Date:         Thu, 5 Aug 2004 17:01:12 -0700
Reply-To:     MC <gipsyflies@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         MC <gipsyflies@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Fire Talk - Campers
Comments: To: jeff@VANAGONPARTS.COM
In-Reply-To:  <CAEOIPKOOCKNBBDDDMBPKEOMFBAA.jeff@vanagonparts.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Jeff,

If you leave the switch at 12V and run off gas while you are camping it
will only run the burner from the gas. Let say then you want to get
under way. Unless you open the fridge door and switch off the gas valve,
the burner now runs off both 12V and gas. The fridge will stay colder
for 2 reasons:

1) You didn't open the door to spill out the cold air and let in hot
air.
2) The burner is running off 12V (unregulated) and gas.

I have done so accidentally but I don't think it is a good thing to run
of both because the burner will get too hot.

I always do the following and yet my fridge is cold enough:
Getting ready for trip - on AC for at least 4 hours.
Drving - always on 12V only.
Camping - always on propane only.

I found that AC cannot keep the fridge cool enough. I believe this is
the limitation of the wattage of the AC heating element.



- Vince



-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Jeff at Vanagonparts
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 4:10 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Fire Talk - Campers


I've heard that the fridge will work better if you switch it to 12V
whilst leaving the burner on.  Does anyone know if this is indeed true?

Cheers,

Jeff


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of mark drillock
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 3:49 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Fire Talk - Campers


Yes, once it is lit the fridge flame stays on until the gas on/off knob
is turned to 'gas off'. Flipping the rocker switch to 12 volt or 110
volt DOES NOT turn the gas flame off. You must turn the gas supply off
either at the fridge control panel or at the tank main valve.

Once lit the fridge gas function requires no electricity and therefore
NO electrical switch controls it. Also, unlike most familiar gas
appliances, with the Westy fridge there is no separate pilot flame and
burner flame. There is only one flame with 2 settings. The gas control
valve either lets a tiny amount of gas flow to the burner for a pilot
flame or it turns that same flame on full blast.There is no in between
setting. The setting of the temp knob does not make the flame larger or
smaller. It only tells the control valve how often and how long to run
the flame on full versus pilot. That is how a given fridge temp is
maintained. The gas control valve cycles the flame back and forth
between pilot and max as needed to maintain the setting of the temp
knob.

Mark


 developtrust wrote:

>Paul, do you know if the pilot light remains on if you switch to
>battery while traveling? Or can this pilot light remain on even though
>you are
using
>the battery position for the refrigerator?
>
>
>
>Listees,
>
>I witnessed a rather horrific event yesterday. I live and work in
>Frisco Colorado, and my office is just across the street from what used

>to be a Conoco gas station. The final verdict is not yet out, but as
>eyewitnesses this is what we saw... An older model camper (non VW) was
>filling up at the pump and either (2 differing reports) the camper
>owner unscrewed a "filter" I'm guessing sputter valve (maybe after
>coming over Vail Pass he thought that he should vent it) on his propane

>tank, OR the gas station attendant was changing a filter on the gas
>pump (unlikely since there were vehicles fuelling at all of the pumps).
>Either way, there was a very heavy gaseous mix of propane or gasoline
in
the
>air just waiting for an ignition source... All of a sudden the side of
>the camper erupted in flame covering the guy filling up and then
>quickly enveloped the whole gas station. About eight major explosions
>followed with massive flames which we estimated at over 150 feet, the
>gas station and vehicles were no more, there was 1 dead and six more
>hospitalized. To cut a long story short we are all guessing that the
>camper's fridge was lit providing that all important source of
>ignition.
>
>I for one will be extinguishing the pilot on my fridge before I fill up
with
>gas again.... Just a thought.
>
>Paul Connelly
>Frisco, Co.
>'86 Syncro Westy.
>
>
>