Norcold MRFT15 Installation instructions

DUAL VOLTAGE REFRIGERATORS
120 VOLTS AC AND 12/24 VOLTS DC
MRFT15
MRFT40
MRFT60
INSTALLATION AND OWNER’S
MANUAL
Service Information
Ifserviceorpartsarerequired,contactthenearestNorcoldServiceCenter. Tofindan
authorizedNorcoldServiceCenternear you,pleasetelephone theNorcoldCustomer
SupportDept.at 800-543-1219 (option-1) or visit our web site at www.norcold.com.
NorcoldCustomer Support Dept.
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
WebSite: www.norcold.com
ModelNo. Serial No.
PrintedinJapan
11/03
PartNo.622732B
PartNo.54903122000

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NORCOLD AC/DC Models - Two Year Limited Warranty Policy
Norcold,Inc. warrantsthat when properly installedandplacedunder normal service and use its
refrigerationequipment is free from defectsinmaterial and workmanship for twoyearscom-
mencingfrom the original date ofpurchaseofthe new equipment.
Limitations of Warranty
1. This Warrantyis theonlywarranty for a NorcoldAC/DCrefrigerator. This Warranty does not
extendto glassware, electriclightbulbs, and replaceablefuses.
2. Thiswarranty does not apply to partsandassemblies that have been subjected to misuse,
improperinstallation,abnormal service,transitdamage, recharging ofcoolingsystem,
accident,fire, improper repair,tamperingorabuse.
3. Irrespectiveofthe nature of the warranty protection offeredor claimed, theperiodofwarranty
shallin no case extend beyond twoyearscommencingfromthe original date of purchase of
thenew equipment.
Limitation of Remedy
1.The responsibility of NORCOLD under this or any warranty is limited to the repairor replace-
ment(at NORCOLD’S option) of the defective partorassembly.
2. Innoeventand under no circumstancesshall NORCOLD be responsible under this Limited
Warranty for any other charge whatsoever, including but not limited to charges or claimsfor
labor,lost business, lost time, lostprofits,loss of use, or any kind of incidentalor consequen-
tialdamages, however denominatedordescribed. Theremedy under thiswarrantyislimited
torepair orreplacement.
3. Somestatesdo not allowtheexclusionor limitationof incidentalorconsequential damages,
sothe above exclusionmaynotapply to you.
Disclaimer of Other Warranties
ThisWarranty is expresslyinlieuofallotherwarrantieseither expressed or implied. All other
warranties,expressed or implied, includinganywarrantyof merchantability orfitnessfora
particularpurpose,arehereby disclaimedandexcluded.
Legal Rights
ThisWarranty gives you specific legal rights,and you may have otherlegalrightswhichvary
fromstateto state.

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Safety Awareness
Readthis manual carefullyandunderstandthe contentsbeforeyouinstallthe refrigerator.
Beaware of possible safety hazards whenyouseethe safetyalert symbol on the refrigerator
andinthismanual. Asignalword follows the safety alert symbol and identifies the danger of the
hazard. Carefully read thedescriptionsofthesesignalwordstofully know their meanings. They
areforyour safety.
WARNING: Thissignalwordmeans a hazard, which if ignored, can causedangerous
personalinjury, death, or muchpropertydamage.
CAUTION: Thissignalwordmeansahazard,whichifignored,cancausesmall
personalinjury or muchpropertydamage.
Model No. and Serial No.
Themodel and serial number are on a labelwhichisonthecompressor cover near the
portablehandleandon the coverofthismanual.
General
Therefrigerator should be placed on a level and solidsurface. Thecompressorhasshock
mountsto allowtherefrigeratoroperation during transit.
Besuretherefrigeratorisnotin direct sunlight or near a gas stove, a heater,orotherheat-
generatingappliances. Avoidplacingyourrefrigerator in an areawhereitcould be acciden-
tallysplashed or sprayed with water whichcouldentertheelectrical compartmentof the
refrigerator.
Your refrigerator was thoroughlycleanedbeforeshipment from the factory. Itis advisable,
however,to clean the interior once more before using. Wipe the interior with a cloth and
warmwater. Then wipe with a dry cloth.
Operation
Thisrefrigeratoroperatesoneither 120 volts (60 hertz)ACcurrent from a standardwall
receptacleor12/24 voltsDC currentfroma battery in your car,boat,trailer, camper, etc. If both
powersupplies are available, the refrigerator will select andoperateon ACvoltage. Ifthe AC
powerbecomes unavailable,therefrigerator will switchoperationto DCvoltage.
CAUTION: Neverstore combustible materials near the refrigerator. Storingcombus-
tiblematerials near therefrigeratorcreatesa safety hazardandalso decreases the
ventilationof thecoolingsystemwhich decreases therefrigeratorperformance.
Donot touch the evaporator or other metalpartsinside the refrigeratorcabinetwithwet
handsbecause they can freezetotherefrigerator.
Alwaysdisconnect all power sourcesfromtherefrigerator when doingroutinemainte-
nance.Have service workdoneonlyby a qualifiedservicetechnician.

