Date:         Wed, 19 Jun 2002 14:14:27 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: refrigerator - high altitude operation
Comments: To: "Russell F. Maginnis" <rfmaginnis@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <DAV56uIU1Gj03oHMwVN00001c51@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 01:55 PM 6/19/2002, Russell F. Maginnis wrote:
>First question:
>I have an 84 Westy with a Dometic 182 refrigerator.  It will not operate on
>gas at above about 4,000 feet.  I usually camp above 8,000 ft.  I understand
>there is a fitting that is intended to permit operation at high altitudes
>but have heard that (1) it is not available and (2) once installed, the
>refrigerator fails to operate on gas at any altitude!  Suggestions or
>sources, anyone?

For high altitude problems, you can install a smaller jet (prolly not
available) or adjust your regulator to lower pressure.  From 11" WC, knock
it back to maybe around 8 and see what happens.  You want it as high as
will work...

>Second question:
>I have an auxiliary or "house" battery, starting variety,  under the
>driver's seat.  It operates the refrigerator even when the ignition is off.
>Great for stop and go driving.  At altitude, I inadvertently left the
>refrigerator on DC all night (more than 8 hours) at an exterior temperature
>below freezing.  It operated the refrigerator all night (freezing a quart of
>milk).  Yet, on this list I read that the refrigerator operates continuously
>irrespective of the temperature it obtains.  If so, within a few hours it
>should have drained that battery, at 7 amps per hour,  but it did not.
>Explanation, anyone?

Black magic?  Possibly someone rewired the thermostat to work with 12v as
well as 110v?  Prolly not, you'd probably have an extra switch on the panel
to shift the thermostat.  7 amps x 8 hours is of course about 55 amp-hours,
which would probably bring a starting battery down pretty good.  I vote for
black magic.

david


--
David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"