How Norcold Refrigerator Parts Work

The refrigerator in your RV allows you to bring all the foods you love with you, and it helps keep local delicacies at hand. It’s a key component of your camping experience, and fortunately, RV fridges are durable and energy efficient.

Nevertheless, occasionally there are issues. Luckily, with some straightforward troubleshooting tips, these problems are easy to resolve.
Refrigerator Door

RV refrigerators keep your food and drinks cold while you’re on the road. It’s important to know how these fridges work, and also some simple troubleshooting tips so you can take care of any issues.

Refrigerator doors are designed to swing closed under the force of gravity. They have a rubber gasket that runs around the edge of the door, creating an air-tight seal. This prevents the refrigerator from opening accidentally and letting in unwanted warm air.
Door Gasket

The door gasket keeps cold air in and warm air out, but it can get damaged over time. Food crumbs, grime and mold can prevent the rubber from forming an airtight seal around mating surfaces.

If you can see condensation or feel a drag when you close the door, it’s time for a new freezer gasket. Soak the new one in a tub or sink filled with warm water before you install it. This will make it more pliable for the job.
Door Frame

The door frame is a four-sided box that holds the doors and protects them from the elements. It can be made of wood, metal or fiberglass. It is important that the frame be constructed well so that it is strong and durable.

It is possible to build a door frame yourself, but it is usually much easier to buy one that is already built. These are typically more expensive, but they will be constructed to high standards and should last for a long time.
Door Lock

Many RV refrigerators have problems with their doors opening and closing when they are not wanted. There is a door lock available for Norcold fridges that will prevent this issue.

This fridge latch attaches to the bung or threaded rod hole and is easy to install. It will work on the freezer and fridge doors as well as the cabinet-style freezer drawer. It also does not require screws or adhesive.

This solution is cheap and works great. Just make sure you clean the area where it will go so it can adhere properly.
Door Hinges

Hinges are essential to ensure the door swings and closes properly. They also provide security and safety, especially for high traffic entryways in schools, hospitals and retail buildings.

Butt hinges, also called mortise hinges, consist of two leaf plates that fit into a notched inset or mortise cut into the edge of the door and frame. They are the most common type of hinge used on doors.

After routing the mortise, make sure it is smooth and the correct depth. Place your hinge in the recess and mark screw holes with a pencil.
Refrigerator Compressor

The refrigerator compressor is a critical component of your fridge. It works by evaporation, compression, condensation, and expansion to cool your food. There are two types of refrigerator compressors: hermetic and piston.

Hermetic compressors are hermetically sealed, which helps them last longer but also makes repairs harder. Piston compressors, on the other hand, are easier to access for service. Both types require regular lubrication to operate at peak performance.
Cooling Unit

Before the cooling unit is set in place a tube of thermal mastic is spread around it. If this is missing or misapplied air and moisture can leak into the freezer tubes which can cause cooling problems and corrosion.

Absorption Norcold refrigerators run on gas or electricity (absorption fridges automatically switch to propane if the 12v power is interrupted) as their primary energy source. They come in a variety of styles and sizes. They are durable, reliable and incredibly energy efficient.
Thermostat

A mechanical thermostat regulates heat through the expansion of internal metal strips. When it gets warm, the strip carries electricity through a circuit and switches on the heating. If the temperature rises to a certain point, one of the metals expands more than the other and breaks the circuit, switching off the heater.

The bimetallic strip coils and unwinds based on the temperature, and this tipping of a mercury switch is what triggers the heating. Older digital models use thermistors to measure the temperature and have a programmable timer.norcold refrigerator parts