Norcold N260 User Manual

Owner’s Manual and Installation Manual
For model N260 - a 2.4 cu. ft., 2-way or 3-way, refrigerator.
nance can cause injury or property damage. Refer to this manual. For assistance or additional information, contact a qualified in­staller, service agency, or the gas supplier.
FOR YOUR SAFETY
Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable vapors and liquid in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.
FOR YOUR SAFETY
If you smell gas:
1. Open windows.
2. Don’t touch electrical switches.
3. Extinguish any open flame.
4. Immediately call your gas supplier.
WARNING: DO NOT install this refrigerator in below deck
marine applications. Do not install this refrigerator in fixed indoor cabin or other dwelling applications. This refrigerator must use only NORCOLD designed and approved outside air intake and exhaust ventilation for correct and safe operation. Any other ventilation could cause lethal combustion exhaust fumes and/or explosive propane gas fumes to be in the living area and/or to be below deck.
NORCOLD, Inc. P.O. Box 4248 Sidney, OH 45365-4248
English
French
Norcold Customer Support Dept.
Telephone: 800-543-1219
Fax: 937-497-3183
Web Site: www.norcold.com
Part No. 620292F (11-01)

Table of Contents

NORCOLD - Gas Absorption 3 Year Limited
Warranty Policy
Owner‘s Manual ........................................................................ 2
Gas Absorption 3 Year Limited Warranty Policy......................... 2
Gas Absorption Warranty Information ........................................ 3
Gas Absorption Warranty Questions .......................................... 3
Safety Awareness ....................................................................... 4
Safety Instructions ...................................................................... 4
About Your Refrigerator .............................................................. 4
Storage volume ............................................................ 4
Leveling........................................................................ 4
Operation during travel ................................................ 4
Food compartment ...................................................... 5
Travel latch ................................................................... 5
Storage latch ................................................................ 5
Ignition and Start Up................................................................... 5
Controls........................................................................ 5
Ignition - propane gas operation ................................. 5
Do a test of the gas safety valve .................................. 6
Start Up - AC operation................................................. 6
Start Up - DC operation (3-way models only).............. 6
DC operation precautions ........................................... 6
DC operation guidelines ............................................. 6
Shut down .................................................................... 6
Refrigerator Care Checklist ....................................................... 6
Defrosting and Cleaning ............................................................ 7
Defrosting..................................................................... 7
Cleaning....................................................................... 7
Door Sealing .............................................................................. 7
Refrigerator Maintenance Checklist .......................................... 7
Refrigerator Maintenance ........................................................... 7
Gas flame appearance ................................................ 7
Remove and clean the burner orifice .......................... 8
Remove the Refrigerator ............................................................ 8
Reinstall the Refrigerator ........................................................... 8
Wiring Pictorial ........................................................................... 9
Wiring Diagram .......................................................................... 9
Replacement Parts .................................................................... 9
Norcold • P.O. Box 4248 • Sidney, OH • USA • 45365-4248
Provided it is properly installed, properly maintained and placed under normal service and use, Norcold, Inc. warrants its refrigeration equipment to be free from defects in material and workmanship for three years with respect to the equipment’s component parts, and for two years with respect to the labor to repair or replace such parts, commencing from the original date of purchase.
Limitations of warranty
1. This Warranty applies only to Norcold gas absorption refrigerator operating equipment. This Warranty does not extend to glassware, electric light bulbs, and replaceable fuses.
2. This warranty does not apply to parts and assemblies that have been subjected to misuse, improper installation, improper or abnormal service, transit damage, recharging of the cooling system, accident, fire, improper repair, tampering or abuse.
3. Irrespective of the nature of the warranty protection offered or claimed, the period of warranty shall in no case extend beyond three years for component parts and two years for the labor to repair or replace such parts, commencing from the original date of purchase of the new equipment.
4. In order to obtain the remedy of repair and replacement, the refrigerator must be brought to any Norcold Service Center for warranty service. The end consumer is responsible for all expenses resulting from any remote service call if the refrigerator cannot be brought into the Norcold service center.
Installation Manual ................................................................... 9
Safety Awareness ....................................................................... 9
Safety Instructions ...................................................................... 9
Certification and Code Requirements ..................................... 10
Ventilation Requirements ......................................................... 10
Assemble the Enclosure ........................................................... 11
Install the Lower and Upper Vents ............................................ 11
Reverse the Door Swing (optional) ...........................................11
Install the Refrigerator .............................................................. 12
Connect the Electrical Components ........................................ 1 2
Connect the 120 volts AC supply ............................... 12
Connect the 12 volts DC supply (3-way models only)1 2
Connect the chassis ground ..................................... 12
Connect the Propane Gas Components ................................. 12
Connect the propane gas supply system ................. 1 2
Examine the propane gas supply system for leaks.. 1 3
Installation and Owner’s Manual 2
5. It is the responsibility of the end consumer to have mainte­nance performed upon the warranted equipment one time during the second year or before the beginning of the third year after original purchase. Such maintenance is required to maintain this warranty in effect and failure to perform such maintenance will void the remainder of the warranty. Re­quired maintenance during the second year or before the third year after purchase is cleaning and checking of the following: Burner, Flue, Spiral Baffle, Roof Cap Screen, and Control Board Sequence.
Limitation of remedy
1. The responsibility of Norcold under this or any warranty is limited to the repair or replacement (at Norcold’s option) of the defective part or assembly.
2. In no event and under no circumstances shall Norcold be responsible under this limited warranty for any other charge whatsoever, including but not limited to charges or claims for labor, lost business, lost time, lost profits, loss of use, or any kind of incidental or consequential damages, however denominated or described. The remedy under this warranty is limited to replacement or repair.
3. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above exclusion may not apply to you.
Disclaimer of other warranties
This warranty is expressly in lieu of all other warranties either expressed or implied. All other warranties, expressed or implied, including any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, are hereby disclaimed and excluded.
Legal rights
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other legal rights, which vary from state to state.

