Date: Sat, 15 May 2010 15:09:25 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Fridge Exhaust Normal?
In-Reply-To: <1273950292.2377.5.camel@mirror>
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---- Will Taygan <lists@ALASKABIODIESEL.ORG> wrote:
> 82 diesel Westy, stock everything.
>
> PO said he didn't use fridge in his 12 years of ownership.
My PO seldom used the fridge, and never during the last two years of ownership. Fridge works great, all modes.
>
> Surprisingly it works "great" on 120AC.
>
> Pumped up the propane 20-30 times, clicked the button 5 times, and
> voila! the propane "works."
>
> But, I'm concerned about the exhaust. There is just the tiniest stream
> of heat coming out of the exhaust, while there is quite a bit of heat
> coming out of the interior vent on the left side of the fridge near the
> back. Is this normal? I'll probably pull the fridge anyway.
The flue doesn't get very hot. The burner for the refrigerator is quite small (so small that I can't see it in the sight glass at the back, lower, left corner inside the refrigerator, though I guess I could on a dark night). But, twelve years is a long time. Dometic and VW recommend checking connections yearly for leaks. Even though the burner is tiny, it will put out carbon monoxide, and will consume interior oxygen, so I would not want it to vent through a leak into the interior.
>
> Also, someone had mentioned blowing some compressed air in to clean the
> fridge, where does it go?
in that little tube that you ask about next
> And, what is the little tube with a plug in it sticking out from under
> the fridge?
the little tube is there to drain condensate (or rainwater if it comes to that) from the burner assembly. Just take the cap off, and if any water has accumulated, it will drain out there. Seems a bad location to me, as it would put the water in the floor, rather than outside, but mine has never had any water to drain. On the positive, it allows a "cheater" vent to provide a little extra air to the burner when lighting in case it is hard to light. Someone has suggested putting a flexible plastic tube on it and puffing air. Mine has never needed that, either.
I think there are instructions for the refrigerator on line somewhere, and I know there is a post with some pointers about lighting it. Look at The Samba, and also roadhaus.com to check. Or, just google Dometic, I think you'll find it.
Despite all the denigration of the unit by others as being impossible to light, not staying lit, and not cooling adequately, I have been quite pleased. Mine cools well on all three modes (thermometer reads high thirties and frost forms on cooling unit when ambient is in the nineties,). Only time it has heated up was when I left it on battery during extended stops. Well, duh. It turns off then, to save the battery. I do precool mine on A.C. for several hours before a trip, and I put only cold foods in it. I do not use it to cool beer, which I haul in a separate cooler with block ice (frozen in water jugs to avoid mess, which I find will last three days in Texas heat).
>
> Thanks!
>
> Will in Alaska.
--
David McNeely
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