Thetford N81 Installation Manual
Installation Manual
For N61X models: 6 cu.ft., 2-way, R.V. refrigerators.
For N81X models: 8 cu.ft., 2-way, R.V. refrigerators.
The letter “X”, in the model numbers above, stands for a letter or numeral which means a refrigerator option.
WARNING: Improper installation, adjustment, alteration, service or maintenance
can cause personal injury or property damage. Refer to this manual.
For assistance or additional information, contact a qualified inst aller ,
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.
English
French
NORCOLD, Inc.
P.O. Box 4248
Sidney, OH 45365-4248
Part No. 628955A (2-06)
Table of Contents
Safety Instructions
Safety Awareness ....................................................................... 2
Safety Instructions ...................................................................... 2
Certification and Code Requirements ....................................... 3
Ventilation Requirements ........................................................... 3
Key Refrigerator Dimensions .................................................... 4
Assemble the Enclosure for the Refrigerator ............................ 4
Install the Lower and Upper Vents ............................................. 4
Install Decorative Door Panels .................................................. 6
Install the Refrigerator................................................................ 6
Reverse the Door Swing-Nonmetal Doors (optional) ............... 7
Reverse the Door Swing-Metal Doors (optional) ....................... 8
Connect the Electrical Components .......................................... 9
Connect the 120 volts AC supply ........................................ 9
Connect the 12 volts DC supply.......................................... 9
Connect the Propane Gas Components ................................. 10
Connect the propane gas supply system ......................... 10
Examine the propane gas supply system for leaks ......... 10
Ignition and Start Up ..................................................................11
Ignition and start up ...........................................................11
Do a test of the gas safety valve.........................................11
Shut down - all models ......................................................11
Display Codes ...........................................................................11
Fault Codes .............................................................................. 12
Safety Awareness
WARNING:
- This refrigerator is not approved for use as a free
standing refrigerator. It is equipped for the use of
propane gas only and can not be changed to use any
other fuels (natural gas, butane, etc.).
- Incorrect installation, adjustment, alteration, or maintenance of this refrigerator can cause personal injury,
property damage, or both.
- Obey the instructions in this manual to install intake and
exhaust vents.
- Do not install the refrigerator directly on carpet. Put the
refrigerator on a metal or wood panel that extends the full
width and depth of the refrigerator.
- Do not allow anything to touch the refrigerator cooling
system.
- Propane gas can ignite and cause an explosion that can
result in property damage, personal injury, or death. Do
not smoke or create sparks. Do not use an open flame
to examine the propane gas supply line for leaks. Always
use two wrenches to tighten or loosen the propane gas
supply line connections.
- Make sure the electrical installation obeys all applicable
codes. See “Certification and Code Requirements”
section.
Read this manual carefully and understand the contents before
you install 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.
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.
- Do not bypass or change the refrigerator’s electrical
components or features.
- 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 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:
- The rear of the refrigerator has sharp edges and corners.
To prevent cuts or abrasions when working on the
refrigerator, use caution and wear cut resistant gloves.
Installation Manual 2
Certification and Code Requirements
This refrigerator is certified by CSA International as meeting the
latest edition of ANSI Z21.19 / CAN 1.4 standards for installation
in mobile homes or recreational vehicles.
The refrigerator must be installed in accordance with this
“Installation Manual” in order for the Norcold limited warranty to
be in effect. In addition, the installation must conform to the
following, as applicable:
In the United States and Canada:
- Local codes, or in the absence of local codes, the National
Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54, the Natural Gas and
Propane installation Code, CSA B149.1, ANSI A119.2
Recreational Vehicles Code, and CSA Z240 RV Series,
Recreational Vehicles.
Ventilation Requirements
WARNING: The completed installation must:
- Make sure there is sufficient intake of fresh air for
combustion.
- Make sure the living space is completely isolated from
the combustion system of the refrigerator.
- Make sure there is complete and unrestricted ventilation of the flue exhaust which, in gas mode, can
produce carbon monoxide. The breathing of carbon
monoxide fumes can cause dizziness, nausea, or in
extreme cases, death.
- Make sure the refrigerator is completely isolated from
its heat generating components through the correct
use of baffles and panel construction.
Certified installation needs one lower intake vent and one upper
exhaust vent. Install the vents exactly as written in this manual.
