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keithandpenne · 06-25-2008, 12:34 PM

We have the Damn-etic NDR1292, side by side with ice maker, that is now approx 3 1/2yrs old. We have always had it set on 3 and the beer placed on the shelf under the cooling fins would freeze after 3-5 days if it was not rotated (drank) properly.

It worked great until about 3 months ago when we noticed the box temp starting to creep up. We changed the set point to 4 and after a few weeks, increased to 5. Now the temp in the box has risen to the mid 40's to low 50's.

I completed the following:
1)defrosted the boxes,
2)looked for refrigerant leaks inside and out,
3)checked fuses - all 4, (2 in the control box of which one is a 3 amp and the other is a 5 amp, of the other 2 are in-line fuses, one is a 1 amp for the ice maker solenoid and the other is a 3 amp for the single fan (yes, it only has one fan)),
4)heater operation (both 120 ac and propane) including using the hand to test for heating of tank, evaporator and accumulator,
5)fan operation and air flow obstructions,
6)loose, worn or frayed wires.

Inside the RV, I checked:
1) all of the door seals (both doors) using a dollar bill to see if the door seals were still tight and found a good drag when pulling the bill out.
2)Interior box light is off, (switch still works properly).
3)Climate control switch on to heat door frame to control condensation as we are in south Texas with its high humidity.
4)Refrigerant leakage.

I did a forum search and read all postings that references refrigerators and have tried sliding the thermistor up and down on the refrigerator side evaporator fins which provided little to no change. I have unplugged the thermistor from the control box to see if it will default to constant run. I had the remote outside so the indicated temp is still dropping at this point.

So far, I have not found anything that appears to be the cause of the problem and have had a local Mobile RV service tech out. His first move was to slide the thermistor clear to the top of the fins (take three pills and call me next week if it is not better). He stopped by again yesterday and since nothing had changed, said "I think it is the cooling unit that needs to be changed". No other trouble shooting or testing.

The purpose of this long post is to let you know what has been checked and the findings. If someone has additional tests or checks that can be done on the circuit board or other switches and controls, please post. Can a ohm meter test the thermistor? Are the switches normally open or closed, etc. What is the test port and how does it work.

Obviously, the cooling unit could be bad, but I would sure like some sort of troubleshooting done before agreeing to its replacement (price quoted just under $2000 installed and no guarantee that will fix it). Just skeptical I guess!

06-25-2008, 12:34 PM	#4
keithandpenne Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 292	Damn-etic Fridge We have the Damn-etic NDR1292, side by side with ice maker, that is now approx 3 1/2yrs old. We have always had it set on 3 and the beer placed on the shelf under the cooling fins would freeze after 3-5 days if it was not rotated (drank) properly. It worked great until about 3 months ago when we noticed the box temp starting to creep up. We changed the set point to 4 and after a few weeks, increased to 5. Now the temp in the box has risen to the mid 40's to low 50's. I completed the following: 1)defrosted the boxes, 2)looked for refrigerant leaks inside and out, 3)checked fuses - all 4, (2 in the control box of which one is a 3 amp and the other is a 5 amp, of the other 2 are in-line fuses, one is a 1 amp for the ice maker solenoid and the other is a 3 amp for the single fan (yes, it only has one fan)), 4)heater operation (both 120 ac and propane) including using the hand to test for heating of tank, evaporator and accumulator, 5)fan operation and air flow obstructions, 6)loose, worn or frayed wires. Inside the RV, I checked: 1) all of the door seals (both doors) using a dollar bill to see if the door seals were still tight and found a good drag when pulling the bill out. 2)Interior box light is off, (switch still works properly). 3)Climate control switch on to heat door frame to control condensation as we are in south Texas with its high humidity. 4)Refrigerant leakage. I did a forum search and read all postings that references refrigerators and have tried sliding the thermistor up and down on the refrigerator side evaporator fins which provided little to no change. I have unplugged the thermistor from the control box to see if it will default to constant run. I had the remote outside so the indicated temp is still dropping at this point. So far, I have not found anything that appears to be the cause of the problem and have had a local Mobile RV service tech out. His first move was to slide the thermistor clear to the top of the fins (take three pills and call me next week if it is not better). He stopped by again yesterday and since nothing had changed, said "I think it is the cooling unit that needs to be changed". No other trouble shooting or testing. The purpose of this long post is to let you know what has been checked and the findings. If someone has additional tests or checks that can be done on the circuit board or other switches and controls, please post. Can a ohm meter test the thermistor? Are the switches normally open or closed, etc. What is the test port and how does it work. Obviously, the cooling unit could be bad, but I would sure like some sort of troubleshooting done before agreeing to its replacement (price quoted just under $2000 installed and no guarantee that will fix it). Just skeptical I guess!