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Norcold fridge [message #269662] Wed, 14 January 2015 13:06 Go to next message
Bill Shourt is currently offline  Bill Shourt   United States
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Registered: January 2005
Location: Sherman Oaks ,Ca
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Unusual question for the brain trust. I installed a Norcold 462 fridge in my GMC twenty years ago. Could not be happier. Would keep temp at 35 degrees in one hundred degree weather running on propane or one ten current on number three setting. My coach is a 78 with the two louver panels behind the fridge. I blocked off the upper louvers and put a fridge vent on the roof. I also added a downward sloping box from the louvers to the bottom of the fridge and cut holes above the wheels to vent any gas leaks.
The problem I have is now when I run the fridge I can smell propane inside the coach. There is no smell with the propane on and the fridge not running on propane. The fridge still works like normal on propane. The only thing I can think of is some kind of leak between solenoid and burner but that does not seem likely. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .


Bill and Michele Shourt
78 Kingsley, origional
Re: [GMCnet] Norcold fridge [message #269664 is a reply to message #269662] Wed, 14 January 2015 13:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
Bubble check all your propane connections and lines. Sounds like you might
have a leak somewhere after the valve.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Jan 14, 2015 11:07 AM, "Bill Shourt" wrote:

> Unusual question for the brain trust. I installed a Norcold 462 fridge
> in my GMC twenty years ago. Could not be happier. Would keep temp at 35
> degrees in one hundred degree weather running on propane or one ten
> current on number three setting. My coach is a 78 with the two louver
> panels
> behind the fridge. I blocked off the upper louvers and put a fridge vent
> on the roof. I also added a downward sloping box from the louvers to the
> bottom of the fridge and cut holes above the wheels to vent any gas leaks.
> The problem I have is now when I run the fridge I can smell propane inside
> the coach. There is no smell with the propane on and the fridge not
> running on propane. The fridge still works like normal on propane. The
> only thing I can think of is some kind of leak between solenoid and burner
> but that does not seem likely. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
> --
> Bill and Michele Shourt
> 78 Kingsley, origional
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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Re: [GMCnet] Norcold fridge [message #269667 is a reply to message #269664] Wed, 14 January 2015 14:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
Bill,

Jim could well be right, but if you don't find a leak, it could just be that the burner needs cleaning. When the flame isn't hot enough the mercaptan that is added to make the propane have odor does not get burned.

Matt

James Hupy wrote on Wed, 14 January 2015 14:14
Bubble check all your propane connections and lines. Sounds like you might have a leak somewhere after the valve.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Jan 14, 2015 11:07 AM, "Bill Shourt" wrote:

> Unusual question for the brain trust. I installed a Norcold 462 fridge
> in my GMC twenty years ago. Could not be happier. Would keep temp at 35
> degrees in one hundred degree weather running on propane or one ten
> current on number three setting. My coach is a 78 with the two louver
> panels
> behind the fridge. I blocked off the upper louvers and put a fridge vent
> on the roof. I also added a downward sloping box from the louvers to the
> bottom of the fridge and cut holes above the wheels to vent any gas leaks.
> The problem I have is now when I run the fridge I can smell propane inside
> the coach. There is no smell with the propane on and the fridge not
> running on propane. The fridge still works like normal on propane. The
> only thing I can think of is some kind of leak between solenoid and burner
> but that does not seem likely. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
> --
> Bill and Michele Shourt
> 78 Kingsley, origional
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>



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
Re: Norcold fridge [message #269751 is a reply to message #269662] Thu, 15 January 2015 15:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Chris Tyler is currently offline  Chris Tyler   United States
Messages: 458
Registered: September 2013
Location: Odessa FL
Karma: 7
Senior Member
See if you can see the flame. Should be blue , no yellow. Check your burner flue. If its blocked you will get this problem.
Easiest way to clean I found is to remobe the roof vent and run a long brush down.
A 4' section od steel cable can be unraveled at the end and a chucked into a drill is you have a lot od rust. N then blow with compressed air.


76 Glenbrook
Re: Norcold fridge [message #269757 is a reply to message #269751] Thu, 15 January 2015 18:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bullitthead is currently offline  Bullitthead   United States
Messages: 1411
Registered: November 2013
Karma: 5
Senior Member
What Matt and Chris and Jim said, and other than that; the mercaptan settles out to the bottom of the propane supply and if the tank gets real low there will be a greater percentage of it in the fuel. Learned this from the gas technician when the house system tank developed a leak and we ran low on fuel, the entire house smelled of propane just from the pilots on the stove.

Terry Kelpien ASE Master Technician 73 Glacier 260 Smithfield, Va.

[Updated on: Thu, 15 January 2015 18:17]

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Re: Norcold fridge [message #269760 is a reply to message #269757] Thu, 15 January 2015 18:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bullitthead is currently offline  Bullitthead   United States
Messages: 1411
Registered: November 2013
Karma: 5
Senior Member
And what Jim said for those on the email list.

Terry Kelpien ASE Master Technician 73 Glacier 260 Smithfield, Va.
Re: [GMCnet] Norcold fridge [message #269978 is a reply to message #269760] Mon, 19 January 2015 08:32 Go to previous message
Jim at the Co-op is currently offline  Jim at the Co-op   United States
Messages: 291
Registered: May 2014
Location: Orlando Florida
Karma: 2
Senior Member
If I read year post right, you are saying you do not have access to the
back of your frig via a frig side vent. if this is so, to do any of what
they are talking about you will have to take your frig out. More important
is you really need a way to access the back of your frig, it's not only a
legal issue but also a safety one not to mention you have a paint in the
butt problem to service the LP side of the frig. It has done well for you
working still perfect except for smell after so many years. Usually RV
appliances do not work that long -- 5-7 years is all I expect and after
that they could be a safety issue. When we renovate coaches we pull a frig
that old. You need to go ahead and cut the frig vent if you don't have one

Jim Bounds
------------------

On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 7:20 PM, Terry wrote:

> And what Jim said for those on the email list.
> --
> Terry Kelpien
> ASE Master Technician
> 73 Glacier 260
> Smithfield, Va.
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