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Date:         Wed, 9 Jun 2004 00:41:48 -0400
Reply-To:     Jason Willenbrock <pooncerelli@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jason Willenbrock <pooncerelli@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: ugh!! fridge still blowing out!!FOLLOWUP RESULTS
Comments: To: abagdan@shaw.ca
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

thanks alfred, wanted to let you know that i finally got my fridge to stop blowing out. first i cleaned and resealed the combustion chamber then reinstalled to see if that did the trick. nope, first 55 mile blew her out. so after a couple of days i decided to adjust, what appeared to be a perfectly aligned flue, alas success! it turns out the flue plate? in the middle which just hanges there had some little curves to it from being tweeked down. i straightened it and also angled the flue exhaust slightly down (it looked like it was angled too far up). took her for a drive on the windiest day of the year at about 65-70 miles an hour and voila! still burning. i have to listen to the flue to tell if it is burning since my wiring harness is not hooked up. since i cleaned it, it sounds like a mini jet engine in there. fridge cools to about a record 45-50 degrees (that's right, it was 96 degrees and fridge temp was a cool 46) below outside temp (with some help from a 12 volt fan and ice packs) i am very happy and thanks for your help and also there were several others who told me to play with the flue, so thanks to you as well. cold beer and loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jason 87 syncro westy

>From: Alfred Bagdan <abagdan@shaw.ca> >To: Jason Willenbrock <pooncerelli@HOTMAIL.COM>, vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Subject: Re: ugh!! fridge still blowing out!! >Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 09:52:41 -0600 > >Hi Jason, > >Here is a reprint on how I fixed my fridge in 2000. The blowing out part >is in bold print at the end. > >I bought my 85 Westy new in 85. The fridge worked but never >got very cold and kept blowing out while driving. I thought >that this was as it should be. Since joining the Vannagon >list I found all kinds of material in the archives. Last >summer I finally slid the fridge out. The fan was resting >against a pipe and couldn't turn. I'm surprised it had not >ceased as the electrical supply to it was ok. After >cleaning the combustion chamber, orifice and sealing >everything off properly it now works great. I even figured >out the theory of the lighting procedure so I have no more >problems with that. I then went on a 2 week trip and left >the fridge on all the time. Not once did it blow out and it >actually made ice in the little tray. >Here is what I did: >I opened the combustion chamber and removed all the dust. >There was quite a bit in there. I also removed the gas >orifice and soaked it in alcohol overnight, then let it dry >out. Do not poke any needles or wires through the orifice >as you will ruin it (It is made out of a gemstone and is >very brittle). When putting back together make sure to seal >it again airtight as any leak will tend to blow out your >flame. Get some high temperature gasket sealer if you >ruined the original gasket when opening the box. As for the >fan not running, check the small temperature switch fastened >to the fins of the heat exchanger near the top. Make sure >it makes good contact. As the fridge starts to operate the >fins get hot which closes the switch and turns on the fan. >I tested mine while I had the fridge out by making the >electrical connections and then blowing hot air from a >heatgun onto the switch (A hair drier on high should work >too). If it works your ok, If not bypass the temp switch to >check if the switch is faulty. Before putting the fridge >back in click the sparker and Check if you can see a spark >in the combustion chamber, make sure you do otherwise you >won't be able to light the fridge. When sliding the fridge >back in, be very careful with the spark wire as it is at the >very bottom edge of the fridge and you can easily shear it >off from the sparker (I did) and then try to fix it or try >to find another one which isn't easy. When you have the >fridge in, connect the propane and the electricals but leave >the outside vent cap off until you get the fridge to work on >gas. Bleed the air out of the line by lighting the stove >for a bit and pushing in the lighting knob for the fridge >for a while. Blow in air into the combustion chamber from >outside by blowing into the tube which is off the center. >The center tube is the exhaust vent. Now light the fridge >and let it run. Listen to the fan come on. Feel the heat >of the fins by reaching in the through the hole on the left >of the cabinet, when the grille is still off. Once your >fridge is working as it should, carefully put the outside >vent assembly together. It is critical you put it together >properly and add some sealer on the rubber gaskets (I used >transparent silicone sealer). The intake air must come in >only through the off centre hole and not from the sides. >You don't want any wind-pressure to get in as you are >driving and blow out the flame. > >Anyway good luck > >Alfred >85 Westy > >

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