Any other installation method voids both the certification and the
factory warranty of the refrigerator.
The bottom of the opening for the lower intake vent, which is
also the service access door, must be even with or immediately
below the floor level. This allows any leaking propane gas to
escape to the outside and not to collect at floor level.
- A manufactured home (mobile home) installation must
conform with the Manufactured Home Construction and
Safety Standard, Title 24 CFR, Part 3280 [formerly the
Federal Standard for Mobile Home Construction and Safety,
Title 24 (part 280), and the current CSA Z240.4, Gasequipped Recreational Vehicles and Mobile Housing.
- If an external power source is utilized, the appliance, when
installed, must be electrically grounded in accordance with
local codes or, in the absence of local codes, the National
Electrical code, and ANSI/NFPA 70, or the Canadian
Electrical Code, CSA C22.2. Parts 1 and 2.
All propane gas supply piping and fittings must obey local,
state, and national codes about type and size. These
components must also obey the current NFPA 501C section 24, and in Canada with the current CAN 1-6.10 Standard.
CSA International certification allows the refrigerator to have
zero (0) inch minimum clearance at the sides, rear, top, and
bottom. While there are no maximum clearances specified for
certification, the following maximum clearances are necessary
for correct refrigerator performance:
Bottom 0 inch min. 0 inch max.
Each Side 0 inch min 1/2 inch max.
To p 0 inch min. 1/4 inch max.
Rear 0 inch min. 1 inch max.
These clearances plus the lower and upper vents cause the
natural air draft that is necessary for good refrigeration. Cooler
air comes in through the lower vent, goes up around the
refrigerator coils where it removes the excess heat from the
refrigerator components, and goes out through the upper vent.
If this air flow is blocked or decreased, the refrigerator will not
cool correctly.
Each NORCOLD model is certified by CSA International for
correct ventilation. Install only the certified vents that are listed
in this manual.
Installation Manual 3
Key Refrigerator Dimensions
Lower Metal 616010 13 5/8 in. 21 5/8 in.
Intake
These key refrigerator dimensions are for your reference as
necessary (See Art01733).
Refrigerator cabinet width w/o trim - 23.1in. ....................... 1
Refrigerator width overall w/ trim - 24.6in. .......................... 2
Refrigerator cabinet to side trim - 0.80 in. .......................... 3
Refrigerator cabinet height w/o trim ................................... 4
N600 models - 52.6 in.
N800 models - 59.6 in.
Refrigerator height overall w/ trim....................................... 5
N600 models - 54.5 in.
N800 models - 61.5 in.
Refrigerator cabinet to top/bottom trim - 0.93 in................. 6
Enclosure wall to hinges - 1.10 in...................................... 7
Refrigerator cabinet to center of handles............................ 8
N600 models - 32.5 in.
N800 models - 39.5 in.
Assemble the Enclosure for the Refrigerator
1. Make sure the enclosure is 59.88 - 60.01 inches high for
N81X models or 52.88 - 53.01 inches high for N61X models
x 23.50 - 23.63 inches wide x 24 inches deep.
2. Make sure the floor is solid and level.
- The floor must be metal or a wood panel and extend the full
width and depth of the enclosure.
- The floor must be able to support the weight of the refrigera-
tor and its contents.
3. Make sure there are no adjacent heat sources such as a
furnace vent, a hot water heater vent, etc.
Upper Exhaust 62115 6 13 3/4 in. 21 1/2 in.
& Lower Intake
Plastic
2. Install the lower intake vent (See Art01598, Art01599, and
Art01602):
NOTE: The lower intake vent is also the service access
opening for the components on the rear of the refrigerator.
WARNING: Make sure the bottom of the opening of the
lower intake vent is even with or immediately below the
floor level. This allows any leaking propane gas to
escape to the outside and not to collect at floor level.
- Make sure the bottom of the opening of the lower intake vent
[1] is even with or immediately below the floor level.
- Align the lower intake vent vertically below the coils [2] and
the condenser [3] of the refrigerator.
3. Install the upper exhaust vent:
CAUTION: Make sure that no sawdust, insulation, or
other construction debris is on the refrigerator or in the
enclosure. Debris can cause a combustion hazard and
prevent the refrigerator from operating correctly.
