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Date:         Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:48:23 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: How Hot Behind Dometic Fridge On 100+F Day? (insulation
              clearances)
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <4c7175af.8d4ee50a.2183.ffffa4ed@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Just looked up the temperature on/off specification for the refrigerator fan: 140 on, 124 off. These temperatures, according to the manual, apply to the "space around the cooling fins." But the sensor is on one of the fins, not sticking out into the air space

I guess I wondered about the plastic itself, as well as the cell gas content. Nice to know that most foams are blown with non-toxic gas. Urethane -- yes, well known to be a killer. So is the insulating board used in home construction -- contains formaldehyde. I think this has been discontinued, but many current houses were built with it. Lots of opportunities for various plastics to kill us in a fire. That would be true in the van as well as any other car.

David, you mean we don't have horsehair cushions in our vans? :- ) DMc (actually, I think the older VW vans did, up into the sixties at least).

---- David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET> wrote: > At 09:54 AM 8/22/2010, Dave Mcneely wrote: > >Neil, first a query: Will the reduced clearance offset the > >advantage of the insulation? > > Good point. The RM182 was apparently designed for this specific > application, as you'll see if you look at the manual. > > > I have the Dometic installation manual. > > If it has a little scribble on the cover, it's the one that came with > Dutiful Passage, my '84 Westy. > > >I have not measured the temperature in that space. However, when > >the outside temperature was over 105 F (reached 107 F that day) last > >week, and my van was in the sun, the refrigerator fan was > >running. Someone else on here said it kicks on at 145 F. > > If I'm not mistaken the spec is on at fin temp of 140F, off at > 120F. When the fridge isn't running, the fins should be at ambient. > > >Why not use fiberglass bat, unfaced or with no vapor barrier > >anyway? No problem there with either heat damaging the material (or > >worse, causing toxic outgassing), or with water vapor retention. Dave > > That's what Westfalia Werke used. Aside from the need for better > insulation, the original is famous for trapping water which causes > the panel to rust severely and prematurely. > > Foams like that are typically blown with ethane, which isn't > toxic. The swelling occurs when the plastic softens, allowing > pressure in the (closed) cells to blow the foam a little > bigger. Should be a one-time effect for a given max temp. > > Burning *urethane* foam will kill you deader than a mackerel, so if > your seats catch fire, bail out quick. That's what kills all the > passengers in burning airplanes. > > Yours, > David

-- David McNeely


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