Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 07:59:11 -0600
Reply-To: Paul Chubbuck <paul@OPTECS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Paul Chubbuck <paul@OPTECS.COM>
Subject: Refrigerator help requested
In-Reply-To: <18130203181597@la-mail.optecs.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
After wrestling with my Dometic 182A refrigerator in my '82 Vanagon for the
last month, I've managed to improve performance, but it's still got
problems.
1. Doesn't cool well on warm days.
2. Blows out while driving.
ANY HELP IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!
Problem #1.
I installed remote thermistor probes, one on the cooling fins and one in the
air in the fridge. So I can say that right now, at 7:30 am while the
temperature in the van is about 62 degrees and the fridge has been running
all night on propane, the cooling fins are 12 degrees and the air in the
fridge is 32 degrees. Sounds more than adequate, right? However, very soon
here in New Mexico it will be 85-90 degrees and the temperature in the
fridge will rise to about 70 and the fan in back will turn on and stay on
all day long. That won't keep my milk and meat! Is this normal for this
fridge in warm climates?
Thinking it was the fan in back, I replaced the original, which was pretty
worn out anyway, with one from Radio Shack which is rated at 85 CFM and
pulls .32 Amps. I assumed that would be pushing more air over those fins
than the original. Maybe I was wrong as I see no improvement in warm day
performance at all. I'm concerned that the fan running continuously all day
long will drain the aux. battery.
Maybe there's no solution here. In spite of leaving the roof vent and the
sliding windows open, I know the temperature inside the van often tops 100
degrees. I suspect that the narrow enclosure behind the fridge, where the
burner and cooling fins are also gets VERY hot on a hot day.
Does anyone have experience with this situation or any experience that a
different fan or a second fan would improve warm day performance?
Problem #2.
The burner still blows our while driving. It lights easier and cools better
than it did before I worked on it (see below), but still blows out at
moderate highway speeds.
What I've done so far to try to address this:
Burped the fridge by leaving it upside down for hours (I'm pretty sure this
is the reason performance improved)
Removed and cleaned the orifice.
Cleaned out the burner box.
Carefully sealed the burner box on reassembly with silicone caulk.
Replaced the gasket on the water drain plug in front.
Used a vacumn to blow out the vent pipes.
Inspected the metal flex pipes for defects or leaks. Found none.
Straightened those pipes of any unnecessary curves.
Checked the gas pressure with a professional manometer. It's 11.4 inches
which is right on the money.
Reattached the vent to the outside body, using silicone caulk to seal under
gasket.
I even contacted a Dometic service man and told him all this. The only
additional suggestion he had was to replace the orifice, but having
inspected the original carefully, I really don't think there's anything
wrong with it.
Again, I appreciate any experienced assistance.
Thanks,
Paul