Date:         Thu, 20 Sep 2001 21:41:24 -0700
Reply-To:     Tom Moritz <tmoritz@BMI.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Moritz <tmoritz@BMI.NET>
Subject:      Fridge flame sensor LED replacement
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Charles,

You don't need to remove the fridge to replace the LED.  All you need to do
is temporarily remove the camper indicator light circuit board.  We have a
'90 Westy but I don't think it is any different.  If you remove the two
screws, one on each side of the indicator panel, you should be able to pull
the cover plate off, and then pull the circuit board and a black plastic
housing forward out of the cabinet unit.  Disconnect the multipoint
electrical connector so you can take the circuit board to your work bench.

To replace the LED, use a soldering iron and some desoldering braid to
disconnect the old red LED.  Make sure you are removing the correct LED!
It's easy to get confused when you flip the board over.  Try not to
overheat the board because the trace will delaminate.  Also note to which
side the LED notch should face and don't loose the little white spacer that
is between the LED and the board.

To install the new LED, slip the spacer over the new LED leads, orient the
LED so the notch is correctly oriented and feed the leads through the holes
in the circuit board where the old LED was.  If the hole is not clear use
the soldering iron and desoldering braid to clean them up.  Now solder the
leads in place and clip the excess lead flush.

Reassemble the indicator panel in reverse and test your work by lighting
the fridge.  If it doesn't work check to make sure you have a good solder
joint with good electrical contact and that the polarity on the LED is
correct.  Less likely problems are a bad LED.  LEDs will fail if overheated
and blue LEDs will be damaged by static electricity so don't be pettin' the
cat when you're doing this work!

Good luck,

Tom Moritz


 -----Original Message-----
Date:    Wed, 19 Sep 2001 23:52:03 -0700
From:    Charles McGehee <chasm@ELLTEL.NET>
Subject: Re: info on the fridge

Mark,

*snip*

I like the idea of replacing the green light with blue or another color,
but I'm not about to pull the fridge out again to do it.  Does anyone know
if there's a way to get at the circuit board without pulling the whole
unit?  I haven't been able to get the stove apart.

Charles
'85 Westy

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