Date:         Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:52:42 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dometic condensation drain
Comments: To: Daniel O Stevens <dosteven@syr.edu>
In-Reply-To:  <150FA8AFF2107045B69F9BF548F3E841016341CC@SUEXCL-02.ad.syr.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Another thing about changing the amount of air coming in... placement of the
tip of the flame under the evaporator is critical to proper operation. The
way the dometic unit was designed, the "offset" of the flame by the moving
air that feeds it is calculated into the design of the unit. More or less
air than the unit was designed for puts the hot tip of the flame other than
where it was intended.
Jim,

(whose fridge runs great but has never run more than 50 feet while moving).

On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 3:33 PM, Daniel O Stevens <dosteven@syr.edu> wrote:

> Leaving it open could induce a 'draft' from the interior up the chimney
> flue.
> Certainly while motoring down the road.
> This would create turbulence in the combustion chamber and can very
> likely cause the pilot/flame to be blown out.
>
> The combustion intake & exhaust are in the very near same place on the
> outside of the van body to reduce chances of an atmospheric pressure
> differential which would create an excessive draft and blow out your
> fridge flame.
>
> It is the close proximity that allows it to remain lit during driving.
>
>
> Dan Stevens
> Empire State VW Camping Club
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> From:    Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Re: WHat is this for
>
> You got me curious about whether the drain plug should be always be in
> place or not, so I looked it up in the VW manual and the Dometic
> manual. Interesting that nothing was mentioned in the Dometic manual.
> The camper manual only mentioned "To drain accumulated water due to
> normal condensation, open the screw on the condensation drain pipe."
> I would assume that in normal operation you should leave the plug in
> place. I've always left mine open! Now I wonder what, if any,
> performance difference there would be. It also said that the flue vent
> must be kept uncovered at all times and only when you wash the camper
> or when using an automatic car wash should it be covered. It makes
> sense that it should be off during operation of the fridge, but why
> would they say "at all times"?
>
> Keith O
>