Norcold 1201 removal problems

dianna119 · 10-16-2022, 10:10 AM

Hi folks. Our Norcold took a serious dump! We do not boon-dock so replacing w a residential. Husband is pretty handy and build multi billion airports but can get this xyz fridge out! Bottom seems to be loose bit top is not budging. Cant find anymore braces. Maybe from the outside? Any guidance is appreciated. Here are some pics of what weve done so far.

2002 journey DL

**Eagle5** · 10-16-2022, 11:31 AM

Hi Dianna,
This old Thread appears to have relevant information for you:
Removing Norcold 8 cf refrigerator
Eagle5

Morich · 10-16-2022, 11:34 AM

Parts catalog for your year, make,model:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...O/2wkp34hd.pdf

Appliance group seems to have some info that you may need?
Click to get a better view or direct on link?

dianna119 · 10-16-2022, 12:36 PM

Thanks everyone. We removed the upper outside vent. Removed coils and then removed some screws from a wide metal plate and was able to pull it out.

HappiHenri · 10-27-2022, 10:14 AM

Winnebago installed these refrigerators with a top mounted strap - accessible only through the roof top vent - 1 screw through a metal strap which comes over from the side to the top of the fridge.. To access it you must remove the top roof vent cover and carefully fit a very LONG philips head screwdriver through the wire screen. Once removed your refrigerator will come right out.
We replaced our Norcold a few months ago with a Home Depot 10 cubic ft. Magic Chef and wonder why we waited so long. Not only do we now have 2 more cub. ft of fridge space but it auto defrosts and works great - much colder. Plus it was MUCH less expensive than buying a 12v DC specific refrigerator as I used a small pure sine wave inverter to power our new one when not plugged into shore power.

The only thing we miss is having the ability to run the fridge on propane - which was great. But in hot weather the Norcold struggled to stay cool enough. Besides we have decent solar and 400 aH of Lithium batteries.

For a great video on doing a refrigerator swap out in a very similar Winnebago model to yours watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsR_eihKjds

dianna119 · 10-27-2022, 09:42 PM

Well it was in there like fort knox. Huge plate across the top and several plates down the sides. Fridge that came out was 33” wide. I found a 31” wide fridge. Its about 6 inches deeper but we made it work. Actually used the metal panels on the side, just had to get longer bolts. Then we used pipe insulation foam around the sides and top. Hubby built a small platform on wheels for the front overhang. Just need to finish trim and paint. But that will have to wait till im back from a dog show!

SANDPSYCHO · 12-18-2022, 01:29 PM

Looks like the Fridgidaire I replaced our Nevercold with. The wife loves it, so much more space, cools down extremely quick. It keeps ice cream frozen, and the icemaker works great. We mostly boondock/dry camp. You're going to love it.

I run it off our Magnum inverter. The new fridge draws one amp AC, and it really seems like our AGS doesn't run anymore than it did with the Nevercold. We also save a ton of propane.

kkocan72 · 10-19-2023, 08:49 PM

I just went through the same with my Norcold (N842) in a 2002 Adventurer. Former contractor, worked in the field for years, very handy so I count myself more than capable of stuff like this but man did I get frustrated.

Decided to replace the cooling unit on mine with a refurbished unit. After 3 hours of trying to get my fridge out to get to the back I was ready to give up. Bottom was loose but would not slide out, top was even tighter.

After searching high and low I found problem #1. When they installed the outlet for the AC plug there were two screws that mounted the outlet to the metal framing. One of the screws actually went through the very bottom, very back edge of the fridge's frame. Once I took the outlet off the frame the bottom would slide out but not the top. Only after getting up on the roof in the pouring rain and taking the fridge vent cap off did I find the metal flat strap with holes in it that was anchored to the RV and the back of the fridge.

Once I got that out swapping out the cooling unit was a breeze. What would have been a 2-3 hour job took twice that because of those two hidden fasteners.

Morich · 10-20-2023, 10:42 AM

I'm sure I'm not the most skilled DIY person out there, so this looks less like a skill question but just a basic question of problem solving!
It seems most are not willing to look for the right info BEFORE they start. They want to jump in the plane and fly until they have a problem, then look for answers?

When speaking of these "hidden" fasteners, it really looks like they are hidden only because folks don't look for the info that shows where and how the frig is attached!

Looking at the drawing posted in post 3 above, how much more clear does it have to be?
If you have trouble doing something, try reading the instructions! Winnebago puts this info online to help us but WE have to do the hard part and actually read it!

BobC · 10-20-2023, 11:29 AM

Mine had a drain hose in the bottom from the refrigerator through the floor to drain off the condensate below my MH. When I pulled the refrigerator out I broke the plastic fitting it attached to at the bottom of the refrigerator. My fix was to attach a funnel to the hose and let the condensate drip from the fitting into the funnel.

kkocan72 · 10-20-2023, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morich

I'm sure I'm not the most skilled DIY person out there, so this looks less like a skill question but just a basic question of problem solving!
It seems most are not willing to look for the right info BEFORE they start. They want to jump in the plane and fly until they have a problem, then look for answers?

When speaking of these "hidden" fasteners, it really looks like they are hidden only because folks don't look for the info that shows where and how the frig is attached!

Looking at the drawing posted in post 3 above, how much more clear does it have to be?
If you have trouble doing something, try reading the instructions! Winnebago puts this info online to help us but WE have to do the hard part and actually read it!

I take exception to your statement; I did a ton of research, spent hours reviewing threads on IRV2, watched numerous videos, got the step by step .pdf from the manufacturer, got all the tools gathered up etc... None of the documentation I had showed a fastener up top, not once. They highlighted hidden screws on the front trim, hidden bolts on the back under equipment but once again nothing showed the top fastener.

My problem solving involved going step by step through everything I could find when it would not come out, looking high and low, sticking my arm and camera up in the cavity with video running. Only after climbing up on the roof did I find the fastener. When I emailed the place I bought it from about the $100 refund for returning my old core I said something about the top fastener, and they replied that some models of Winnebago had that installed but not often.

Only after finding this thread and seeing the drawing did I ever see the fastener shown, and this is the first and only spot I have ever seen it despite searching "Norcold N842 removal winnebago" and reading everything I could find.

Also, the other hidden fastener that was giving me trouble was 100% a fluke. The 120V AC outlet that is accessible from the outside vent cover on the side of the unit has 2 screws that hold the outlet on the side frame of the pocket that holds the refrigerator. My outlet was about 1/4" onto the metal flange of the fridge unit itself and the screw went through the fridge and was holding me up from removing the bottom. I can tell by the way it was mounted that it was not intentional and when I remounted the AC outlet I made sure it only fastened to the frame and did not go through the fridge.