Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 13:23:54 -0700
Reply-To: Malcolm Stebbins <mwstebbins@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Malcolm Stebbins <mwstebbins@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Fixed Propane Fridge
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
In early August the propane part of my van's fridge
stopped working 3 days from home. I have now taken
the fridge out and cleaned out the dust from the fins
and the crud from the combustion chamber. Put it back
in and it still did not light. bummer
So I took it out again and started tracing the
problem:
1) propane? Yes, stove works 2) correct regulator
pressure? - didn't check it - I assumed the regulator
was OK 3) Tried to blow through the fridge's
propane tubes, and even with the by-pass button pushed
no air getting through. mmmmmmmm
I got out my fire extinguisher and then part, by part,
by part, I took apart the propane lines that are on
top of the fridge and checked for blockage. I found
some crud just before the propane On-Off switch (on
top of the fridge), but not enough to block the
propane, and after cleaning out that crud still no air
would go through the system.
I disconnected the small propane line from the top of
the fridge and from the combustion chamber. Full flow
of air through it. Full flow of air through the
ON/OFF valve (on top of the fridge) when I had the
by-pass valve open. mmmmmm
I unscrewed the propane jet from the combustion
chamber and held it up to the light ---- no light,
no hole ??? I hunted up my carb cleaner and sprayed
that in both ends of the jet to clean it out --- Oh
yes, now a nice TINY round hole (don't use metal in
the hole as the jet is brass and easily destroyed). I
also used carb cleaner on the on/off valve to clean
that.
I hooked a flex hose up to the van's propane feed and
to the fridge (while the fridge was out, and I
unscrewed the combustion chamber and held it to the
side so I could check the flame.
I hooked it all back up and it lit first time,
immediately. I'm glad that I'm not afraid of taking
things apart.
I have more photos of the combustion chamber and the
flame at http://photos.yahoo.com/mwstebbins in the
Westy Fridge folder.
Also what I learned is that I can turn the Propane
elect. switch off after the fridge has been lit, this
may be a good idea if I'm not in the van as if the
propane goes out and the elect. switch is ON, it will
continue to click (but the propane will shut off (due
to the heat sensor). If I'm in the van (at night)
I'll leave the elect switch on, so that I'll hear the
click, click, click if the propane goes off.
This whole procedure was just common sense, unscrew
this that and the other and check it one stage at a
time. If you have any questions please ask, If you
are reading this from the archives and the photos are
no longer there, please write and, if I still have
them, I'll put them back up. Enjoy, Malcolm (now a
propane fridge self-styled, shade-tree expert).
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