Good experience with NovaKool customer support

We got a new 2552 last February. I ordered it with a NovaKool RFU9000 AC/DC electric-only fridge for several reasons which I explained in a previous post: https://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=2922.msg24072#msg24072
We're just back from a 6-month trip through the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. The fridge was in continuous service and performed well, and our solar panels usually gave plenty of power to keep things cool while boondocking.  But every once in a while the fridge stopped cooling. Every time I removed the grill to troubleshoot, the darned thing started working fine again: a frustrating intermittent problem. It seemed to fail more when we drove on rutted dirt roads. I spent time searching for a loose wiring connection, either in the fridge or elsewhere in our rig, to no avail.
Now back home, I was finally able to get the fridge to fail while troubleshooting. Following the troubleshooting tree in the NovaKool manual, I traced the problem to the control module. I called NovaKool customer support and was pleasantly surprised when:
-- my call was answered on the second ring,
-- Shaun, who answered the call, knew useful things, and
-- immediately agreed to ship me a replacement module at no charge.
The whole call was over in two minutes, and I received the replacement a few days later.

Alas, after I installed the module yesterday, the problem recurred. But luckily this time I had my meter in the right place at the right time, and was able to see that the fridge's cooling fan got proper voltage, yet would occasionally fail to start and draw excessive current, shutting down the controller. When I spun the fan's blades with a finger, it started up and drew normal current. Clearly the fan is defective. Finally, a good explanation for the fridge's behavior.
I just got off the phone again with NovaKool, another pleasant and quick experience, this time with Marian, who instantly agreed to send a replacement fan.

Of course, it would have been better never to have had any trouble. But it's nice when a supplier responds quickly and helpfully when there is a problem.

John

It is great to read about excellent customer service.

I do wonder if your old fan was fine.  Maybe it has a starting capacitor which was defective or connection to it was defective.  Some fans that won't start up fast enough for the application often have a starting capacitor to jump-start it to get it spinning much more quickly from a dead stop.

A starting capacitor is often mounted on the side of the fan motor in a fashion like this. but many are remotely mounted.

Hi Ron,
This is just a little 5-inch, 12-volt DC cooling fan which might be used in a computer, available for $10 or so on Amazon.
I believe a starting cap is just used on an AC motor.

Anyway, the replacement just arrived, sent overnight at no charge by NovaKool.  Testing it on the bench I already can see it blows a lot more air than the one still in the fridge.  I'll install it when I have time this weekend.

John