Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2005 12:19:12 -0800
Reply-To: Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Subject: Re: dometic 182b question
In-Reply-To: <002801c5e565$dd7706b0$0202a8c0@ibmt23def>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
In the climate i find myself camping in mostly, the 40- 45 degree diff
is fine :)
One thing I would like to improve upon is the fridge insulation. Of
course there is no space as is to install more on the outside. I t
would require some cabinet modification. I wonder if the newer fridges
have thicker or fancier insulation
Alistair
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
On 9-Nov-05, at 11:43 AM, Doug F wrote:
I did some tests with my 85 fridge unit I now use in my 87 syncro westy
conversion.
After several days and weeks of testing. My particular fridge could only
hold about a 40-45 degree differential between inside and outside air
temps.
The fins would freeze up and make ice in the evening but on 95 degree
days
the ice thaws and the interior temps reach well above the required 40
degree
max for a fridge to be safe.
I hope that the 182 b performance varies and I can find a cooling unit
that
performs as you state.
My overall feeling was that a 40-45 degree differential is not
sufficient
for my needs and I have looked to Engel and other possibilities to
create a
better fridge situation.
Perhaps if there was a modern day version of the 182b that could be
purchased new that would help, I also feel a "hybrid" between a propane
powered fridge and a highly efficient swing compressor system used in
tandem
would be ideal so you could run the fridge efficiently on DC and offer
temps
as low as 0 degrees F on 100 degree days.
just my .03
Doug
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alistair Bell" <albell@UVIC.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 7:45 AM
Subject: Re: dometic 182b question
> Frank,
>
> while not wanting to defend VW engineering I disagree with your
> statements below about the skylight and the fridge not working above an
> 80F cabin temp.
>
> My fridge works just fine at 81 F cabin temps. The sliding window
> behind the fridge does a good job venting the fridge heat, no need for
> the skylight.
>
>
> Alistair
>
>
> '82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
> http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
>
> On 9-Nov-05, at 3:31 AM, Frank Condelli wrote:
>
> Piss poor design plain and simple. NO OTHER RV vents the fridge to
> the
> interior of the vehicle. The fridge should have been sealed off to
> the vehicle
> and vented to the exterior. I have installed a 3" ~ 4" pancake fan in
> the
> city water port as previously described by someone on this list. This
> has been
> the single most beneficial thing that has improved the Dometic
> operation in
> warm weather. The amount of heat being blown out of that port will
> amaze you
> when you think that all that heat was previously being contained in
> the van
> and trying to exit through the skylight if you remembered to keep it
> open.
> Once the interior temperature surpasses 80 degrees F the fridge ceases
> to work,
> no more possibility of heat transfer ~ no more cooling ~ plain &
> simple !
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank Condelli