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Polar® Elite N20DC

12V DC compressor refrigerator with adjustable thermostat

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Polar® Elite N20DC Refrigerator

  • 19 cu. ft. 12V DC compressor RV refrigerator
  • Fits in the same cutout as a 18 cu. ft. refrigerator
  • Runs up to 20 hours on a single battery charge
  • Night mode for reduced compressor and fan noise
  • Separate thermostat-controlled temperatures for fresh food and freezer sections
  • Touch control panel with mode select and adjustable thermostat
  • Reversible stainless steel doors with curved edges
  • Adjustable glass shelves with front risers
  • Sliding shelf adjusts for various sized containers
  • Travel latch for keeping the doors closed during transit
  • Dual clear crisper drawers for storing vegetables
  • Manual defrost extends the battery charge
  • Drip tray for condensation with accelerated evaporation
  • RV-standard mounting holes for easy installation without brackets
  • Individual compressors with separate wire inputs for added installation flexibility

Installation/Owner's Manual

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

All recall service parts must be shipped to and installed by your local service center. For your local service center to obtain recall parts, they will need to contact Norcold® directly, report the required diagnostic information, therefore, there would be no reason for reimbursement.

No, as the Norcold® High Temperature Sensor (HTS Kit) is a national safety recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Norcold® is unable to send parts directly to consumers. All parts must be shipped to and installed by a trained service technician; you can find your local Norcold® Service Center here.

No, the consumer is responsible for the service call fee as it is a convenience.

Norcold® refrigerators come with a one year warranty from date of installation or date of delivery, whichever applies. Please see our warranty statement here for more details: https://norcold.com/warranty-information/

Yes you can, however, most Norcold® refrigerators require a dedicated power source. The power should not be shared with any other appliances.

Troubleshooting

Your refrigerator can stop operating for several reasons. Norcold® recommends contacting your local service center to have your refrigerator properly diagnosed. Bypassing, altering, or modifying any of the electrical components of your refrigerator, including the HTS system, can limit or remove safety aspects of your refrigerator and should NOT be done under any circumstances.

  • If slow flashing (1 flash per second): Low DC power.
  • If fast flashing (2-3 flashes per second): There’s a break in thermistor wire.
To have this flashing cleared, you will need to take your unit into your local service center. This is not something that is serviceable by the consumer, for safety and liability reasons.

A solid red light means the High Temperature Sensor (HTS Kit) has tripped. Please turn off the refrigerator and unplug from the 110V outlet. For proper diagnostics, contact your local Norcold® service center for safety and liability purposes.

This does NOT mean your refrigerator is under recall. Please see models listed under recall to determine if you are within the recall ranges. If you are unsure, please contact productcompliance@thetford.com

Ensure the button is being held in long enough to turn the unit on or off. Some Norcold® units require the button to be depressed for 3-5 seconds in order to turn off or on.

You may have it on too low of a setting. The warmer it is outside, the higher the setting on the refrigerator will need to be maintain the proper cooling temperature. Norcold® refrigerators require a minimum of 115V on both sides of the fuse to perform as expected on AC. If that is confirmed and the unit is still not cooling well on AC, it should be taken to a local Norcold® dealer for further diagnosis.

Door is open longer than 2 minutes. There can be other causes, door sagging, bad door switch and warped door.

Please see the error code list for your specific fridge model.

For gas absorption, it is important to ensure the unit is completely level. It cannot exceed 3 degrees side to side or 6 degrees front to back. Another area to check is the AC and ensure it is 30 amp service or greater.

On gas absorption models, the tag is inside the fridge, right hand side of the cabinet above the top shelf. DC and AC/DC models, the tag is inside the fridge, left hand side of the cabinet above the top shelf. N2175 models it is on the left hand side of the cabinet behind the crisper drawer near the fridge bottom.

For gas absorption, a cold weather kit must be used for winter operation. This will allow the refrigerator to run in temperatures from 32 degrees F down to 0 degrees F.

For parts and/or service – including those under warranty – contact a local Thetford®/Norcold® Authorized Service Center (ASC) or an RV Dealer. Under the Warranty Program, Thetford®/Norcold® replaces or repairs toilets and/or parts, and pays the Authorized Dealer for warranty labor.

Warranty Information

How to

Every new Norcold® comes with a installation and owners manual. Read and follow installation manual for your particular refrigerator model. Everything you need to know about what is required is contained within this document.

This would apply only to the N3100 and the N4100 model refrigerators. The DC power source for these units is linked directly to the engine battery of the vehicle.

Setting 5 is the coldest setting, setting 1 is the warmest.

Cleaning and maintenance

Place a bowl containing water and pure vanilla extract inside the refrigerator to absorb odors. Charcoal, wet newspapers, or baking soda can also be used in the refrigerator to mitigate odors. Harsh household cleaners should never be used as they can damage or discolor the lining of the refrigerator.

No, using a heat gun, hair dryer or boiling water will damage the interior of the freezer. Best method is to turn refrigerator off, open doors, put towels down and allow frost to melt. Completely dry unit once is defrosted.