Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2017 14:46:02 -0400
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Couple of minor propane fridge mods
In-Reply-To: <CABToOYLGCP1pRFjO-VCyFmdOzcLXPaKmcaFmZ1Zd6441jZoh+w@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
I would personally reserve "squirrel cage" for a blower where the rotor was
a modified cylinder rather than a plate with wings. But that's me.
On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 2:42 PM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@gmail.com> wrote:
> I agree you have squirrel cage fans there. but there is a muffin fan too,
> in the 3rd pic down. the 3 little squirrel cage fans are best visible in
> the 5th photo. David, is a squirrel cage fan a type of centrifugal
> blower? Or are they by definition always the same thing?
>
> I used reflectix type insulation on the back of my fridge to try to keep
> the heat from getting into the back of the fridge. somewhere I have photos
> of it. I had to cut it to fit and I think I may have done several layers
> where there was room.
>
> If this link works it will show my attempt at insulating the exhaust tube.
> https://goo.gl/photos/LwUTcCyDjNHi7mTS8 There should be improved draft in
> the combustion circuit because the temperature differential between the hot
> and cold side should be greater. I know the fridge vent plate on the
> outside of the van is much hotter after doing this mod. That westy habit
> of always checking to see if the propane is still lit when you walk by...
> Edward
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> > Hi Ed,
> >
> > Well the thermal wrap on the exhaust tube does reduce the heat, but not
> > eliminate it. After about 40 min the wrap is warm, not hot. Maybe I
> should
> > stick the temp probe on it to give you a better feeling about it.
> >
> > I know, the backside of the fridge. I couldn't figure out what to use and
> > there is a lot of stuff in the way that makes a full back insulation
> > difficult. But I will say that if I had suitable material I would have
> > jammed some in between the sheet metal shroud of the "generator" ( the
> > mineral wool insulated part above the combustion chamber) and the fridge
> > body. That shroud does get hot. But I just didn't know what to use to
> > insulate.
> >
> > Neil documented or posted about pulling the entire heat exchanger from
> the
> > tube inside the fridge. I chickened out after just a little trying. It's
> > just clipped on the tube right? Maybe I'll try again.
> >
> > Ok laff it up about my thermal paste choice. I used the aluminum coloured
> > anti sieze, im betting the copper based stuff would work even better.
> > :-)
> >
> > Alistair
> >
> > > On Jun 20, 2017, at 6:37 AM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > very nice mods! I insulated my exhaust pipe with a high temp wrap
> > blanket
> > > thing made to put on the starter motor. Does your double wrap of
> > > fiberglass tape stay pretty cool to the touch on the outside? the one
> > > thing I would suggest is to insulate the back of the fridge from the
> heat
> > > of all that hot stuff behind it. this seemed to make a big difference
> on
> > > mine, along with the above mentioned insulating of the exhaust pipe.
> > >
> > > I don't remember the fins coming off of the part inside the fridge that
> > > snaps onto the cooling pipe. seems like that was all one piece on
> mine.
> > > I was scared to pull on mine too. I found that I could get my fingers
> > > beside/behind the fins unit on the left side, at the end of the cooling
> > > pipe and hold it, then pull on the fins unit and it came off starting
> at
> > > that end. it was having quite poor contact with the cooling pipe. for
> > > replacing it, I first tried mayonnaise, then astroglide to improve
> > thermal
> > > transfer, but neither worked better than the Radio Shack thermal paste
> I
> > > found later. ;)
> > >
> > > Edward
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Mon, Jun 19, 2017 at 6:13 PM, Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@gmail.com
> >
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > >> Thanks, I'll check it out.
> > >>
> > >>> On Jun 19, 2017 5:50 PM, "Alistair Bell" <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> About the sim based wireless control of propex. Found it , here ya go
> > >>> Stephen, knock yerself out :-)
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> https://www.sharkbait.website/1064/controlling-the-
> > >>> heatsource-hs2000-heater-from-your-iphone/
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> Alistair
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> On Jun 19, 2017, at 1:52 PM, Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM>
> > >> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> And while you are at it Alistair, can you rig it up so it can be
> turned
> > >> on
> > >>> remotely via
> > >>> wifi on Android and iPhone? :)
> > >>>
> > >>> Steven
> > >>>
> > >>> On Mon, Jun 19, 2017 at 4:39 PM, Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@nbnet.nb.ca>
> > >> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> Alistair,
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> Next fridge challenge: a set of rails (one part of fridge, one part
> in
> > >>>
> > >>> van) and quick connects to allow easy installation and removal.
> > While I
> > >>>
> > >>> agree the fridge lights easily when squeaky clean and adjusted, it
> does
> > >> not
> > >>>
> > >>> stay that way long (at least mine doesn’t).
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> I’d probably clean it more often if getting to the bench (and back)
> was
> > >>>
> > >>> smoother.
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> On 19-Jun-2017, at 17:01, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> Nothing super earth shaking, just exhaust insulation and a bank of
> > three
> > >>>
> > >>> wee squirrel cage fans.
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> https://shufti.blog/2017/06/19/vanagon-a-couple-of-minor-
> fridge-mods/
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> Alistair
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> >
> >
>
| 
