Date:         Tue, 18 Jul 2000 18:13:33 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@home.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@home.com>
Subject:      Re: Fridge problems at altitude
Comments: To: EVEHART33@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Ken, I was up at Canjilon Lake park in New Mexico last May at 9900 feet
with no problems at all with the fridge.  I didn't plan to be there or
climb that high, but we couldn't find another campground in that area.
We had the whole place to ourselves, and there was still snow on the
ground under the trees!

Have you checked that you have the required 11" of pressure out of the
regulator?

You can make a water gauge out of a piece of 1x4 and a few feet of clear
vinyl tubing from the hardware store.  Just make a U shaped loop of the
tubing about 15" deep and staple it to the board with electrical
staples, fill the loop half way with water, and connect it to the gas
line or the regulator directly. Choose a tubing size that will fit
tightly over the gas line.  Turn on the gas and measure the difference
in the column height on the two sides of the loop, it should be
(surprise!) 11".

I did this when I first bought the van and found mine was low, and you
can adjust the regulator to 11".  If not, it is time for a new
regulator!

Ken Hunter wrote:
>
> Thanks to David Beierl's tips on sealing everything with silicone I was able
> to keep my refrigerator lit while driving around here in Albuquerque (elev.
> 5000'). But when we took a short trip west to the mountains south of Grants,
> NM (elev. approx 6200') the fridge was going out and I was having a problem
> restarting it. I had cleaned and blown out and sealed everything I could per
> David's advice and topped up the propane tank too before we left. Although
> Dometic suggests a smaller jet for high altitudes mine didn't seem sooted up
> and actually seems not to get enough propane even on the highest thermostat
> setting.
> Have any others had this problem? Is there any way to increase propane output?
>
> Ken Hunter
> 82 Westy 1.9D
> 84 Jetta 1.5D
> 89 Mitsubishi van



--
Stuart MacMillan
Seattle

'84 Vanagon Westy (Escape vehicle)
'65 MGB (Daily driver since 1969)
'74 MGB GT (Undergoing restoration)

Assisting in restoration:
'72 MGB GT (Daughter)
'64 MGB (Son)

Parts cars:
'68 & 73 MGB, '67 MGB GT