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Agreenpower light illuminates when the refrigerator is “ON”.
Therefrigerator temperature iscontrolledby a thermostatcontrol. Number“1”(“REF”) is the
warmestand number “5”(“FREEZE”)is the coldest thermostatposition. Forefficient operation,
changethe thermostat control according to thetypesoffoodstored and the ambient tempera-
ture.
Topreservefrozenfood,turn the thermostatcontrolknob to the “5”(“FREEZE”)position.
Toturnofftherefrigerator,turnthethermostatcontrol to the “OFF” position. If you are not going
tousetherefrigeratorforan extended period of time:
- Removethefoodfromtherefrigerator.
- Removethepower plug(s) from the socket.
- Cleananddrytheinside of the refrigerator.
- Allowthedoor to be open a small amount.
Cooling Unit Basics
Thecooling unit of your Norcold refrigerator makes heat. Thisheat must be removed quickly
and efficiently in order for the refrigerator to have its maximum cooling performance. When the
refrigerator is in an enclosed space, the temperature within the space will rise quickly and will
reducethe cooling performance of the refrigerator. Continuedoperationat high temperatures
candamage the refrigerator compressor and othercomponents.
A free flow of air (ventilation) through the refrigerator condenser coils and around the
compressor is necessary for the refrigerator to operate correctly. While Norcold refrigerators
aremade to operate in moresevere conditions than typical household refrigerators, you should
notoperate the refrigerator in high ambient temperatures. This will result in poorperformance
andpossiblefoodspoilage
Convection Basics
Whenventilatinganenclosedspace,
consider the facts of natural convection,
that cool air falls and warm air rises. The
idealventilationdesignwilluse natural
convection and provide a path for cool
air to enter below the refrigerator and
warmer air to exit above the refrigerator.
The design of the refrigerator allows this
to occur if there is a ventilation opening
above the refrigerator. The heat created
by the refrigerator can then flow freely
out of the enclosed space rather than be
trapped within it.
Air in
Air out

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Storage
When storing portable refrigerators/freezers,
make sure that there are no obstructions
(luggage, etc.) around the refrigerator while it
isoperating. Make sure that there is adequate
ventilationspaceto the refrigerator. Locate
the ventilation space in an area that allows
naturalconvection through the refrigerator
condensercoils and around the compressor.
Understanding Ventilation for Norcold Portable Refrigerators/Freezers
For the maximum cooling efficiency and the lowest power consumption, use the following
guidelines. These are especially important when using the refrigerator under a counter or in an
enclosedspace.
- Make sure that there are at least 3 inches
of clearance on all three sides of the
compressorcompartment.
- When using the refrigerator in an
enclosed space such as an RV
basement,makesure that there are at
least 48 square inches of ventilation area
abovethe compressor compartment.
- Theventilationarea should open into
the living area of the vehicle.
CAUTION: Morethan48square inches of ventilation area will improve the
operating efficiency of the refrigerator. Less than 48 square inches of ventila-
tion area will result in poor refrigeration performance, continuous compressor
operation,and a shortened refrigerator life.
StoringFood
Store fresh foods in covered dishes, inplastic bags, in foil wrap, etc.to prevent them from
becomingdryandfromtransferring odors to other stored foods.
Store frozen food in the freezer compartmentfor several daysifthe thermostatcontrol isatthe
“5”(“FREEZE”) position. If frozen food is allowedtothaw,DO NOTattempt to refreeze it.
3”
3”
3”

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Protection System
Your refrigerator has an over currentprotectionsystem in the electronic circuit to prevent
damagetotheinverterwhichmayoccurduetoareverse polarity connection.
Iftherefrigerator does not operate and the green powerlightdoes not come on, check the fuse,
whichislocatedin the cigarette plug body of the DC power cord, andthepolarityofthe DC
powersupply. Ifthe refrigerator still does not operate,anotherproblemcanexistintheinverter.
Havean authorized NorcoldServiceCentercheck the refrigerator.
ModelsMRFT15andMRFT40 onlyhavean10Ampglassfusethat islocatedinthecigarette
lighterplugbodyoftheDCpowercord.
ModelMRFT60 only has a15Ampglassfusethatis located in the fuseholderoftheDC power
cord.
Defrosting
It is normal for frost to collect on the freezer plate inside the refrigerator. Excess frost de-
creasesthe cooling performance of the refrigerator. Defrost therefrigerator as necessary.
CAUTION: Donotusesharpobjects, a hair dryer, a heat gun, etc. to defrost the
refrigerator. Damage to the interior of the refrigerator can occur.
-Turn thethermostatcontrolto “OFF”.
- Removeallfood from the refrigerator.
- Put dry towels (etc.) inside the refrigerator to absorb the excess water.
- Remove the wet towels (etc.) and dry the inside of the refrigerator
- Turnthe thermostat control to the desiredsetting.
- Putthefoodinthe refrigerator.
Cleaning
Agoodtime to clean the refrigerator is just afteryoudefrostit.
Cleanthe inside of the refrigerator asoften as necessary to avoid foododors:
- Removeallfood from the refrigerator.
NOTE: Donot use abrasivecleaners,chemicals,or scouring padsbecausethey can damage
theinsideoftherefrigerator.
- Washtheinside of the refrigerator and the door gasket withasolutionof liquid dish
detergentand warm water.
- Rinse with clean water and dry.
- Aftercleaning,putathincoatingofpetroleum jelly on the hinge side of the gasket to keep it
softandtopreventitfromrolling.

