Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001 04:23:23 -0500
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: dometic won't light
In-Reply-To: <001501c08cf5$17042e40$882bd5d1@hotlava>
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At 03:49 AM 2/2/2001, Mick Kalber wrote:
>Just about to leave to camp at the beach and can't get the @#!!! dometic
>to light. Have lit it numerous times before... sometimes takes a few
>tries, but always lights... this time, not even a flicker. Just filled
>the propane tank. Turned valve on tank to open position. Stove lights,
>so I know propane is flowing.
OK
> Removed plastic flue cover.
Ok
> Put right hand button straight up (I position).
Ok, that turns on the gas supply.
> Turned switch to gas flame (as opposed to battery or 110 V electrical
> operation).
That turns off the electric, not relevant to starting.
> Set temperature to max. Pushed pump in and out numerous times, then
> pushed in button and held it in while pushing pump all the way in til it
> clicks numerous times.
Were you still taking full pump strokes? The chamber floods with propane
very rapidly and you have to keep pumping air until it starts burning.
> Held button in 10 - 15 seconds.
>
>No light in the window.
Did you look at the LED? The flame may not be visible unless it's darkish out.
>
>Tried this many times... nothing.
>
>Tried electrical operation... turned off gas settings, turned on
>electrical settings. Know plug is hot. So far, nothing. If I recall it
>takes awhile to kick on when on electrical, right? We'll see what happens
>overnight on that one.
It takes about 20 minutes for any cooling whatsoever to happen, no matter
what the power source (and the 12v doesn't run at all unless the motor is
running). After 20 minutes you should see the evap temp dropping if you
have a thermometer on it, but it takes much longer to cool the box
noticeably. Well within an hour you should be able to easily tell with
your hand that the evap is cold.
>
>Would like to switch to propane in the morning before we leave... anybody
>have any suggestions?
Leave it on electric. Open up the condensation drain under the front of
the fridge and make sure any water drains out. If possible blow sharply
through the tube. Don't suck on it by mouth, you might get a lungfull of
dirt. If you have a vacuum device to suck with, by all means do.
Try to start it while it's still running on electric and the flue is nice
and warm. That works for a lot of people.
> BTW, I've always gotten it to light in the past... probably a dozen
> times or so... but the fridge never seems to get very cold. It was
> cool... and on the way to cold, but never seemed to get there. Never
> used one before so don't really know how cold they get.
It's rated at 45 degrees F below ambient. If the inside of the van is at
115 degrees, hope for 70 inside the box.
> At one point she almost made ice in one of those silly little dollhouse
> ice trays... but not really. Not sure what I'd have done with those
> twelve tiny little ice droppings anyway even it if she had completed the
> task, but...
Your Barbie doll's children's dolls could have slid downhill on big cakes
of ice. I can't think of any other use for them. If you have cold nights
and hot days you can store up a *little* extra cooling by freezing water
overnight and letting it melt during the day -- just don't go around any
corners in the daytime.
good luck
d
>
>TIA
>
>Mick Kalber
>89 Syncro Westy "Daddeo"
>Hilo, Hawaii
David Beierl - Providence, RI
http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"