Summary; Maintenance And Cleaning - Norcold N300.3 Manual

It is apparent that the refrigerator is supposed to work properly even when it is well beyond what
we all thought were the limits for out-of-level condition. And after viewing those sketches, you
are probably asking yourself "Why bother leveling at all?" Well, Norcold states the answer
simply as "Normal vehicle leveling to provide comfort for the occupants is satisfactory for
refrigerator operation".

Summary:

It's apparent that you seldom really need to level the vehicle in order to make the refrigerator
operational. In fact, most of the time the reason to level the vehicle is so that the occupants feel
more comfortable. I, for one, can not sleep in a bed that is tilted sideways even the smallest
amount. Somehow my internal "human level" will tell me if its within tolerance.
Some owners use jacks to help stabilize the vehicle from rocking and at the same time help bring
the vehicle into level without using blocks underneath the wheels. This makes lots of sense
especially if the vehicle is going to be in the same position for more than just overnight.
However, given the fact that the refrigerator can operate properly at angles we thought
prohibitive, those people who are using the plastic or wood blocks to raise one or more wheels
by only an inch or two are hopefully doing so for their own personal comfort, and not for the
refrigerator.
The bottom line is this: "Just how sensitive are YOU to being slightly out of level?" If it doesn't
bother you, then it is unlikely to bother the refrigerator.

Maintenance and Cleaning:

Very little maintenance is required of the refrigerator. Other than the cosmetic cleaning of the
interior plastic, there is little else required for the normal operation of the refrigerator. The
operator's manual notes that the unit is NOT self-defrosting so if over an extended period of
constant usage you find frost build-up to be a problem (rare for the average RVer), then you will
need to manually defrost the unit by simply turning it off, removing all food, and waiting for all
accumulated ice to melt. In the meanwhile, you will need to soak up the water with towels. The
operator's manual also suggests the use of a solution of liquid dish detergent and warm water to
clean the refrigerator right after defrosting. Do not use abrasive cleaners, chemicals, or scouring
pads because they can damage the interior of the refrigerator.
If you are considering doing a thorough cleaning of the entire heating portion of the system, then
refer to the "Replacing The Thermocouple" section in this document as this details the steps
necessary to remove the refrigerator, and shows the additional cleaning of the heating elements
and other related parts.
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