NOTE: Tighten the screws of the upper roof exhaust cap to 10
inch-pounds max. Also make sure that the air flow
around the upper roof exhaust cap is not blocked or
decreased by other roof mounted features such as a
luggage carrier, an air conditioner, a solar panel, etc.
- If the design of the vehicle allows, install the roof exhaust
vent [4] directly above the condenser [3] of the refrigerator
(See Art01598).
- Install a baffle [5] to prevent stagnant hot air in the area
[6] above the refrigerator.
Install the Lower and Upper Vents
1. Using the following chart, decide which vents and rough
opening (RO) sizes to use:
Certified Vent P/N RO Height RO Width
Upper Roof 622293 N/A N/A
Exhaust Cap
Upper Roof 616319 24 in. 5 1/4 in.
Exhaust Vent
Installation Manual 4
- Make sure there is less than 1/4 inch clearance [7]
between the baffle and the top of the refrigerator.
- Make sure the baffle is the full width of the inside of
the enclosure.
- If the design of the vehicle does not allow you to install the
roof exhaust vent directly above the condenser [3] of the
refrigerator (See Art01599).
- Align the roof exhaust vent [4] above the condenser [3]
of the refrigerator and move it inboard as necessary.
- Install two baffles [8] to prevent stagnant hot air in the
area [6] above the refrigerator.
- Make sure that the solid box baffle is the full width
of the inside of the enclosure.
- Make sure the baffles are the full width of the
inside of the enclosure.
- Make sure that the baffles are no more than 45°
from vertical [9].
- Put one baffle between the top rear edge of the
refrigerator and the inside edge of the upper
exhaust vent opening.
- Put the other baffle between the outside edge of
the upper exhaust vent opening and the side wall
of the vehicle.
- If the depth of the enclosure is 24 inches or more and is
less than 25 inches, no baffles are necessary at the rear of
the enclosure.
- If the depth of the enclosure is 25 inches or more and is
less than 26 inches, add two baffles [10] to the rear of the
enclosure (See Art01598 and Art01599).
- Put one baffle 18 inches to 18 1/2 inches above the
bottom of the enclosure [26] (4 1/4 inches to 4 3/4
inches above the top of the lower intake vent opening
REF) [27].
- Put the other baffle at the lowest edge of the condenser
[3] of the refrigerator.
- Make sure that the baffles are 1 inch or less [28]
from the coils [2] and condenser of the refrigerator.
- Make sure that the baffles are the full width of the
inside of the enclosure.
- If the depth of the enclosure is more than 26 inches, install
a wood or an aluminum or galvanized sheet solid box baffle
[25] in the rear of the enclosure (See Art01617 and
Art01618).
- Make sure that the bottom of the solid box baffle is 18
inches to 18 1/2 inches above the bottom of the
enclosure [26] (4 1/4 inches to 4 3/4 inches above the
top of the lower intake vent opening REF) [27] .
- Make sure that the back of the solid box baffle is
perpendicular to the bottom of the enclosure.
- Make sure that the back of the solid box baffle is either
against the top of the enclosure or against the angled
baffle [8] (depending on the vehicle design).
- Make sure that the solid box baffle is one inch or
less [28] from the coils [2] and condenser of the
refrigerator.
- If there is more than 1/2 inch of clearance between either
side of the refrigerator and the wall, fill the space with
fiberglass insulation or add a baffle to eliminate the excess
clearance.
- If the design of the vehicle does not allow you to install a
roof exhaust vent, install an upper side-wall exhaust vent.
NOTE: The refrigerator is 23.7 in. min. to 24.0 in. max. from
the rear of the breaker to the rear of the condenser
[11]. N61X models are 48.7 in. min. to 49.0 in. max.
from the bottom of the refrigerator to the bottom of
the refrigerator condenser [12]. N81X models are
55.7 in. min. to 56.0 in. max. from the bottom of the
refrigerator to the bottom of the refrigerator condenser [12] (See Art01601).
CAUTION: Only use an upper side-wall exhaust vent
on refrigerator models that are equipped with a fan. If
you use an upper side-wall exhaust vent on a refrigerator model that is not equipped with a fan, the refrigerator cooling performance will be poor.
- Make sure the refrigerator model is equipped with a
fan.
- Install the upper side-wall exhaust vent [13] (See
Art01592 and Art01593).
