If your refrigerator isn’t cooling and smells of ammonia, chances are the cooling unit needs to be replaced. JC Refrigeration offers an inexpensive replacement cooling unit that will fix your refrigerator.
First lay the fridge front down and remove the cooling unit controls. Once the new cooling unit is reinstalled, lay it back down and get it positioned over the weak solution cavity in the boiler assembly.
Thermostat
The thermostat is located on the back of the cooling unit near where the zig-zag tubing connects to the evaporator. If this part is defective your refrigerator may not cool properly and you will get that telltale ammonia smell.
The new thermostat is made of high-quality stainless steel that is bonded to the plastic for lasting use. It also has an automatic defrost feature that reduces energy consumption.
To install the new thermostat you will need to first shut off your refrigerator and disconnect all power lines to it. Then remove the old thermostat and clean any residue from the surface of it.
The replacement fridge comes with a new ‘Universal Control System’, installation manual, foil tape, foam sealant, thermal mastic and LP gas plug. This converts your Norcold refrigerator to a residential style refrigeration system seen in most home refrigerators. This system is backed by a two-year limited warranty. The warranty does not cover any damage to the fridge caused by improper operation, misuse, negligence, accident, fire or failure to follow usage and winterization instructions in the owner’s manual.
Condenser
The weak solution liquid flows from the boiler pump tube to the absorber coil (yellow). The resulting pure ammonia gas is then cooled in the condenser. This cools the fridge by evaporating, moving heat from within your refrigerator cabinet out the top of the freezer and into the atmosphere.
After the evaporator cools the cooling solution returns to the boiler for reuse. This cycle must be limited to prevent the boiler from overheating and shutting down the refrigerator. The ARP Control (see ad) does just that.
When an RV refrigerator cooling unit fails causing yellow residue around the burner area and/or ammonia smell, it is almost always because the evaporator tube has fractured due to thermal stress. Ozark’s unique rebuilding process uses heavier wall seamless tubing with a superior boiler design to eliminate this common problem. This also makes our remanufactured Dometic and Norcold coolers last much longer than OEM and other aftermarket replacements. Our remanufactured units are 100% guaranteed.
Evaporator
If your refrigerator isn’t cooling at all or you notice yellow residue behind the fridge and/or an ammonia smell the cooling unit has sprung a leak. This happens because poor quality Dometic and other replacement cooling units use thinner wall tubing that fractures under thermal stress. Ozark refrigerator cooling units use thicker, seamless tubing and a superior boiler design that won’t fail under this kind of stress.
When the evaporator is installed it is held in place by a putty-like material called thermal mastic. It is important that the evaporator be properly sized to match your refrigerator. This is done by evaluating the liquid and vapor refrigerant levels and flow rates. Be sure to check the insulation surrounding the evaporator pocket for moisture, water will saturate this insulation and lead to a host of problems. Often this insulation can be jiggled and lifted to release the cooling unit from the evaporator pocket. Be careful not to damage the evaporator coils while doing this.
Fan
Often the cooling unit is the culprit when the refrigerator stops working. It may rust out and start leaking ammonia or it could be just the fan not working properly. In any event it’s an easy fix and much less expensive than replacing your refrigerator.
To install a new RV refrigerator cooling unit you’ll need to shut off 120VAC (shore power) and disconnect 12VDC at the fridge. Then lay the fridge flat and remove the cooling unit controls. Sometimes there are screws in the rear that need to be removed.
If you want a better refrigerator with a cooling unit that won’t crack in the boiler or leave yellow residue behind your fridge or emit an ammonia smell consider a remanufactured Norcold cooling unit from Ozark. It features heavier wall seamless tubing and a boiler design that will last longer than original equipment. Plus it converts your Norcold refrigerator into a residential type Freon system seen in home refrigerators.Norcold replacement cooling unit