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Date:         Wed, 26 Apr 2000 08:20:58 -0700
Reply-To:     Steve Sullivan <Steve@NORTHWESTWATCH.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Sullivan <Steve@NORTHWESTWATCH.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Dometic 182 B Propane probs
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

It took my ages to get my fridge to light. Same trouble you're having. Just keep at it, it'll work. Tips: full tank of propane, pre-fill the lines by lighting stove for a few minutes, make sure the outside valve is on (don't ask about that one), pre-warm the exhaust tube overnight by plugging in the 110v outlet and running fridge on MAX (creates a draft, biggest obstacle in lighting fridge is lack of air flow, propane floods chamber in a matter of seconds and it won't light no matter how much it sparks). Yes, my sparker seemed to get dimmer with use, but I think it's an illusion. When it finally lit, it did so consistently on the first spark. I was letting the gas flow too long and flooding it. I tried blowing air into a tube attached to the condensation drain under the fridge, but just blew the flame out (after a while it would light perfectly but go out after 10 seconds. I almost cried, but now it lights and stays on fine). I found that following the lighting instructions exactly was the key, and to blow out the excess propane after an unsuccessful light and letting it sit for a minute was the key. Good luck.

P.S. my LED indicator doesn't work and so figuring out if it was lit was a real challenge. Finally lit it at night so I could see in the window. Can also run outside and listen (don't burn your ear, the vent gets hot!) for the flame at the flue vent. Anyone with advice on how to fix the LED, please let me know!

Steve

-----Original Message----- From: Adam Puzerewski [mailto:puzerewski@EMAIL.MSN.COM] Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 3:02 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Dometic 182 B Propane probs

Here is where I stand now.

Took off the burner, cleaned it out. There was a lot of white dust in there. Something is referred to as burner gauze, saw nothing like that. Just where the jet screws into the burner, there is an approx 8mm hose on the top and bottom of the burner right there. The seals seem fine, and reassembled.

Tried to start following directions several people sent, and no luck. Let it sit for an hour tried to lit and first time heard a small explosion down there. Naturally in my excitement, released the fuel button and never saw a flame. Kept trying, and no luck.

It seems that when you repeatedly press the ignitor, it stops sparking on every push. Also, the the spark appears more yellow/white in nature than blue. ANy comments on this?

When I hook the lead from the thermocouple to the indicator panel on the fridge cabinet it is red. Does it go out when the fridge is lit?

Adam Puzerewski 81 Westy


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