Date:         Wed, 13 Sep 2006 19:49:05 -0600
Reply-To:     Richard A Jones <jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard A Jones <jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Mod keeps your fridge lit while driving.
In-Reply-To:  <20060913234549.CC8CF7C63C@mx13.Colorado.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

>>  What is the benefit that makes this
>> > additional risk worthwhile?
>> >
>> > - Ron Salmon
>> >   The Bus Depot, Inc.
>> >   www.busdepot.com
>> >   (215)  234-VWVW
>
> The main benefit for me is not having to remember to light the fridge
> when I stop driving. If I have perishables in there, and I forget on a
> hot day, game over!
>
> -andy

Driving with the fridge on propane--or even the propane valve
"open" is a touchy subject and I don't want to start up flames--
again.  But....

There is no thermostatic control when running in 12V.  If you
stop for lunch or whatever, for an hour to two, there is no
cooling either.  If you drive for hours, maybe your lettuce
will freeze.

I light my fridge when I leave and turn it off when I get home.
It runs on propane--up to 3 weeks.  (I have two tanks.)  I
set the thermostat about "8 pm" and it stays 30+ degrees at
night to whatever in the hot days.  We have ice cubes for
cocktails when we stop.  ;-)

I consider the risk of the propane-running fridge when I
gas up or otherwise to be minimal and acceptable.

Not to mock John's clever air deflector, but....
mine never blows out.  I wash my car sometimes with it running--
not to hit the vent directly--and it hasn't gone out.  I'm
not bragging--this is the way it was designed.  If it doesn't
work, something is wrong.  Well, it DOES go out sometimes--in
Baja at sea level and at Molas Lake at 10,000'--just about 6
am, when it is coolest (coldest) and the air the most still and
the humidity the highest.  When mine went out in Baja, Mark
Drillock's went out, too.  Go figure; still some mystery in life.

I just was out for several days, 5000' to 11,900', temps from
70 to 25 degrees.  Rough 4x4 roads, bouncing around, highway
roads in rain storms.  My blue light never went out.  (I have
the historic blue LED replacement.)  Well, in the cold nights,
my lettuce DID freeze a little.

My point is that your fridge should light, stay lit, run fine
and keep your food cold.  Otherwise, something is not right.
Too many people put up with fridge troubles--or don't even use
their fridge except for storage.  The archives are full of info
on how to pull your fridge and clean the burner compartment
(vanagon.com under the "Info" section), checking your propane
pressure (Mark Drillock in the archive, 23 Sept 2002) and other
stuff.  (A good RV dealer can check your pressure--and will
check the setting of a new regulator they sell you.  (If you
have the old, original "square" regulator, you should replace
it with the "round" one, anyway.)

If you want cold beer when you stop for the day, or ice cubes
in your margarita, or whatever, you deserve it.  Don't settle
for less.

                                Richard A Jones
                                Boulder, Colorado