Gas Absorption Warranty Information

Your refrigerator is made to provide the ultimate in cooling satisfaction and will serve you reliably in the years to come. Norcold refrigerators are the only RV refrigerators made in the United States and offer a standard limited three-year warranty. Norcold also offers an additional warranty coverage plan which extends the standard limited three-year warranty. To activate your three-year limited warranty and to receive an invitation to participate in the extended warranty plan, complete and mail the warranty registration supplied.
Help us to help you. Write the model number and serial number below for future
reference. These numbers are on the serial plate in the refrigerator. The serial plate is located in the fresh food compartment on the top right hand side. Use these numbers when receiving service or in any correspondence concerning your refrigerator.
Model number ___________ Serial number ___________ If a problem occurs with your refrigerator, contact any of the
service centers throughout the United States and Canada. To find an authorized Norcold Service Center near you, please telephone the Norcold Customer Support Dept. at 800-543­1219 (option-1) or visit our web site at www.norcold.com.
Norcold is committed to providing products that are in harmony with the environment. Your Norcold refrigerator meets all environmental safety standards.

Gas Absorption Warranty Questions

This warranty is the only warranty for your Norcold refrigerator. There are no other express warranties. The only uses for this product are described in this manual. Part or model specifica­tions are subject to change without notice.
What does this warranty cover?
This warranty covers labor and U.P.S. ground transportation costs incurred in removing and reinstalling the refrigerator when necessary to replace a defective part and any parts replaced under warranty (including cooling units).
What is not covered by this warranty?
- Travel expenses for bringing the refrigerator to an autho­rized Norcold Service Center for warranty coverage.
- Additional costs caused by the inability to bring the
refrigerator to an authorized Norcold Service Center.
- Defects which are caused by transit damage, misuse, neglect, or accident.
- Manufacturing defects found at the time of purchase, parts replaced under warranty, and associated labor, which the original consumer-purchaser do not communicate to Norcold within 30 days.
- Labor, performed without need for parts replacements, which the original consumer-purchaser does not commu­nicate to Norcold within 30 days.
- Defects in glassware, electric light bulbs, or replacement fuses.
- Defects caused by improper installation, maintenance, or adjustment.
- Normal maintenance of this refrigerator as described in this manual.
- Defects caused by the improper use of parts or parts not manufactured or supplied by Norcold for repairs or replace­ments to the refrigerator.
Norcold will not be liable for any incidental or consequential loss or damage, due directly or indirectly to the use of this product. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above may not apply to you.
How long does this warranty last?
This warranty is effective for a period of two years from date of purchase or for a period of three years from date of puchase if the required maintenance is done.
What will Norcold do?
Norcold will provide free service and replacement of defective parts, at no charge, at all authorized Norcold Service Centers. Norcold has the option of replacing the defective parts or the entire refrigerator. If the refrigerator is replaced, Norcold is not responsible for replacing dealer installed options.
How do you get service?
Bring the refrigerator to any authorized Norcold Service Center and:
- Show proof that the defective item is within warranty coverage.
- Show proof that required maintenance has been performed if applicable. Required maintenance during the second year or before the third year after purchase is cleaning and checking of the Burner, Flue, Spiral Baffle, Roof Cap Screen, and Control Board Sequence.
If you are unable to bring the refrigerator to an authorized Norcold Service Center:
- Send a written notice of the defect to Norcold.
- Norcold will promptly advise you how to obtain warranty
service.
What rights do you have?
This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Installation and Owner’s Manual 3

Safety Awareness

Read this manual carefully and understand the contents before you use the refrigerator.
Be aware of possible safety hazards when you see the safety alert symbol on the refrigerator and in this manual. A signal word follows the safety alert symbol and identifies the danger of the hazard. Carefully read the descriptions of these signal words to fully know their meanings. They are for your safety.
- The refrigerator cooling system is under pressure. Do not try to repair or to recharge a defective cooling system. The cooling system contains sodium chro­mate. The breathing of certain chromium compounds can cause cancer. The cooling system contents can cause severe skin and eye burns, and can ignite and burn with an intense flame. Do not bend, drop, weld, move, drill, puncture, or hit the cooling system.
CAUTION:
WARNING: This signal word means a hazard, which if
ignored, can cause dangerous personal injury, death, or much property damage.
CAUTION: This signal word means a hazard, which if
ignored, can cause small personal injury or much property damage.

Safety Instructions

WARNING:
- The storage of flammable materials behind or around the refrigerator creates a fire hazard. Do not use the area behind the refrigerator to store flammable materials (gasoline, cleaning supplies, etc.)
- Do not remove the round ground prong from the refrigerator AC power cord. Do not use a two prong adapter or extension cord on the AC power cord.
- A circuit overload can result in an electrical fire if the wires and/or fuses are not the correct size. Either use the wire and fuse sizes as writtten in the “Installation Manual” or refer to your local codes or the applicable RVIA Standards for the correct wire and fuse sizes.
- Incorrect installation, adjustment, change to, or maintenance of this refrigerator can cause personal injury, property damage, or both. Have service and maintenance work done by your dealer or by an Norcold authorized service center.
- Disconnect both the AC and DC power sources before doing any maintenance work on the refrigerator. All service work on this refrigerator must be done by a qualified service technician.
- Do not bypass or change the refrigerator’s electrical components or features.
- When you discard an appliance, remove all doors to prevent accidental entrapment and suffocation.
- Do not spray liquids near electrical outlets, connec­tions, or the refrigerator components. Many liquids are electrically conductive and can cause a shock hazard, electrical shorts, and in some cases fire.
- The rear of the refrigerator has sharp edges and corners. To prevent cuts or abrasions when working on the refrigerator, be careful and wear cut resistant gloves.
- Make sure all fasteners and connections are tight.

