| [GMCnet] Norcold Charge Specs [message #129000] |
Mon, 06 June 2011 21:46  |
ejuk8em
Messages: 90
Registered: July 2010
Karma: 0
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Hi all,
Does anyone have the freon charge specs for an original 1973 Norcold swing compressor refrigerator? The compressor in ours is running but not cooling so I'm guessing it has a leak I need to find. Also, what is a good source for clamp on line taps? I've not had a reason to buy these for years.
Since neither the local RV company nor any of the refrigerator service companies want to look at it ... I thought I would take a whack at it. I have access to a vacuum pump and a decent gauge set. If I had the charge amounts and temp settings for high and low sides I think I might know enough to be dangerous - as usual.
Thanks,
Lyle
Lyle A. Rigdon, Retired Superintendent
73 Pineapple Yellow Sequoia
Pawnee, IL 62558
Pawnee Pride - Live It!
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| Re: [GMCnet] Norcold Charge Specs [message #129011 is a reply to message #129000] |
Mon, 06 June 2011 22:21  |
idrob
Messages: 645
Registered: January 2005
Location: Central Idaho
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| ejuk8em wrote on Mon, 06 June 2011 19:46 |
Hi all,
Does anyone have the freon charge specs for an original 1973 Norcold swing compressor refrigerator? The compressor in ours is running but not cooling so I'm guessing it has a leak I need to find. Also, what is a good source for clamp on line taps? I've not had a reason to buy these for years.
Since neither the local RV company nor any of the refrigerator service companies want to look at it ... I thought I would take a whack at it. I have access to a vacuum pump and a decent gauge set. If I had the charge amounts and temp settings for high and low sides I think I might know enough to be dangerous - as usual.
Thanks,
Lyle
Lyle A. Rigdon
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I have seen something like the original service manual for the Norcold, possibly on bdub's site, but I can't access that right now as I am on a very slow net connection. My guess is it would be maybe 1.5 oz, R12.
Tap lines for those very small diameter pipes are not very reliable over time but possibly Granger would have them.
Pressure settings would be identical to any R12 refrigerator of the same era. The swing motor compressor would not change that.
I have done some work in converting a Norcold to another compressor using duracool as the refrigerant, but had limited success with it, as the compressor I used was too small. I charged that by over charging, then letting some out, until the unit was cooling well. Not scientific, but practical.
Rob Allen
former owner of '76 x-PB
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| Re: [GMCnet] Norcold Charge Specs [message #129059 is a reply to message #129000] |
Tue, 07 June 2011 08:37 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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| ejuk8em wrote on Mon, 06 June 2011 22:46 |
Hi all,
Does anyone have the freon charge specs for an original 1973 Norcold swing compressor refrigerator? The compressor in ours is running but not cooling so I'm guessing it has a leak I need to find. Also, what is a good source for clamp on line taps? I've not had a reason to buy these for years.
Since neither the local RV company nor any of the refrigerator service companies want to look at it ... I thought I would take a whack at it. I have access to a vacuum pump and a decent gauge set. If I had the charge amounts and temp settings for high and low sides I think I might know enough to be dangerous - as usual.
Thanks,
Lyle
Lyle A. Rigdon, Retired Superintendent
73 Pineapple Yellow Sequoia
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Lyle,
Rob’s answer is about as good as you are going to get.
And, What have you got to lose? A can of HC-12a and an hour or so.
I still have a very few connections at Thetford/Norcold, but there is nobody there that knows anything about out units and there is very little information left. Yes, the original charge was R-12, but nobody there has any idea of the amount.
My Norcold went down on short charge. I’m pretty sure that the leak was at the compressor’s electrical connection, so I put epoxy on it. Then I went to recharge it - see above. . . So, I got out my old dust covered reefer books and worked the sums and ciphers to find that the charge would be about an ounce and an half (sound familiar?) Then I looked at the tag on the Chinese Frigidaire that I put in its place - Charge 50g R-134a -
So, I did what Rob did. Over charge it and bleed off the excess until it seems about right. You can sort of map the condenser temperatures with an IR, but it can be made to settle in.
As to line taps, the nearest Grainger to you is in Peoria and I don’t know if they will ship to you without an account. McMaster will. Look up 1809k28. I have had better luck with the kind that screw-pierce.
Putting in a non-RV type reefer is fully qualified as PITA. If you want to know more get back to me at mattcolie at chartermi dot net.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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