Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:01:13 -0700
Reply-To: neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: How Hot Behind Dometic Fridge On 100+F Day? (insulation
clearances)
In-Reply-To: <4c7175af.8d4ee50a.2183.ffffa4ed@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 12:02 PM, 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'll be sure to check. :)
Re: installation. For anyone else w/o manual, from the manual
"The installation of the refrigerator must comply with local codes or
in the ab-sence of local codes
the following American National Standards and Canadian Stan- dards are
applicable
In the USA:
ANSI z
ANSI c 223.1.- 1978 National Fuel Gas Code
1 1978 National Electric Code
In Canada:
CSA Std. Z 240.4. - *Gas Equipped Recreational
Vehicles and Mobile Housing
*Note: Will be replaced by CSA Stds. Z 24o.4.1
and Z 24o.4.2. when available.
CSA Std. Z 24o.6.1. - Electrical Requirement for
Mobile Housing
CSA Std. Z 24o.6.2. - Electrical Requirement for
Recreat ional Vehicles "
Clearance info might be buried somewhere in an article on the 'net. I
looked but could not find.
>> 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.
140F is what I recall reading in the manual yesterday. Yes.
"Ventilator (Cooling Fan)
In order to improve the cooling performance under the difficult built-in situ-
ation and high ambient temperatures, a o,6 W ventilator is switched on auto-
matically when the temperature around the condenser fins (behind the refri-
gerator) reaches 140~ F and switched off at 124 F.
"
>> 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.
I researched off gassing more. From here:
http://www.icc-es.org/reports/pdf_files/ICC-ES/ESR-2142.pdf
reading section 4.2 specifically 4.2.3. , it seems that one can use
this on "any or all surfaces" of detached garage, etc. But....
My concern is section 4.2.1.2 Not sure if requirements noted regarding
ventilation are so that other areas of the home are not exposed to
potential off gassing, or, that in the event of a fire, the smoke from
the rigid board doesn't reach other areas as quickly.
Any takers on whether or not I should be concernced about off gassing
from the DOW Styrospan I just installed in my Westy?
> 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.
Along those lines, there is mention in several documents I looked at
about the smoke issue alone being a real hazard (for extruded
polystyrene foam anyway)
Neil.
--
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