About Y our Refrigerator

Storage Volume:
This refrigerator is made for food storage.
Total capacity .......................................................2.4 cubic feet
Leveling:
CAUTION:
off level side-to-side and 6° off level front-to-back (as looking at the front of the refrigerator). Operating it at more than these limits can cause damage to the cooling system and create a risk of personal injury or property damage. Make sure the vehicle is level before you operate the refrigerator.
Operation during travel:
While the refrigerator should be level when the vehicle is stopped, performance during travel is not usually effected.
Food compartment:
Ignite or start up the refrigerator and let it cool for eight hours before loading with food. If the refrigerator does not start to cool down after about two hours, contact your dealer or a Norcold authorized service center.
For the best cooling performance:
- Let air move freely inside the entire food compartment.
- Do not cover the shelves with plastic, paper, etc.
To decrease the amount of ice that forms on the cooling fins:
- Cover all liquids and moist foods.
- Let hot foods cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
The refrigerator is made to operate within 3°
Installation and Owner’s Manual 4
- Do not open the door any longer than necessary.
Travel latch:

Ignition and Start Up

NOTE: During daily use, turn the travel / storage latch so that is parallel with the edge of the door (See Art01101).
Use the travel latch feature to lock the refrigerator door in the closed position. When you engage the travel latch, the door cannot accidentally open during travel.
To engage the travel latch:
1. Open the door [1] of the refrigerator (See Art01102).
2. Turn the travel / storage latch [2] so it is parallel with the edge of the door.
3. Close the door of the refrigerator.
4. Push the door closed to compress the gasket and turn the travel / storage latch into the slot of the metal refrigerator frame [3].
5. Continue to turn the travel / storage latch until the ball shaped stop [4] engages the ball shape [5] of the metal refrigerator frame.
To disengage the travel latch:
1. Push the door closed to compress the gasket and turn the travel / storage latch until the ball shaped stop disengages the ball shape of the metal refrigerator frame.
2. Continue to turn the travel / storage latch so it comes out of the slot in the metal frame and is parallel with the edge of the door.
3. Open the door of the refrigerator.
Storage latch:
Use the storage latch feature to prevent the build up of odors when the refrigerator is shut down for a long period of time. When you engage the storage latch, the refrigerator door will not be fully closed.
Controls:
Thermostat ...........................................................................1
Selector switch ..................................................................... 2
Gas safety valve ..................................................................3
Piezo lighter.......................................................................... 4
The thermostat [1] changes the amount of propane gas that goes to the burner (See Art01029). This acts as the tempera­ture control of the refrigerator. Number 5 is the coldest tem­perature setting.
NOTE: This is not an automatic gas control. It does not
change the flame from high fire to low fire as do some RV refrigerators. If the cooling load changes, you must manually change the gas control to maintain the same temperature inside the refrigera­tor.
When the outside air temperature is less than 50° F, the refrigerator may have a tendency to freeze food at the colder temperature settings. To reduce the tendency to freeze food:
- Turn the thermostat to a warmer temperature setting.
- Keep the refrigerator full.
To engage the storage latch:
1. Open the door [1] of the refrigerator enough to break the seal of the gasket (Art01103).