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Over cooling drains your battery
Whenthe ambienttemperatureisbetween 70°and90° F,keepthethermostatat the“3“position
toavoidan excessive drain of the battery. When making ice, or storing frozenfoods,turn the
thermostatto the coldest setting“5“.
Check the Battery Charge Level
IftheDCvoltage to therefrigeratoris lessthan10.7volts,the coolingperformanceof therefrigera-
torwillimmediately decrease. Make sure that the battery is fully charged.
Afullychargedbattery willhave aspecific gravityreading ofbetween 1.260and1.280. Thebattery
voltageis best indicated whenthe refrigerator is “ON” and the batterycharging system is “OFF”.
Chargethebattery when the specific gravity reading is less than 1.200.
CAUTION:
- Neveruseabattery charger,anAC/DCconverter, a rectifier, or etc.insteadofabattery
tooperate the refrigerator on DC power. Theseelectricaldevicescausehigh ripples or
surgevoltageswhich can damagetherefrigerator.
- Neverusea commercial inverter or converter to operate the refrigerator onAC power.
Theseelectricaldevices do not hold the constant frequencythatis necessary for the
refrigerator.
- Onlyusea“quick charger” on the battery if the thermostat control isturnedto“OFF”. If
a“quickcharger” is used on the battery while the thermostat control is “ON”,damage
tothe refrigerator can occur.
Install the Lifting Handles
(ModelsMRFT40 and MRFT60 only)
Liftinghandlesare packed insidetherefrigerator.
Usingthe screw provided, install the lifting handles on
the ends of the refrigerator as shown.
Connect the Power Supply
Thisrefrigeratoroperatesoneither120volts(60 hertz)AC current in your home or 12/24 volts
DCcurrentfromabatteryinyour car,boat,trailer, camper, etc. If both power supplies are
available,therefrigerator will select and operate on AC voltage. If an ACpowersupply
becomesunavailable, the refrigerator willswitchoperationto DC voltage.

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Connect the AC power supply
- Turnthe thermostatcontrolknob totheOFF position.
- Putthe square plug end of theAC power cord into theAC
connectorof the refrigerator.
- Putthe standard plug end of theACpowercord into any
standardACreceptacle.
- Donotuse an extension cord.
Connect the DC power supply
Thebatteryvoltage varies with the type of vehicle. Most
Americancars and boatsuse a 12 voltsystem. A12/24volt
battery with a negative ground is necessary to operate the
refrigeratoronDCpower.
For Models MRFT15 and MRFT40 only
- Turn the thermostatcontrolknobtothe OFF position.
- Putthesquare plug end of the DC power cordintothe DC connector of the refrigerator.
- Putthecigarettelighter plug end of the DC power cord into thecigarettelighterof the
vehicle.
NOTE: Whennotusingtherefrigerator, remove the plug from the cigarette lighter to prevent
dischargeofthe battery.
ForModel MRFT60 only:
- Turnthe thermostatcontrolknob totheOFF position.
- Putthesquareplug end of the DC power cord into the DC connector of therefrigerator.
- Connect the two wires from the other end of the DC power cord to the battery of the
vehicle.
CAUTION: Onlyconnect the refrigerator directly to the battery. Becausetheyoften
generatehighvoltagepulsesandcausetransistordefectsin the inverter, no other
switches,lead wires, or electrical equipment should sharethewiring between the
refrigeratorandbattery.
As the distance from the vehicle battery to the refrigerator increases, the correctAWG wire size
alsoincreases. If he wire size is toosmall for the distance, a voltagedrop occurs. The voltage
dropdecreasesthecoolingperformanceoftherefrigerator.

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1. Norcoldrecommendsthat you use the following wire sizes:
- Measurethedistancefromthe vehicle battery to the refrigerator:
- If the distance is less than 19 feet, use 14AWG wire on DC 12 volt series or 16AWG
onDC24voltseries.
- If the distance is between 19 and 32 feet, use 12 AWG wire on DC 12 volt series or
14AWG on DC 24 volt series.
- If the distance is more than 32 feet, use 10AWG wire on DC 12 volt series or 12
AWG on DC 24 volt series.
NOTE: Itisnotrecommendedtolocatetherefrigeratormorethan32feetfromthe
battery.
- Twist the lead wires to reduce the radio interference and induction ofahighvoltagesurge
fromthe outside (SeeArt01518).
2. OnMRFT60 models only, installa 15Amp fuse in theDCwiring circuit near the battery to
protectthe refrigerator against reverse polarity or a short circuit.
Electrical equipment
Battery
CORRECT
INCORRECT
Twist lead wires
Refrigerator
Battery
Refrigerator
Art01518

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For your reference
Thewiring diagram shownbelowisrecommended for dual batteryhookup(SeeArt01516).