Date:         Sat, 8 Jun 2002 22:32:43 -0500
Reply-To:     wilden1@JUNO.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Westy Fridge-Checking Propane Pressure
Comments: To: mjruskin@SHAW.CA
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I guess I just did it the lazy Texas way.
Bought a nice big computer CPU fan on a heat sink, stuck it onto the
sidewall in the fridge.
Gets the fridge 10 degrees lower in 90+ outside temps running on LP.
Gets about the same reduction on 110 Volts.

Stan Wilder

On Sat, 8 Jun 2002 22:23:56 -0500 Marshall <mjruskin@SHAW.CA> writes:
> Another post of interest to the fridge-obsessed.
>
> Marshall Ruskin
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mark Drillock" <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 1999 07:41 AM
> Subject: Westy Fridge-Checking Propane Pressure
>
>
> > DO NOT do this is you do not understand what you are doing. I
> measured
> > it with a tool made from a long piece of clear hose. You must
> remove one
> > of the copper lines from the "y" fitting at the tank regulator and
> push
> > it to one side out of the way. The lower one is easiest to get to.
> I
> > first removed the bottom shield from the tank. It is held on by
> two 13
> > mm bolts and nuts.  Use a wrench on the square sides of the "y" to
> hold
> > it while you use a wrench on the copper tubing nut. I disconnected
> the
> > lower copper line from the propane tank and pushed the 5/8" ID
> hose over
> > the nipple. The hose needs to be 6-10 feet long. Bend the rest of
> it
> > into a "U" shape touching the ground and fill the bottom of the
> "U" with
> > water. The water should be 12" deep on each side of the "U". DO
> NOT put
> > in too much water. DO NOT move the hose so that the water goes all
> the
> > way to the tank. Now move the sides of the "U" closer together and
> look
> > at the height of the water in each. They should match. Now turn on
> the
> > propane and the gas will push down on one end of the water and the
> other
> > will of course rise. Use a tape measure or ruler and measure the
> height
> > difference of the ends of the water. The Dometic spec is 11
> inches. Mine
> > was at 8 inches and I set it to 10. On the body of the Marshall
> pressure
> > regulator is a white plastic screw in plug. Remove this plug to
> get at
> > the adjustment screw. A Phillips screwdriver is needed to turn
> the
> > adjusting screw. DO NOT MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT UNLESS YOU HAVE THE
> "GAUGE"
> > CONNECTED AND WORKING. I found that on my Marshall 260 that one
> FULL
> > turn clockwise increased the pressure by 1 inch. I set mine to 10
> > inches. CHECK FOR LEAKS WITH SOAPY WATER AFTER RECONNECTING THE
> COPPER
> > GAS LINE.
> >
> > Mark
> >
> >
> >
> > drc11 wrote:
> > >
> > > Mark, how did you measure 8 vs 11 inches?  Is it marked on the
> adjustment
> > > screw/knob?  madeline
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
> > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > > Date: Monday, May 24, 1999 9:44 AM
> > > Subject: Westy Fridge Now Works Great! 23 Degrees F
> > >
> > > >Yesterday I made the discovery that the propane pressure was
> set to
> only
> > > >8 inches on my 82 Westy. The Dometic manual specifies 11
> inches. Since
> > > >last week when I blew out the fridge flue vents with compressed
> air,
> > > >this unit has been lighting easily and staying lit for days on
> end. It
> > > >has been cooling down to 37 degrees F when left overnight set
> to max. I
> > > >thought that this was pretty good, especially after hearing
> from many
> > > >people that they would love for theirs to work this well. My 87
> Syncro
> > > >Camper on the other hand cools down to 27 degrees overnight
> with the
> > > >temp setting knob straight up, not max. I wondered why the one
> cooled
> so
> > > >well, and some suggested that I was just "lucky" to have a
> "super"
> > > >fridge that few others had. This turns out not to be the case.
> The
> > > >"super" fridge is running on 10.5 inches of pressure. When I
> increased
> > > >the pressure on my 82 Westy tank regulator from 8 up to 10
> inches, that
> > > >refrigerator suddenly became a "super" model too. It cooled
> overnight
> > > >down to 28 degrees with the temp knob straight up. Early this
> morning I
> > > >set it to max and the temp fell to 23 degrees. The sun induced
> temp
> > > >inside the van is now 84 degrees. This is a 60 degree
> difference.
> What's
> > > >more, the fridge is not running full blast to maintain this
> temperature,
> > > >but is cycling on and off under thermostatic control. This
> implies
> > > >additional cooling capacity in reserve to maintain the low
> fridge temp
> > > >as the ambient air temp increases. I urge anyone who needs more
> cooling
> > > >to investigate the pressure setting of their tank regulator.
> This
> simple
> > > >adjustment made a HUGE difference. I am not saying that this
> will
> > > >magically fix all problems, only that the pressure drastically
> affects
> > > >cooling capacity. DO NOT set it above the factory spec of 11
> inches. I
> > > >suggest 10 inches as a starting point. At high altitudes a
> lower
> setting
> > > >may be needed as there is less oxygen in the air. Also if the
> flue vent
> > > >system is not completely clear, there may not be enough oxygen
> coming
> in
> > > >to support the higher burn rate with the higher pressure. Both
> of these
> > > >situations can result in the fridge flame going out. All of my
> tests
> and
> > > >most of my camping is at very near sea level. THANKS to
> everyone who
> has
> > > >so far taken part in this Westy Fridge Project. Thanks to Otmar
> for
> > > >suggesting propane pressure as an avenue to pursue and to David
> Beierl
> > > >for the simple but effective measuring device design. Let's
> keep at it
> > > >until they all work well.
> > > >
> > > >Mark Drillock
> >
>
>
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