Date:         Tue, 25 May 2004 10:07:55 -0400
Reply-To:     David Brodbeck <gull@GULL.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Brodbeck <gull@GULL.US>
Subject:      Re: GAS HEATER SWITCH.. was Re: I found a "Mystery Switch" ...
Comments: To: Bob Elliott <bobe@WEBTIDE.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <6.1.0.6.2.20040524150719.030240f8@granite.belcarra.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Mon, 24 May 2004, Bob Elliott wrote:

> My misgivings about the BA6 came from reading Jack Reed's disclaimer on
> his Type2.com page about the Eberspacher BA6 (please see the quote from
> the Jack Reed article below) and that was enough to put me on alert
> regarding the safety of the unit and to tell me I needed an experienced
> service person to work on it.

It's a disclaimer, like the disclaimer in your Bentley telling you that
working on car engines is hazardous.  It's no doubt there so someone
doesn't sue him later if they do something stupid. ;)  The BA-6 is safe
when used as designed, but you do have to respect it.  There's always
someone out there who would blissfully bypass the safety switches just to
get the thing to light and then get themself in trouble.

VW put these heaters in thousands of vans, and similar ones have been used
in Corvairs and small aircraft.  If they were really a hazard to life and
limb there wouldn't still be so many around.


David Brodbeck, N8SRE
'86 Volvo 240DL wagon
'82 VW Vanagon Westfalia Diesel