Date:         Thu, 4 Sep 2008 16:49:07 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Fridge wiring?
Comments: To: Ed <fasteddy64@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <720923.45331.qm@web63606.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 12:59 PM 9/4/2008 -0700, Ed wrote:
>Still struggling to make sense of this.
>When using a Westy kitchen in a non-westy van, can I just wire it
>directly to a 12 volt source and have it work?

Don't see why not.

>Which wires do i need to connect?

Um...all of them?

Take a look in the camper wiring section of Bentley, it will show the
connections.  Note that the old-type panel has a big transistor on it
which switches the water-pump power when you turn on the panel.  The
newer panel does not, but there is a jumper (orange, IIRC) in its
plug which permanently powers the pump.  So the connector carries V+,
Ground, pump+, water level sender (green) -- can't think what else
just now.  There's a separate single connector for the thermocouple
wire from the fridge -- old one probably doesn't have that as the old
fridges had meters for the flame.  All this goes to +12 at a fuse in
a double holder at the bottom of the driver's door pillar, which goes
to a distribution main somewhere.

The fridge main +12 goes to the other fuse in that holder, which in
turn is supplied by a relay under the driver's seat, probably fed
direct from the battery.  The relay control leads go to the
alternator D+ (indicator light) circuit, and the hot side of the
starter solenoid which is used as a ground.  This provides an
interlock so the fridge is only powered when the alternator is
charging, and in any case never while cranking.  The fridge also has
a constant +12 driven from the other kitchen fuse -- this it to drive
the cooling fan in the back.  I believe the panel and the fridge are
normally connected to a common ground terminal -- Bentley will show it if so.

The overhead light is wired to the regular interior-lighting circuit,
not really part of the kitchen wiring at all.

David

>Ed
>

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"