Date:         Wed, 9 Nov 2005 07:45:39 -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
Comments: To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <25c.8f9ffa.30a337fd@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

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