fails. I have a automatic fire extinguisher installed in the back of the fridge. A failure should just be the loss of the fridge and not the entire RV due to fire.

Of course by the time you add extra batteries and an inverter to a Residential fridge install you're back to the cost of an RV fridge.

So I'm leaning toward; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

CORattler · 03-11-2017, 11:12 AM

"So I'm leaning toward; if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Generally I find that is a good rule. One exception I have made is installing a Progressive Industries EMS the day after I brought my new rig home.

dieselguy · 03-11-2017, 11:54 AM

jfaberna ... although I too when needing advice have spoken with Paul at ARP... you don't have to unhook the gas line or wall plug to the electric heating element. I did a fellow MOC'ers Norcold double door last fall. All we did was remove the screws from around the face of the fridge and 2 on the base brackets in back and slide it inward a few inches. This allowed easier access to the boiler tube. What you will have a bit of issue with is (if your unit has had the burner shield recall) you may have to call Paul back to be clear on the wiring ... it isn't too clear in their instructions. After your install ... you'll find your fridge cooling better after adding the ARP. I'm pretty sure it has to do with where the fan sensor is located and the extra air flow due to the added fans. Go for it ... it's really not difficult.

Mudchief · 03-11-2017, 12:34 PM

Last year at Quartzsite Paul installed one on our new unit. He did it on a lot of units without moving the unit. However it would have been easier if it was moved out 2 inches. We are very pleased with it.

jfaberna · 03-11-2017, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselguy

... What you will have a bit of issue with is (if your unit has had the burner shield recall) you may have to call Paul back to be clear on the wiring ... it isn't too clear in their instructions. After your install ... you'll find your fridge cooling better after adding the ARP. I'm pretty sure it has to do with where the fan sensor is located and the extra air flow due to the added fans. Go for it ... it's really not difficult.

I still haven't figured out what I'll do. I have the HTS recall installed so the P-010 controller is wired directly to the Norcold controller. All I have to do is put the ARP in the power loop of the Norcold controller. Since I have 2 fans and good ducting, I don't know if I'll see better cooling, but the efficiency might be better.

dieselguy · 03-11-2017, 12:48 PM

I've used the mini squirrel cage fans touted by ARP and have just added a second muffin fan placed in-behind the fridge OEM ... both configurations have worked well to improve air flow which is what makes all the difference. On my fiver, we stopped a restaurant once that had the side street sloping towards the curb. When we got done eating, I happened to check the ARP unit ... it had tripped power to the fridge as the boiler tube had exceeded the set temp due to the angle the fiver was sitting at. Sooo works like it should.

jfaberna · 03-11-2017, 12:55 PM

dieselguy, I tried to open up the sheet metal can around the boiler tube and insulation and it seemed to be hard to separate. I didn't want to apply too much force just to look. It might be easier when the Norcold is slid out 6", but if you have any details on getting that shield open, I'd like to hear out it.

dieselguy · 03-11-2017, 01:16 PM

When you remove the lower cover from the bottom of the burn tube, you'll be looking at some heat shield insulation for several inches ... above that is the metal can you talk of. Just slit that insulation up to the metal can and install the sensor per instructions and or video on website. Use high temp aluminum tape to seal the slit when done. You don't have to open up the sheet metal can.
On edit ... there may be two clips on the metal can ... tightly squeeze the can at each clip to release it ... you don't take the entire can out.

jfaberna · 03-11-2017, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselguy

When you remove the lower cover from the bottom of the burn tube, you'll be looking at some heat shield insulation for several inches ... above that is the metal can you talk of. Just slit that insulation up to the metal can and install the sensor per instructions and or video on website. Use high temp aluminum tape to seal the slit when done. You don't have to open up the sheet metal can.

So I've added some pictures. The first is of the boiler can with the tab you slide out to open.

The next one is the top of that tube where you see the top of electric heaters. I need to mount the boiler sensor about 2" above the top of the heaters, but behind the metal can and insulation.

So you see the need to slide the fridge out a few inches. Getting the can open is the remaining question

dieselguy · 03-11-2017, 02:22 PM

I have Dometic and Norcold mixed in my brain ... anyways ... I've only had to pull the fridge out 6"-8" anytime I've done one. Squeeze the can where the clip is ... the clip will come out of the slit. Pry open the tin shield enough so you can get in to slit the insulation and install the sensor. Once the sensor is clipped on the tube, you can move it higher if needed by sliding it up with a screwdriver. Make sure you insulate the sensor per install instructions. There used to be a couple of videos on the internet on this ... perhaps they have been removed. You may have to move the square cover away some at the bottom.

jfaberna · 03-21-2017, 12:09 PM

Update: I bought the ARP 3.1 controller and 2 fans for my Norcold 1210. First thing I did was remove the 4 screws at the top and 4 screws at the bottom of the fridge on the inside of the RV. Next I removed 2 screws outside holding the fridge steal plate to the floor of the slide. I could slide the fridge forward about 2 inches to get my hand inside. And there was a nice loop on the propane pipe so I didn't have to disconnect it.

The instructions from ARPrv.com are complete, if you read them completely

I found some of the photos online to be very helpful. There's actually so much good documentation that it makes it complicated to completely sort out. Many of my questions on install were answered by Paul at ARPrv by him sending me a link to the website on something I missed.

Anyway, I'm completely installed and tested. I like how much air the new fans move and they are quiet. Since my Norcold 1210 is a 2013 model, I had one setting to change. The mode defaults to C-H and I needed PID, so that was all I changed from default.

The diagnostics on the ARP are very details. Perfect for the engineer in me that wants to know more about technical stuff.

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