Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:30:26 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM>
Subject: Re: Dometic-Condenser fan running!
In-Reply-To: <CAGXJJtzQ35bac8tsDSKb3NnjA=6MoYb=zGhX21EOE57uH2JhXw@mail.gmail.com>
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My Westy has been parked, unused, in the Phoenix summer sun for months with that fan merrily running every afternoon (parked nose north). Started right up.
This is pretty much a non-issue. If you feel the need to fix what's not broken, retread Keith's ost from a couple days ago.
Karl Wolz
Sent from my electronic umbilicus
On Jun 13, 2013, at 9:59 AM, Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> Okay David, thanks for that. I do realize the fan runs (the way it is set
> up from the factory) regardless if the fridge
> is running or not. My point was "when is the fan actually needed?" Is it
> really needed for the DC operation?
> If so, that's fine. If one is concerned about losing the battery to
> constant fan operation which is completely
> dependent on how far afield one goes along with duration and what, if any,
> they have in the way of battery recharging utilities.
> That said, it seems to me that if the fan were wired to turn on only when
> the front panel buttons were engaged, that this
> would suffice to keep the fan working only when needed and not during times
> of non-refridgerator use. This would be
> especially useful when the van has to be parked in a warm/hot location for
> a fairly long duration such as long term parking
> at an airport.
>
> Steven
> 91 Westy
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 9:42 AM, <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
>
>> Steven, the fan runs whenever the temperature reaches 126 F, and turns off
>> when it falls to 106 F. It does not matter whether the heat is generated
>> by the refrigerator, or by the environment. The refrigerator pulls heat
>> from its interior and sheds it to its environment. It does this whatever
>> its mode of operation, AC, DC, or propane. Heat build up then triggers the
>> fan.
>>
>> Regardless of what switch is used, a wire would need to run from the power
>> source to the switch to the fan, if one wants a manually operated switch to
>> control the fan. Yes, there may be any number of switches in place that
>> could work, but it still would entail some rewiring. Since the point seems
>> to be to make sure the fan only runs when the refrigerator is operating,
>> then a new switch integrating the sensor, the power source, and the fan
>> should do it. You need the sensor in the loop so that it will still
>> trigger the fan if it gets too hot while the refrigerator is running. That
>> is a safety feature for the refrigerator.
>>
>> BTW, has anyone ever experienced the battery running down due to this fan?
>> It doesn't draw much current.
>>
>> mcneely
>>
>> ---- Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>> Pardon my confusion on this David and all. I think I like the idea of
>> this
>>> extra thermo switch but
>>> is the fan needed for DC or AC operation or just propane operation only?
>>> If it's only required
>>> for propane operation I would think that the switch on the from panel
>> wired
>>> in conjunction with
>>> turning on the fan would be a good fix as well. If the fan needs to be
>> on
>>> with the AC operation
>>> then again, having it connected via some circuit changes to the matching
>>> front switch for AC
>>> operation as well would be the way to go. Again, I may be missing
>>> something here but the
>>> switches for operation are in place and it seems to be can be used to
>> tell
>>> when the fan should
>>> operate or not? Please enlighten me if I'm going astray here....
>>>
>>> Steven
>>> 91 Westy
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 7:00 AM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> At 01:27 AM 6/13/2013, Jeff Palmer wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Keith if I'm understanding Dennis right, the fan will come on
>>>>> regardless of whether or not you've 'flipped the switch' to turn the
>>>>> fridge on, right?
>>>>>
>>>>> Or have i had one too many late night beverages?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Jeff, it's a completely independent system, runs through the kitchen
>>>> circuit. It draws about fifty milliamps when the fan is
>>>> running. That's about 1.2 amp hours per day of continuous running.
>>>>
>>>> If you think about it, setting things up to only run when the fridge
>>>> is active would be a considerable extra expense. If it were a
>>>> DC-only fridge it would be different, but it's primarily a gas fridge
>>>> and also has AC capability.
>>>>
>>>> You could make it automatic by adding an additional thermostat in
>>>> series at the boiler that would only trip when the boiler is hot. I
>>>> don't know what its working temperature is but I'm sure there's a
>>>> value that would reliably indicate boiler-on but not trip from solar
>>>> heating. If Westfalia had been really clever they could have
>>>> specified this when they bought the fridges, and the total extra cost
>>>> would have been a few dollars. But that would have translated into a
>>>> noticeable difference in the package price. But you could retrofit
>>>> it. Here's a 170F button-type thermal switch for $15 shipped in the
>>>> US.
>>>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Selco-**CA170-Thermal-Switch-to-**
>>>>
>> Control-AC-or-DC-Circuits-/**390607352286?pt=LH_**DefaultDomain_0&hash=**
>>>> item5af20331de<
>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Selco-CA170-Thermal-Switch-to-Control-AC-or-DC-Circuits-/390607352286?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af20331de
>>>
>>>> . I suspect that 170F would fit the requirements.
>>>>
>>>> Yours,
>>>> David
>>>>
>>
>> --
>> David McNeely
>>
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