Freezer loosing ability to freeze - something to clean?

Apr 2, 2021
416
Hunter 38 On the move
I have the original Norcold fridge and freezer on board my H38. The freezer is starting to loose the ability to freeze. Are there coils or something to clean? I have a long haired woman and a cat (2 cats until recently) on board. At home my fridge coils need cleaning regularly.
 
Jun 4, 2004
834
Hunter 340 Forked River, NJ
Cleaning the coils with a shop vac is an easy and inexpensive way to troubleshoot and maybe fix this problem.
 
Jun 15, 2012
715
BAVARIA C57 Greenport, NY
Yes, you have to remove the freezer. There should be a trim ring around it with screws. Once removed you can pull the freezer out. I doubt the problem is dirty coils, but it can't hurt to clean. Before cleaning look carefully at the coils, tubing and compressor for any sign of oil. If so this normally indicates where the leak, if any, is. I would also check to see if the compressor is running when powered by feeling for vibration. Also check to see if the cooling fan is running. These units are normally controlled by a Secop 101N0212 controller, which I have had to replace on many units. There are ways to troubleshoot the Secop controller with a led bulb to flash a trouble code, search the internet for the manual.
 

kbgunn

.
Sep 19, 2017
231
2005 Hunter 33 Lake Lewisville, TX
Yes, you have to remove the freezer. There should be a trim ring around it with screws. Once removed you can pull the freezer out. I doubt the problem is dirty coils, but it can't hurt to clean. Before cleaning look carefully at the coils, tubing and compressor for any sign of oil. If so this normally indicates where the leak, if any, is. I would also check to see if the compressor is running when powered by feeling for vibration. Also check to see if the cooling fan is running. These units are normally controlled by a Secop 101N0212 controller, which I have had to replace on many units. There are ways to troubleshoot the Secop controller with a led bulb to flash a trouble code, search the internet for the manual.
Agree with Semperavanti. If the unit was freezing and then suddenly it wasn't, it is most likely the controller. I just had to replace a controller on my NovaKool unit which has a Danfoss BD35F compressor paired with the Secoup 101N0210 controller. Most of these 12v fridge manufacturers use this compressor/controller pair. A troubleshooting video to help isolate the compressor or controller as the problem (might even be the t-stat) is here:

Luckily, our boats usually have two units. One set up as fridge and one as freezer. They both have the same compressor and controller. You can swap the controller from the working fridge to the freezer to verify the compressor starts up. If it does, then you know it's the controller. The controllers fail much more frequently than the compressor. I got a replacement here:

Do both units a favor and get a low current 12v fan to help airflow over the condenser. The fan plugs into the controller with neg connecting to "F" and pos connecting to the small "+":

 
Last edited:

senang

.
Oct 21, 2009
316
hunter 38 Monaco
kbgunn daid: “ Do both units a favor and get a low current 12v fan to help airflow over the condenser. The fan plugs into the controller with neg connecting to "F" and pos connecting to the small "+":”

Do this and if possible create larger IN and OUT channels to increase the airflow over the condenser, you will get better performance and a lower power consumption.
 
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