Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2014 11:56:28 -0700
Reply-To: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: First camping trip problems
In-Reply-To: <84AFD6AF-38F8-4A27-94D4-E5C5B184394C@gmail.com>
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Was your Westy retrofitted with a GFCI outlet?
The OEM 110VAC outlets in a Westy are basically the same as those used
in a house. The Westy circuit breaker near the outlet at bench seat,
handles overloads and shorts but it's not a GFCI. Regardless of outlet
type, you obviously need the circuit breaker. :)
IIRC, the newer Westy circuit breaker panel-button are slightly
different, but on my '81, the plastic circuit breaker button is
snapped off flush to panel. I have to use a pencil or similar to reset
it.
The archives has lots of Dometic info. You might be able to snake a
narrow hose down each flue to clean them but I'm about certain all 182
Dometic fridges have has 3 dimples on the exhaust flue near the
combustion box. image. Arrows point to dimples, 182A fridge on its
side:
http://tinyurl.com/mw5bnkb
These narrow the ID somewhat so not sure what one would use to get
past those when using a vacuum.
I too have had a mouse die in my grey water bucket. I now use an oil
drain pan similar to this: http://tinyurl.com/ofl7cob for grey
water. (thank you Phil Zimmerman for the idea!). If need be, I can use
it for emergency oil changes.
Mice will chew wires and other important things! BTDT!
Neil.
On 7/7/14, Trevor Reynolds <gneiss9@gmail.com> wrote:
> .... …Nope, it now looks like the GFCI outlet box in the Van is
> the faulty culprit. When I went to test the GFCI in the small cupboard by
> the bench seat, the test button is solidly stuck. With this issue, I can’t
> hook up “shore power”. I’ll be buying a new GFCI outlet this week and
> replacing that 23 year old receptacle.
>
> Ok, so lets try lighting the fridge, as I’ve had a ton of work done in the
> past on my fridge and it should light right away as long as my igniter
> fires; …Well, the igniter does fire and flame lights but within a few
> seconds it dies. I’ll add that I had my regulator setting adjusted a few
> years ago to the recommended output pressure of (can’t remember for sure),
> 9psi?! So, I have propane in the tank, I have an assumed proper pressure
> output and I have ignition but flame is not staying lit, even with safety
> button depressed for a long time. I’ve tried different temp settings but
> nothing works. As I load the van, I try a relight every once in a while as
> well as once I’m set up at the campground. Sometimes my igniter doesn’t
> even fire, other times it’s ready and willing to get the action started.
> Can’t quite figure that one out as the exciter unit was replaced shortly
> after I had the regulator adjusted and should be 100%. All wires solid and
> good battery on board! As for the flame problem, I will have to figure out
> a way to clean out the possible cobb webs out of the exhaust stack(s). I
> can only assume that I have an oxygen issue. ...Ok, fridge out of service
> until further notice. We now have to pack a cooler with a couple bags of
> ice.
>
> A couple of nights in camp and now we get ready to go home; I use a bucket
> for grey water below the sink and as I’m dumping that into the local
> outhouse I notice a drowned mouse in the water. ... As I continue to
> tear-down camp this time, I look into the glove compartment and am shocked
> to see that overnight a mouse has found a napkin and has shredded it to make
> a nest in there! Bugger, how the hell did he get in!? I can only assume
> that there are openings large enough in the front grill in and around the
> heater core, etc.
--
Neil n
Blog: tubaneil.blogspot.ca
'88 Westy http://tinyurl.com/c8rlw6p
'81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
Vanagon VAG *Gas* inline-VR Engine Swap Group:
http://tinyurl.com/d7gd5ej
