Date:         Wed, 19 Sep 2001 22:58:16 -0500
Reply-To:     Roy Olynick <rrh@AUTOBAHN.MB.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Roy Olynick <rrh@AUTOBAHN.MB.CA>
Subject:      Fw:      Re: info on the fridge
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

| What can you do to get the fridge to light more reliably?  One way is to
| plug your fridge in and use AC to cool the fridge.  This will generate some
| heat in the flue stack of the fridge which will induce enough circulation
| to prevent flooding the burner chamber.  You could also drive around with
| the DC switch selected for the same effect.

I've had my '87 Westy since it was new. Up until about two years ago, I've never
had a problem lighting the fridge on propane. Hoping to find an obvious cause
for this problem, I pulled the fridge from the cabinet for a little maintenance.
Everything on the rear of the fridge looked a-OK, the combustion box was clean,
thermocouple okay, etc., etc.  I haven't been able to come up with a reason why
the igniting problem suddenly began and no one else can come up with a reason
either. I installed the air pump mod which didn't help. Acting upon suggestions
posted from various listees, I injected more air into the combustion process by
pumping air via a foot pump connected to the fridge drain tube while pressing
the igniter button. This method works first time, everytime for me!

 Although the process of warming up the fridge flues by operating the fridge on
AC for a few hours or driving around with the fridge on DC mode both work, the
foot pump method is the much more simpler and hassle-free method requiring no
electricity or wasting of expensive fossil fuel.

Roy Olynick
'87 Westfalia GL
(till death do us part)
'91 Honda Civic SE
'01 Honda Civic LX