2. Turn the travel / storage latch [2] into the slot of the metal refrigerator frame [3]:
- Make sure the groove [6] in the travel / storage latch en-
gages the edge [7] of the metal refrigerator frame.
To disengage the storage latch:
1. Turn the travel / storage latch out of the slot of the metal refrigerator frame:
2. Close the door of the refrigerator.
- Put foods that are more likely to freeze on the upper shelf.
The selector switch [2] changes the energy source of the refrigerator between propane gas ( DC electric ( refrigerator at the OFF (
The gas safety valve [3] is built into the control panel. As long as a flame is present, the valve is open and allows propane gas to flow into the burner. Any loss of flame (empty gas tank, blow out, etc.) closes and stops the flow of propane gas.
The igniter [4] makes a spark which ignites the flame in the burner.
) (3-way models only) and shuts down the
) position.
), AC electric ( ), and
Ignition - propane gas operation:
1. Open the valve at the propane gas storage tank.
2. Turn the thermostat to the coldest temperature setting.
Installation and Owner’s Manual 5
3. Turn the selector switch to the propane gas position (
4. Push and hold in the safety valve and in rapid succession, push in the igniter several times for about five seconds.
WARNING: Do not hold in the safety valve for more
than 30 seconds. If there is no flame in this time, wait at least five minutes before you try ignition again. If you continue to hold in the safety valve, gas will collect in the burner area. This could cause a fire or explosion and result in dangerous personal injury or death.
- Open the burner box door and look for the flame.
).
Keep in mind the following electrical precautions for DC operation of the refrigerator:
- Good battery condition is necessary for correct DC opera­tion.
- The capacity of the battery charging system must be more than what is necessary for the refrigerator and other DC appliances.
- While the vehicle engine is running, have a qualified service technician make sure the voltage of the DC power supply leads at the refrigerator is more than 11.5 VDC.
- When the flame ignites, release the safety valve.
- If the flame does not ignite, wait about five minutes and do this step again.
5. Turn the thermostat to the temperature setting that you wish.
Do a test of the gas safety valve:
With an established flame in GAS mode:
1. Close the manual gas shutoff valve [2] of the refrigerator (See Art01035].
2. After the flame is extinguished, you should hear a sharp “click” sound within three minutes.
NOTE: The gas safety valve should close with a sharp “click“
3. Open the manual gas shutoff valve of the refrigerator.
4. Without pushing in the gas control, push the igniter several
sound.
times rapidly in succession. The burner flame should not ignite. This means that the gas safety valve is working correctly.
Start up - AC operation:
- Make sure that 120 volts AC is available.
- Turn the selector switch to the AC position (
- Turn the thermostat to the temperature setting that you
wish.
).
Start up - DC operation (3-way models only):
DC operation guidelines:
DC operation is intended only to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator and its contents when they are already cool.
The DC operation is not intended for the initial start up and cooling of the refrigerator. Always use either the AC operation or propane gas operation to initially start up and cool the refrigera­tor. The refrigerator must be cooled and the temperature must be steady before you operate the refrigerator on DC.
Keep in mind the following guidelines for DC operation of the refrigerator:
- Use DC operation of the refrigerator only while the vehicle is in transit.
- Do not use DC operation until the refrigerator and its contents are completely cooled.
Shut down:
- Turn the selector switch to the OFF position ( ).

