Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 11:18:22 -0300
Reply-To: "Giasson, Pascal (DNR/MRN)" <Pascal.Giasson@GNB.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Giasson, Pascal (DNR/MRN)" <Pascal.Giasson@GNB.CA>
Subject: Re: Does The Fridg Fan Blow or Suck? & Combustion Chamber
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Regarding Alistair's comment on combustion chamber. When I took my
fridge out last fall and tested it in the dark I could see the flame
through gaps in where the chimney gasket was. The top plate of the
combustion chamber was a little warped and very hard to straighten out.
I got a new rubber gasket but could not find replacement ones for the
air intake and chimney. I used the old ones and sealed everything up
with RTV high temp Silicone gasket. Just thought you folks might have
the same leaky combustion chamber and not know it. BTW my fridge worked
fine before resealing the combustion chamber so even if your fridge
appears to be working OK you may want to have a look for leaks next time
you have the fridge out.
Pascal
'84 Westy
-----Original Message-----
From: Alistair Bell [mailto:albell@uvic.ca]
Sent: August 21, 2005 11:55 PM
To: Giasson, Pascal (DNR/MRN)
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Does The Fridg Fan Blow or Suck?
Hi,
I agree with Pascal's opinion on airflow. Further, I have had some
"interesting" experiences with my fridge and fan on my 3 week summer
camping trip (just returned).
A few months ago I took out the fridge and added a shroud enclosing the
cooling coils at the back of the fridge. It was made from perf. steel
sheet, bent into a shallow "U" and screwed to the fridge. Over that I
attached the aluminized bubbled wrap stuff used as insulation. This was
an effort to enhance the convection effect back there and to aid my
replacement fan (a muffin type computer fan) which I found to be working
more often than the stock unit.
During other camping trips this summer I found that the fan was cycling
just as often as without the shroud. I was dismayed.
On this last trip the fridge lit as usual and for the first few days
worked well, the fan coming on more often than I would have liked. Also
I noted combustion noise which I never had heard before. But then the
fridge went out (camping altitude approx 4000 ft) and was hard to
re-light. Once lit it worked perfectly, icing up fins etc.
Finally at another camping site (5000 ft), the fridge would not stay
lit. It would ignite but I had to keep pumping air pump to keep it
going. I got pissed off and whipped the damn thing out and tore the
combustion chamber apart. I had thought that the jet or chamber itself
was "crudded-up" for i had been tempted into using a touchless car wash
before the trip. Was a new car wash and boy did it ever blast the water
and air on the van, most powerful I had ever experienced :)
The combustion chamber was clean, as was the jet. I ran a stand of wire
through the orifice anyway. But what I did notice was that one of the
screws holding the combustion chamber together was loose, the one around
the bend and over the gas line penetration. I also noted that the fan
temp sensor was loose in its bracket. I fixed both things and popped the
fridge back in.
It was slow to light but once lit ran perfectly, and curiously, the fan
duty cycle was reduced. The combustion noise was gone too.
What can I conclude? Maybe the loose screw allowed air in affecting the
combustion? Maybe the loose temp sensor resulted in the frequent fan
cycling?
Oh and Pascal, after you mentioned that your new brighter fridge LED was
staying on whether fridge was lit or not I had the same thing happen
too. Puzzling for it was working normally before. I am suspecting a
faulty thermocouple for I saw the light wink out before my eyes and
begin too function normally.
Ah, fun with Vanagons.
PS I met a fellow camper with pop up camper on back of Toyota who had
recently replaced his Dometic ($1000!). Was more than surprised that my
'82 fridge had still enough H2/NH3 in system to work never mind freeze
fins.
Alistair
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
On 21-Aug-05, at 6:31 PM, Pascal Giasson wrote:
I believe the fan would suck air in from the bottom vent and blow it out
the top vent. When the fan is not running the air moves in that same
direction by convection current. Could you please let me know how you
make out and how you like the new motor. I bought one of those motors
as a spare just in case.
Pascal
'84 Westy