Date:         Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:37:36 -0700
Reply-To:     neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Dometic high altitude lighting tips
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi all.

I had posted earlier that if fridge already cooled down on AC, when
switching to LP mode it may help to make sure thermostat is turned up to
"max".

Contrary to the above, it seems at higher altitudes, getting a small flame
(pilot mode) established to warm up thermal coupling helps.

At higher altitudes, I'm having consistent trouble lighting fridge in
morning. Usually I turn it down at night, (flame may go out) or I turn it
off completely to conserve aux. battery power (aux. battery not holding a
good charge. Rear fan tends to stay on all the time in hot weather)

What I do for morning lighting:

Turn thermostat to lowest setting. Light it. Hold yellow gas button while
flame is at smallest (min) setting for at least a minute. Turn thermostat up
to get bigger flame. If flame gets smaller (looks like it's dying) turn down
thermostat. If goes out, try again. Repeat if ness. This takes somore than 4
attempts in my case, but after several trys, it stays lit all. Even while
driving. The idea it seems, is to get things going with the lowest flame
before turning up thermostat.

One other theory related to this problem. Light stove when trying to get
bigger flame established on fridge. Maybe it would reduce amount of LP
pressure to jet in combustion chamber??  Haven't tried this yet. Will
tomorrow.

It may simply be that the thermal couple in combustion chamber is on its'
last legs. To look at it, it is "frayed" at end. Not nice looking like the
one in the 182B spare I have in basement. Regardless, it seems like flame is
starving for oxygen.

Not likely many people in my boat. The good news is that even when ambient
(in van) in the low 90's F, the fridge cools just fine.

Cheers,

Neil.

--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia -
"Jaco"  (Bustorius)

http://web.mac.com/tubaneil

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