- For N61X models, make sure the distance [14]
from the bottom of the enclosure to the top of the
rough opening for the upper exhaust vent is at
least 55 inches.
- For N81X models, make sure the distance [14]
from the bottom of the enclosure to the top of the
rough opening for the upper exhaust vent is at
least 62 inches.
- Align the upper exhaust vent [13] horizontally above
the lower intake vent [1] of the refrigerator.
- To prevent stagnant hot air in the area above the
refrigerator, install an aluminum or galvanized
steel sheet baffle [15] between the top of the
refrigerator and the top of the upper exhaust vent.
- Make sure there is less than 1/4 inch clearance between the baffle and the top of the
refrigerator and that the baffle overlaps the
refrigerator 1 inch or less [16].
- Make sure that the baffle is against the wall of
the vehicle at the top of the upper exhaust vent
and 1/4 inch or less from the top of the
opening for the upper exhaust vent [17].
Installation Manual 5
- Make sure the baffle is the full width of the
inside of the enclosure
- Make sure the clearance at the sides of the refrigerator is
correct:
- If there is more than 1/2 inch of clearance between
either side of the refrigerator and the wall, fill the space
with fiberglass insulation or add a baffle to eliminate
the excess clearance.
- When using an upper side-wall exhaust vent:
Install Decorative Door Panels
NOTE: The doors are made to accept decorative panels. The
decorative panels must be 3/16 inch or less in
thickness. Install the decorative door panels in the
refrigerator doors before installing the refrigerator in
the vehicle.
- Make an upper door panel that is 21 19/32 inches wide x 14
17/32 inches high.
- If the depth of the enclosure is more than 24 inches
and less than 26 inches [18], install a bent aluminum
or galvanized steel sheet baffle [19] to the rear of the
enclosure (See Art01592).
- Make sure that the bend of the baffle is the full
width of the inside of the enclosure.
- Make sure that the bend of the baffle is flush with
the bottom edge of the upper intake vent door
frame.
- Make sure that the top edge of the baffle is 1/4
inch or less [20] below the condenser [3] and that
there is 1/4 inch or less clearance [21] between
the lower rear corner of the condenser and the
baffle.
- If the depth of the enclosure is more than 26 inches
[22], install a wood or an aluminum or galvanized steel
sheet solid box baffle [23] between the lower intake
vent and the upper exhaust vent (See Art01593).
- Make sure that the solid box baffle is the full width
of the inside of the enclosure.
- Make sure that the bottom of the solid box baffle is
18 inches to 18 1/2 inches above the bottom of the
enclosure [26] (4 1/4 inches to 4 3/4 inches above
the top of the lower intake vent opening REF) [27] .
- Make sure that the back of the solid box baffle is
perpendicular to the bottom of the enclosure.
- Make sure that the horizontal top of the solid box
baffle is even with the bottom edge of the upper
exhaust vent [13].
- Make sure that the vertical top edge of the baffle is
1/4 inch or less [20] below the lower rear corner of
the condenser [3].
- Make sure that there is 1/4 inch or less clearance
[21] between the rear of the condenser and the
baffle.
- Make a lower door panel that is:
- 21 19/32 inches wide and
- 31 5/8 inches high (for N6XX models) or
- 38 5/8 inches high (for N8XX models).
- Pull the panel retainer [1] off each door (See Art00965).
- Push the decorative door panel [2] into the slots of the door
[3].
- Push each panel retainer into the slot on the edge of the
door.
Install the Refrigerator
Put the refrigerator in position (See Art00962, Art00963, and
Art00964):
WARNING: Make sure the combustion seal [11] is not
broken, is completely around the refrigerator mounting
flanges, and is between the mounting flanges and the
wall of the enclosure If the seal is not complete, exhaust
fumes can be present in the living area of the vehicle.
The breathing of exhaust fumes can cause dizziness,
nausea, or in extreme cases, death.
- Push the refrigerator completely into the enclosure.
- Put the upper trim piece [13] onto the front of the refrigerator.
- Put screws [12] through the upper and lower mounting
flanges on the front of the refrigerator and into the enclosure wall and floor.
- Put a cap [14] on each of the screw holes in the upper trim
piece [13] on the front of the refrigerator.
WARNING: Do not omit the bottom trim piece. This
piece is part of the combustion seal.
Installation Manual 6
Loading...