Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:37:09 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Dometic failure on propane, one time
In-Reply-To: <502bd4e0.42db0e0a.1aa1.ffff9081@mx.google.com>
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David, all your reasoning makes sense. One question about VW and Westfalia's intentions regarding use (which either of us can only infer from instructions given in published materials): If the expectation was (and I include Dometic in the expectation, since it is their machine) that the refrigerator run on gas underway, then what is the D.C. mode there for?
I always close the external valve when moving. And I wonder why the stove valves do not have a positive click stop position for off, one that would resist any unintentional opening of the valve. Seems only a reasonable precaution. But I'm not an engineer, nor do I play one on T.V. (or in techno babble videos).
Your idea of modifying the refrigerator door to expose the controls is interesting. I have wondered why the controls were not made accessible with the door closed. Maybe they should be behind a panel that opens without opening the refrigerator door.
Sincerely, mcneely
---- David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:
> At 10:02 AM 8/15/2012, Dave Mcneely wrote:
> >What down time would you suggest is reasonable for switching? When
> >I follow the fifteen minute rule, the fridge seems
>
> If you really insist on flipping back and forth, instead of just
> running the fire continuously as 90% (figure pulled out of my hat) of
> Volks do and the fridge was designed for* and VW/Westfalia were
> perfectly happy with until some corporate lawyer in charge of
> preempting lawsuits above all else came along and stamped "Dry clean
> only" on your manual - do as I did and open up the outer door in way
> of the control panel so you can reach things without opening
> it. That will leave the upper rim of the door rather thin so you'll
> want to rout out two windows with a pillar in the middle. That's the
> benefit of hindsight - I put in a dowel to support the middle.
>
> *I seriously contend that there is *no* measurable increment of
> safety gained by not using the flame underway *unless* the external
> supply valve is closed. If the valve is open, the significant danger
> is the exposed position and easy unlock of the stove knobs which can
> flood the van with propane. The open supply valve itself is of
> little-to-no consequence in an accident, since the POL spud attached
> to the regulator by which it attaches to the supply valve is of the
> type (is required to be of the type) known as "excess-flow." This
> opaque terminology means that if either the regulator is knocked off
> or its output tubing damaged and allowed to flow freely, an internal
> valve inside the POL spud will close and seal the tank. The fridge
> flame is sealed up in a heavy-gauge steel can with access only to the
> outside; and any conceivable leak in the flue system which might
> allow gas flowing from a stove burner to enter and ignite will only
> be a danger when the vehicle is stationary, because any wind will
> then blow the flame out. This last fact allows me to sincerely argue
> that operating the flame underway is the safest possible practice,
> since it will automatically detect any leaks in the flue system that
> could conceivably cause a danger while camping.
>
> Yours,
> David
>
--
David McNeely
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