Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:53:42 -0700
Reply-To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Ongoing saga: Dometic and Multimeter . . .
In-Reply-To: <CAEOIPKOOCKNBBDDDMBPGECCKPAB.vw.doka@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Good question.
Thomas. Have you removed the heating element and felt if it's heating
up? (I'll bet it's not)
If this is a 182B, it has two physically separate heating elements.
When checking the element for signs of heat, make sure you're feeling
the right one. I imagine it gets quite hot when working.
In spite of my engine conversion victory, (the wiring was fun! ---
;^), I am not anywhere near an electrical expert. But, as Mike said,
if the element is ok, you should show some kind of resistance when
connecting your VOM to it.
Just disconnect the heating element wires from the connector block and
measure the ohms at the element itself.
Double check wiring against the little wiring diagram on top of
fridge. Likely you've done this but.....
Cheers,
Neil.
On Sat, Jul 26, 2008 at 12:23 PM, Jeff @ Autostadt West
<vw.doka@gmail.com> wrote:
> Uh... have you tested the heating element? Common failure point.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Thomas Jefferson Kitts
> Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 12:15 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Ongoing saga: Dometic and Multimeter . . .
>
>
> Neil (or anyone else who wishes to chime in with expertise):
>
>
> Okay, so I borrowed a multimeter and set it to AC 200 and started
> checking the wiring on top of my Dometic.
>
> And just to remind everyone of my problem, my Dometic 120v power
> source isn't creating any heat.
>
>
> Here is what I found out:
>
> I set the three-way switch to plug in power and plugged the Dometic
> into my household 120 outlet.
>
> 1) When I complete the circuit using the black wire that leaves the
> three-way switch and enter the main screw and plastic connectors
> (using the green ground on the back edge to complete the circuit) I
> get a reading of 119.2-7 volts, as one might expect.
>
> 2) When I complete a circuit using the insulated wire leaving the
> plastic connectors and leading to the 120v heater rod, and touch the
> probe to the same colored wire coming back into the plastic coupler, I
> get an identical voltage reading. (I'm bypassing the heater rod
> altogether.)
>
> and,
>
> 3) When I complete the circuit using the first insulated wire, and
> then complete the circuit by touching the probe to the outer sleeve of
> the 120v heater rod I get the IDENTICAL voltage reading again. (but
> with a more varied fluctuation.)
>
> So I assume then, that there is, in fact, 110-120v power flowing
> through the 120v heating loop when the fridge is plugged in and the
> switch is set.
>
> So why isn't the 120v heater rod getting hot then? Is there a
> thermostat or coupler somewhere that is preventing this? Or something
> else altogether? My Dometic has been plugged in for days with the door
> off.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician but I play one on TV.
>
> TIA,
>
> Thomas
>
--
Neil Nicholson '81 JettaWesty "Jaco
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
| 