Refrigerator Care Checklist

Your refrigerator will give you years of trouble free service if you do these simple checks every three to six months:
- Keep the food compartment clean. See “Defrosting and Cleaning”.
- Defrost the refrigerator as necessary. See “Defrosting and Cleaning”.
- Make sure the door seals correctly. See “Door Sealing“.
- Make sure that 12 volts DC is available.
- Turn the selector switch to the DC position (
).
DC operation precautions:
This refrigerator is made to operate on DC power while your vehicle is “in transit” and AC power or propane gas sources are not available. Operate the refrigerator on DC power only when the vehicle engine is running.
For the refrigerator to operate correctly on DC power, the battery must be maintained in a fully charged condition. For the battery to be fully charged at all times during refrigerator operation on DC, the vehicle engine be in good operating condition.
Installation and Owner’s Manual 6
must be running and the alternator must
- Be aware of any cooling changes that are not because of weather, loading, or thermostat changes. If changes occur, contact your dealer or service center.
- Make sure the gas supply is propane gas only and is not butane or a butane mixture.
- When in propane gas operation, examine the appearance of the flame. See “Gas Flame Inspection”.
- Make sure the air flow in the lower intake vent, through the refrigerator coils and condenser, and out the upper exhaust vent is not blocked or decreased.
- Make sure the area behind the refrigerator is clear. Do not use the area behind the refrigerator for storage of any combustible materials, especially gasoline and other flammable vapors and liquids.
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