Date:         Fri, 26 Jun 2015 19:11:48 -0400
Reply-To:     Eric Caron <ecaron1@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Eric Caron <ecaron1@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Propane and refrigerator success
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Jim Felder’s recent success with his refrigerator inspired me to try to get mine up and going.  My first problem was being  sure I had enough propane to run it if it started.  for two years now I’ve stopped in at different propane places only to have the nice people tell me they didn’t know how to fill my tank.  Well to be honest neither did I .  Finally  about 2 weeks ago I pulled into a old RV repair and  sales place about  a half hour from my home.  the elderly owner tried to fill the tank  but couldn’t remember how the fail safe worked.  Finally he found another long time RV man who pushed the button on the filler and in went the propane.  he put in 2 gallons and said come back any time.  the whole time this was going on I was imagining propane flowing out of my 32 year old original system. Thanks Stuart for the description on list of what happens when this fails!   I offered to have them change out the tank hardware but the man said it looked good to him come back when I need more propane.  
        so now with a full tank I set out to light the refrigerator.  Now being blind I don’t have the ability to use the Led light or look into the indicator window or whatever is done by the rest of the world to know if the unit is lit.

        So, I tried to remember the settings on the unit and gave it a try.  I then went out and listened to the vent.  I thought I heard something so left it alone and returned a hour later. Nothing.  so I learned that you can always hear something in that vent, maybe the echo of thousands of attempts to light the VW refrigerators of the world.

So I went back for a second try.

I again tried to remember the positions of the dials.

First turn thing is the pump and igniter.  Next is the button held down when first lighting.  then the dial for temp min on left and max on right.  that is a optimistic little dial  anyone ever need to turn it down?  then the toggle switch  top for when the van is running, middle is propane, bottom is shore power.  finally the last dial, the flame propane dial.  I turned that to the left opposite of the max min dial and hoped I remembered everything correctly. thanks Ken Wilford for showing me this when I picked up the van!

Now for my second try.

I pumped the far left air pump 30 times as fast as I could.  I then used the igniter clicking and pumping maybe 10 times more while holding the button in.  I then kept holding the button for another 20 seconds and made a small preyer to the gods of cold.

I then went back outside and put my ear to the vent…

Rumbling sounds and a bit of warmth from the vent! 

amazing!  a short time later the fridge started to cool.  I’ll check the temperature later for fun.

so, I’m sure this thing has not been serviced in 32 years and still it worked! 

Until it stops lighting I’ll just keep using it.  but, I look forward to a reason to give it a tune up in the future. 

I hope all of you are having great luck and enjoyment with your vans.  this is a great time of year to have a VW Westfalia.

Eric Caron 
85 GL Auto Westfalia 
Currently cooling beverages in VT.