Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:46:16 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Dometic Fridge: Bah Humbug! <grin>
In-Reply-To: <20100811213123.AVITW.1404613.imail@eastrmwml45>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
The one in my van stays on propane always. Don't even know if it works on
12v because it works really well on propane and my battery never goes dead.
It does work on 110...tried that once when I first installed the interior in
my tin top..
About every 3 weeks, sometimes a month even, I drop off my propane tank
(a smaller trailer-sized one (5-6 gals?) that lives in the cabinet below my
sink) at my local propane/gas station, pick it up next time I go past. Swap
in a full tank and re-light the fridge till next time. Every once in a
great while it will blow out, but I do live in the Columbia River Gorge,
where gusts of over 60mph happen most every day.
I use my van as my work and bicycle vehicle as well as my Adventure
vehicle.....I leave all my hydration and bike energy food in the fridge,
water bottles, etc and I always have it there, ready to ride, should I get
the chance. My bike and 'costume' rides inside, too..most of the time.. I
have the propane tank well secured in that cabinet with some vent holes
through the floor (propane is heavier than air)...I have had campers with
hard mounted tanks under....and they are a total pain! Not only do you have
to get in line with all the big RVs to fill up (when in resort areas) and
you must take the whole vehicle into the GAS outlet in Mexican cities. I
have also torn the stupid tank off a van while in the backcountry of
Baja...and spent the next month cooking over sticks and stuff....ever try to
find firewood in Baja? Or someone to replace your RV-style propane tank?..
Or how bout trying to fill one of those danglers in the middle of Wyoming in
January with ice and frozen mud covering everything? Or you are trying to
get away on Friday, quickly after work and your go..."Hey, wonder if I have
enough propane for this weekend" so you of course find yourself low and
then you gotta take the van and fill it up....Not me, I just pop in a full
reserve tank and top off the other one at my leisure...No last minute fill
up or search for propane on the way to "The Lake, the beach, the bike race,
the ski hill...whatever"
Right, I know, "Not Safe!" "Against the law" "Not stock!"...but you know
what? It works for me, much better than the other way..and 12v fridges have
left me with flat batteries, so I don't use em. .BTW, my fridge has no fans
anywhere..
Don Hanson
|