Norcold fridge

[Laldrich]

I noticed this morning when I opened the fridge that I didn't hear it running like I normally do. I've gone into it 3 different times in the last 2 to 3 hours. Each time I don't hear anything. And usually its pretty noisy when you open it. Should I be concerned? Should it always be running to the point you hear it when you open it? Hubby thinks I'm looking for an issue where there isn't one.

[JRTJH]

An absorption refrigerator (AC/DC/GAS) does not have a compressor, it uses a small heat source, to cool the interior. There is no "mechanical noise" from the refrigerator cooling system. On larger absorption refrigerators and on most that are mounted in slides (with 2 side vents rather than 1 side vent and a top vent) the manufacturers install "disc fans" (similar to computer pancake fans) to increase airflow over the rear fins, in an effort to maintain efficiency. These fans are typically connected to a thermostat that controls whether they need to run or not.

What you've probably heard in the past is those fans, mounted behind the refrigerator, just above the lower vent. If the blades on the fans are dirty, they will vibrate and you'll hear them more. If the morning is cool, the thermostat will turn the fans off, and as the day warms, once a specific temperature is reached, the fans will come on to augment moving heat away from the fins...

So, you probably won't hear the fans on a cool morning, but the "actual cooling system" does not make any "noise like a compressor or fan"... All you'll hear from the cooling system is a "slight whoosh" as the flame burns and a "slighter (almost silent) gurgle" as the liquid refrigerant solution flows through the tubes.

If you do hear the fans and the noise is increasing, try cleaning the fan blades, it probably will eliminate much of the "noise".