Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2008 15:46:36 -0600
Reply-To: Stu Schwartz <sschwartz999i@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stu Schwartz <sschwartz999i@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Fridge again....
In-Reply-To: <9D9BF9A0-A9E6-4E72-A203-19A6200A0777@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Kim,
I thought so. With the engine on it still doesn't blink. Is it possible
that when it was rewired by my RV FLAPS, they did it wrong?
Is there a something simple that I could do to fix it? If the igniter is bad
it won't blink as well?
--peace--
stu
On Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:33:59 -0400, Kim Brennan wrote:
>Well, the amber light staying on, instead of blinking is a big clue.
>The blinking indicates sparking, no blinking, no sparking.
>In my experience this can be caused by too low voltage (check your
>battery.) See if it will blink when the engine is running, which
>should be putting out enough voltage to allow it to get lit.)
>Another possibilities is that the ignitor (not the sparker) itself
>has gone bad. I just recently replaced mine (on my 91). It was visibly
>damaged so I knew it was time to replace it. To get at the ignitor
>(or sparker) you will need to pull the fridge to inspect.
>On Oct 5, 2008, at 3:45 PM, Stu Schwartz wrote:
>> BTW.. I have checked "Reefer Madness" - great article...doesn't
>> necessarily help yet....I also checked the archives and vanagon.com...
>>
>> Can't get it to light on propane...with a catch.
>> Symptoms...
>>
>> 1. Refrigerator works on AC
>> 2. Don't know about battery/DC
>> 3. When following the starting instructions...there is one
>> instruction that says the amber light will blink when you turn on
>> the gas button. Mine doesn't blink, it
>> comes on and stays on. BTW...it used to blink a couple of years
>> ago. Since then I had an electrical problem and the RV place
>> "fixed" the electric
>> problem...possibly causing this problem. Also, the fridge didn't
>> work with propane before this electrical problme either.
>>
>> I plan on executing the following before removing the fridge ( have
>> already done 1 and 2, however):
>>
>> 1. Try wildly pumping the air supply pump at least 30 times before
>> pressing
>> the button that supplies LP gas to the refrigerator. This will
>> ensure there
>> is oxygen there for ignition when the refrigerator needs it. If you
>> press the
>> LP gas supply button too soon the LP Gas can push away Oxygen that
>> you need
>> for ignition to occur.
>>
>> 2. Try alternatively pushing the air supply pump/ignite plunger (far
>> left) in
>> all the way over and over again as you press the gas supply button.
>> Each time
>> the plunger goes all the way in you can hear a noise as it sends a
>> spark into
>> the combustion chamber. Who knows, one of the sparks might light.
>>
>> 3. Try breathing or pushing air into the little metal drainage tube
>> that
>> comes underneath the refrigerator to its front left bottom.
>> Alternatively,
>> try sucking air out of this metal tube, into your mouth, and then
>> push the
>> air from your mouth without inhaling any of it. (You will usually
>> notice
>> smoke was in there, which was preventing ignition.) This tube is
>> capped by a
>> little screw on metal plug on the end of a tiny chain, which you
>> unscrew.
>> Blowing air into this little tube may disturb debris in the combustion
>> chamber which is impeding proper operation. It will also cause
>> Oxygen to
>> enter the chamber to make combustion work better. When you're done,
>> screw the
>> little cap back on this little pipe to avoid problems with water
>> draining
>> onto the floor, or the flame blowing out while you drive.
>>
>> I have a Bently manual which shows how to remove the fridge starting
>> with section 76.24.
>> Any parts to be worried about that I need to be extra careful with?
>> Are there any tools I should have beyond a standard set of
>> screwdrivers, socket wrenches, etc?
>> How long should it take me given that I am not very handy and I have
>> never worked on this before?
>> Should I get help or can one person do it?
>> Obviously the blue light cannot be seen easily inside the fridge,
>> but can I depend on the monitor light on the front panel of the
>> cabinet (under the water
>> levels) to tell the true story...i.e if it's lit then the fridge is
>> working on propane? (under the water level)
>>
>> I live in the Denver area...do any of you local folks want to help
>> with the fridge? :) I'll set up a day for the work and we can work
>> it out together? Even if
>> you are a novice, I wouldn't mind...2 heads, etc.
>>
>> --peace--
>> stu
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