Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 20:04:07 -0700
Reply-To: Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Dometic condensation drain
In-Reply-To: <4d1b79350806031352s12e20871ha3988f41e99bfbe5@mail.gmail.com>
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This is very interesting. I just spent a week in my '82 Westy and noticed
it works great on propane, much better than expected. Too good, possibly.
Once it was down to near freezing. Same as Jim's, the pilot blows out with
any vehicle speed. It seemed to not work on 12 volts so I'm planning to
investigate that next.
Didn't even know it had a drain plug but after seeing the murky water in the
bottom this morning (we unloaded the remaining food last night) I
immediately thought of 'draining'. The Bentley is all I have so could one
of you tell me where this drain plug is located?
On 6/3/08, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 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
> >
>
--
Neil
'82 Diesel Westy
Peace of
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