Norcold fridge, heater, and altitude

[hosse]

Greetings. New to the forum. 4WC owner since 2005.

Any solutions to using Gas fridge and furnace at altitude? Norcold recommends not using at over 4500 ft and suburban furnace at 5500 ft. We often camp much, much higher. One time I couldn't even get the pilot to light at 4600 ft. I read something about "deration" in the manuals, but we camp in the desert, too.

thanks

Marc

 

[winter200]

I know from previous camping trips with my 5th wheel that camping at rocky national park, west entrance can get a little fun with propane items also. I woke up and did my usual hit the switch on the propane water heater. Laid back down and awoke to banging on the side of the camper. Went out to see what the problem was and noticed it was the water heater. It was trying to fire one last time and at that moment I opened the door to the water heater. Let me tell you the water heater can throw out a good fire ball. Needless to say I didn't have to worry about going back to sleep. The only way it would run is if I had the cover off. I read through the manuals and they mentioned that I needed to get a conversion kit for that high of elevation. I would imagine the fridges would be the same way.

 

[DLN]

hosse,
Welcome the forum.
We've used our fridge at 8,500 ft. without any ignition problems though controlling the temperature was a little tricky, frozen veggies etc. It does take a little patients to get the fridge to fire up. We've also fired and used the Atwood heater at 7,000 plus without any problems.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Hello Marc


Every once in a while I get customers that will tell me about experiences when the refrigerator is having a hard time staying lit at high altitudes, but it is usually really high altitudes and pretty rare (8000 ft. or more). I don't think the 5500 ft. altitude for the refrigerator is very accurate (a bit too conservitive).

Here is what one service shop told a customer out in Colorado. Maybe something to keep in mind if you are still experiencing this problem down the road ...

 

[craig333]

Wow, that'd rule out a norcold (if I wanted one). I camp frequently much higher. But it really shouldn't be that much of a problem. Aside from the people who live at high altitude, even the fire lookouts (at really high altitudes) all use propane with no problems. Only problem I"ve ever had with propane appliances is frozen valves.