Date:         Thu, 7 Aug 2014 18:40:26 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: Frig fan
Comments: To: Mike Miller <mwmiller6@att.net>
In-Reply-To:  <1407460307.50757.YahooMailNeo@web184802.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Leaving aside combustion box cleanliness and gas orifice problems, I find that most of the trouble in getting the fridge to light is establishing a draught, or draft for you vowel deprived yanks.

I don't know if you have the later auto sparking type fridge or the old sparkler on here air pump version, but try pumping the air pump all the time during start up. Keep pumping as the self igniter clicks, or if the old type keep clicking the air pump and pumping.

All this with the safety override button depressed.

Sometimes you hear a whump as an accumulation of gas ignites. If you hear that, you know you are getting gas in the chamber.

Absolutely the best mod for monitoring the flame in the chamber is soldering in a brighter led in the indicator panel. I have a bright blue in mine, but I recently put in a bright white I a friends van. With that you can see the led starting to glow, the intensity directly related to the heat in the chamber.

I found that you can't blow the flame out with the air pump so keep pumping and holding the override button down when you see the led glowing. When you let go of the override button watch the led and if it dims depress the override button again and keep pumping.

You should establish a draught with is approach.

Alistair



> On Aug 7, 2014, at 6:11 PM, Mike Miller <mwmiller6@att.net> wrote:
> 
> Thanks, good ideas. I have a spare fan for the blowing into the living area idea.
> 
> Now to get that [highly censored stream of thought] frig working! One time it lights no problem, next time can't get it to light. Arrgh!
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> On Thursday, August 7, 2014 6:01 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:

> 
> 
> Just make it blow out. On cool days don't turn it on and the fridge heat will stay in van via the vents behind sink/stove.
> 
> If you want a fan blowing in, mount one behind the grill that faces the top loading cubbies , the rear face of the sink/fridge. That will push the hot air from the fridge into the living area.
> 
> Alistair
> 
> 
> 
> > On Aug 7, 2014, at 5:18 PM, Mike Miller <mwmiller6@ATT.NET> wrote:
> > 
> > I have a computer fan to install in place of the external water connection. Thought to hook it up so it could blow out [for hot days] or blow in [for cool days].
> > 
> > Anyone see problems with this idea?
> > 
> > Does anyone [read David B] have an idea of what kind of switch I'd need to hook this up [if this is the way I go]?
> > 
> > Mike in Cotati
> 
>