The Norcold brand of RV refrigerators are among the most reliable in the industry. They are known for their quiet, efficient operation and hermetically sealed compressors that are dependable even under stress.
At Boat & RV Accessories, we carry many Norcold fridges in our inventory including portable options and two and four door models with ice makers. No matter your needs, we have the perfect Norcold for you.
If you’re an RVer, you probably know that propane gas is the primary fuel source for most RV fridges. But did you know that some of them can be a fire hazard? A few years ago a number of RV owners had fridges explode and catch on fire. The problem was with the boiler tubes, which can corrode and leak propane gas next to a heat source like an oven or burner. This is a real fire hazard and the result has been destroyed RVs, injuries to campers and – in at least one case – death.
The cause of the problem is a manufacturing defect in some Norcold fridges. But what’s really important about this issue is that people need to inspect their fridges periodically and be alert for any potential issues.
Thankfully, these problems are fairly rare. But when they do happen, it’s important to understand how to troubleshoot them so that you can address the problem and keep your family safe.
First things first, make sure that the fridge is plugged into an electrical hookup. The Norcold AC/DC fridges have a system that shuts them down if the voltage is too low or the polarity is reversed. Check the fuse for this, and also confirm that you have a full charge on your house battery.
You can get a Norcold fridge that runs on propane and electricity or just electricity. But most RVers will opt for a fridge that runs on both, and is smart enough to switch between the two sources automatically based on what’s available when you’re using your fridge.
The Norcold 1210 series fridges are designed for this exact purpose. They can run on either propane or on 12V DC power from your RV’s house battery. The fridge uses a small amount of electricity to ignite the propane flame, and then switches back over to using your house battery as soon as the propane flame is lit. This helps reduce the load on your RV’s house battery and keeps it working longer for you.