Warning to Norcold customers

[Spauld]

Dear Fellow RV'rs,

I don't want to slam anyones product too badly, but I feel it is important to warn potential purchasers of Norcold refrigerators.
As you may have read in my recent thread, my brand new Norcold N300 will not work on LP gas above 5500 ft. elevation. I live in Colorado, so naturally, almost anywhere I camp will result in my fridge not working. At any rate, the Norcold Customer Service Dept. offers no apologies or options for me so I am left with few options. The customer service rep states that the owners manuals for all of their units says that they will not operate at these higher elevations. True, but the owners manual COMES WITH the new refrigerator, so by then, it's too late! It should be noted that the larger units that use auxillary power to operate the thermostats should work fine since the unit can simply "relight" itself when the pilot blows out. But for anyone who travels and/or camps at higher elevations, BEWARE of the smaller Norcold refrigerators.. they WILL NOT WORK. I thank those who have offered suggestions, but neither myself or the local Norcold Technician could find a solution to this problem. Again, while the unit works fine in my driveway, it fails to stay lit when I head up into the hills.

On a related note, I have heard that the similar Dometic product (RM2352) works fine at higher altitudes. If anyone can substantiate this I sure would appreciate it. I don't want to make the same mistake twice. Also, if you have had similar experiences with a smaller Norcold, please let me know if you came up with any solutions. Short of that... if I can find a buyer for my brand new Norcold, I may give the Dometic a shot.

I hope this saves someone from making the same mistake I made!
And shame on Norcold for not making this information more available their consumers. In my view, this is at worse unethical and at best, very poor customer service.

Thanks!

-Spauld

 

[janicenlarry]

Warning to Norcold customers

Cant see how you can slam a manufacturer when his literature states the limitations for his equipment. Better to direct your ire at the dealer who didnt alert you. Also verifies one should do a lot of homeword before buying. :question:

 

[n/a4]

Warning to Norcold customers

I agree with you, Larry, in that Norcold did not create the problem and perhaps the problem could have been avoided by some hard homework, but in the least Norcold should have forced their dealer to honor the complaint - especially since the product is being used in higher altitudes. Actually, Norcold should post a warning on products when they sell to dealers where a problem is likely to happen. Refrigerators are not cheap.

Herb

 

[Kirk]

Warning to Norcold customers

Actually, any propane burning appliance that is kept at high altitudes should have the air shutter adjusted for high altitudes. It has only been since the advnet of electronic controled engines that automobile engines do not have that same problem and they don't because the modern engines adjust as they operate.

The problem is simply that air does not have the same O2 content at altitude as it does at sea level. If you wish to address this design problem, church is where you do so. To make an RV applaince selfadjust like cars do would be extremly expensive. But any competant RV tech can do it for you as can many RVers. The dealers who sell in locations like Denver, CO or Cheyenne, WY do not just tell folks not to use the refrigerator, they readjust them! But the one we bought in Cheyenne didn't like the low altitudes very much, although it would operate. If you live at high altitude and your RV tech can't help you, you need a different RV tech.

By the way, my experience with Norcold has been quite different than yours. My Norcold refrigerator has worked just fine all of the way from sea level on the coast to near 7000' in Idaho for extended periods. We sat in a state park in Idaho last summer and we didn't even have ours readjusted, but we did use electricty most of the time. It, of course, did cool somewhat more slowly on propane up there, but it did operate. And we have friends who's Norcold had a cooling unit fail just months out of warranty and Norcold replaced it for them anyway. I like my Norcold!