Norcold NRF 30

engineer101

Newbie question: I have a 2020 Tag 5 wide with the Yeti cooler. If I replace the Yeti with the Norcold NRF 30 where does the Norcold vent the heat it generates and where does it get it's fresh air when the kitchen hatch is closed? Does it need to vent into the same space the AC vents into?

JamesDow

My 2018 has a vent under the Norcold. Vents down under the unit. I have not found that the kitchen area getting too warm. I assume under the Yeti is the vent hole. About 4".
Norcold fan blows out the front towards the rear hatch.

WilliamA

I use my Norcold constantly (as recently as today!) and that's not been a problem for me. It holds whatever temp I set it to with the hatch open or closed. Don't know how it works so well but it does....

WilliamA

tagurit

The Norcold still seems to be the most devisive issue with T@G owners, especially in the T@G you're it!! Facebook group, people either love it or hate it. We are in the love camp as ours has always worked well, but it's simple physics that it will work better if there is better air flow across the condenser (less run time -> more battery life). The Norcold 30 user manual has the venting requirements outlined and the T@G installation clearly does not meet them when the hatch is closed. Since our vent space behind the galley wall is now only convection from the floor vent up out the cowbells because the air conditioner is gone, I am installing a vent into that space from behind the Norcold, hopefully there will also be convection from the vent under the fridge as well, it's a simple mod and can't hurt anything. I might even try turning the unit around so that the air flow is front to back, we'll see.

WilliamA

I did cut a hole behind the Norcold to access the "crawlspace" in order to put in the mount bracket I made for my Rotopax mount, so that does provide some more airflow, but my Norcold was working perfectly well before I did that. No doubt, but the fridge works more efficiently when the hatch is open, but I've never had a time when it wouldn't maintain my 39 degree "dairy" temp. Mine works great. Any intentional intervention in my case would be a solution looking around for a problem.

As a side note, I used to do the "precool" thing by turning it on the night before but abandoned even that. This morning when packing for our day adventure, I just put my sandwich stuff and drinks in it, turned it on and took off. By the time we arrived at the river, it was at 41 degrees and holding. That was about 30 minutes or so with an outside temp of 82.

WilliamA

engineer101

Thanks for all the comments and help. My 2020 Tag does not have a vent hole under the Yeti so I'll just figure out where I want to put one and how to keep any water out.