Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:42:39 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Dometic-Condenser fan running!
In-Reply-To: <CAGXJJtxLZACNTVW6hqfW2TmYdSKSeTajcq94bwUkkmu_zxzE9w@mail.gmail.com>
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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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