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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


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