Marinette Boat Forum

My Norcold is extremely noisey and does not work on the 12v setting. I have a friend from work that will go through it and see if it is worth fixing. I was over checking out how to remove the other day with just a crappy flashlight and could not see what holds this thing into the cabinet. As you see in my signature, the boat is a 1978 28 express. How do you pull this thing outta there?
Thanks!

One of the quick steps you can do next week is to call Norcold and ask about the 12v problem...probably just a ckt board. and the noise could be a fan or, worse, the compressor. When I removed mine, there were just a couple of screws on the frame (but my boat was a much later model than yours). My guess is that the mount hasn't change much over the years.

When you get it out of there, and IF it's shot, think about replacing it with an apartment sized 'fridge (from The Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) To run it on the hook will require an inverter, which you can pick up cheaply at Harbor Freight and elsewhere (and it will work fine). In the long run it will save you hundreds of bucks!

Jeff

Jeff is on the money (sits on most of it!)
I replaced mine with a small Apartment fridge 5 years ago. Just removed front wood trim and pulled it out. I also use an inverter. It has worked perfectly! Draws fewer amps than the org. Norcold running off the inverter. (I have a marine Xantrex 1800 watt) Cost was less than 200 dollars for the frig. Only way to go.

Spent night on boat last weekend. Temps dropped to 20 degrees... stayed pretty warm with a space heater.

safe moorings,

dave

Thanks for the replys guys. I am probably going to fix what I have, it works fine on 120v. My guy says he can probably fix the 12v side cheaply and easily. He said lots of times the noise is just the rubber mounts on the compressor. He figures maybe 50 bucks in labor plus parts. We'll see what he has to say once I figure out how to remove the darn thing.

Let me know if you want a back up compressor. I cut my kitchens out entirely.

Tranquilo wrote:Let me know if you want a back up compressor. I cut my kitchens out entirely.

I think my fridge was replaced somewhere along the line, the whole unit is self contained, similar to a newer norcold rv unit. but thanks for the offer!

Got something like that in our new-to-us RV. Runs on propane or electricity. Waiting to see how long it lasts.

Jeff

We are going to have to do the fridge update this year as well and the apartment size fridge is definitely the better option as far as cost. How do I wire up the power inverter ? Thanks, Mike

I suspect the 12V inverter board in the Norcolds cooks after years and years of roasting in the summer heat and several layers of dust. I pulled the board from my functional Norcold a few years ago and broke everything down, blew off dust, burnished & sprayed all contacts & plugs. So far so good. I also keep one or both of the galley cupboards doors open when we leave the boat. I think this encourages ventilation to help cool the refer compressor.
Also check the factory hole in the wall behind the refer. It should have screen over the hole which gets clogged with dust.

-Karl