Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2017 06:02:11 -0700
Reply-To: Sean Garrett <doit.outdoors@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Sean Garrett <doit.outdoors@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: refrigerator update
In-Reply-To: <002d01d2eee5$f6d79250$e486b6f0$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
I will 3rd that, tear out the fridge, keep door an turn into storage. By 12 volt unit (top loader saves on run time) and a solar panel. I will never go back to the old fridge
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jun 26, 2017, at 6:37 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> I'll second that. Time for a TruckFridge, ARB electric ice chest, a Yeti or similar chest, or simply more storage space, which is what I've done. http://www.rvrefrigerator.net/Why-cooling-units-fail.htm
>
> And this is the best diagram of the system I've found: http://www.rvtechlibrary.com/images/coolunit.gif Just a bit complex.
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Haynes
> Sent: Monday, June 26, 2017 6:04 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: refrigerator update
>
> If the heater(s) are working and it doesn’t cool on electric I wouldn’t bother working with the propane. Once the system has been damaged from overheating such as being operated out of level or with the condenser overheating the boiler section gets damaged and the mixture gets destroyed. At 25 to 30 years of age many of these units are now just done.
>
> Done
>
> From: David McNeely [mailto:davmcneely40@gmail.com]
> Sent: Monday, June 26, 2017 5:43 PM
> To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: refrigerator update
>
> Dennis, I tested the electric (AC) mode this morning. Turns out, it does not cool well. In fact, poorly. But of course, that would not cause the difficult to start situation with the propane. The lack of cooling on both modes could be due to the same cause, though, but also due to different causes. Since the propane line from valve to burner is restricted by rust, surely that is keeping the burner from getting hot enough. For the first time ever, I can see the flame through the sight glass, however (thanks to Robert for helping me do that), and it increases when the thermostat is turned up.
>
> On Sun, Jun 25, 2017 at 9:45 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com<mailto:d23haynes57@hotmail.com>> wrote:
> Does the refrigerator cool properly on electric? If the heaters are working and it doesn’t cool no sense working on the propane. When testing out of the van it is imperative that the exhaust assembly is complete. Otherwise the exhaust gets sucked back into the inlet and you will not get a proper flame or the flue operation to get the "boiler" section to heat up properly.
>
> Buy the way for a shop to have done this work consider the hourly rate.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com<mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>] On Behalf Of David McNeely
> Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2017 11:03 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Subject: refrigerator update
>
> Much thanks to Robert Keever, who drove over to Spokane from Seattle to help me with the refrigerator on my 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile.
>
> We spent all day and into the night Saturday. He pulled the refrigerator, Kept it upside down for several hours, cleaned the burner box, cleaned the propane nozzle, put everything back together, ran it outside the van. It started ok, but would never get really cold. I understand that the fins on the outside of the unit should get quite hot, but only the burner box, the exhaust, and the ammonia tank ever got hot, and then not really so. Then it would not start at all again. We repeated the whole process again.
> Would not start.
>
> Robert suspected an occlusion, preventing adequate gas flow, but the nozzle itself was clear. He thought that rust particles from the old propane tank, recently replaced, could possibly have migrated into the refrigerator system. He removed the very small diameter propane line that runs from the push valve on the face of the refrigerator to the burner. The end fitting on the line was partially occluded by rust. We could only get air to flow through the pipe with difficulty. We were surprised to find that the line itself is made of steel. Why? All valves and fittings are brass, and all feed lines for the propane outside the refrigerator are copper.
>
> We sprayed WD-40 through the tiny pipe, and a very rusty oil came out the other end. Repeating this process several times never got clean oil to come out, only rusty. Robert believes that the line itself is rusted inside. I suppose that over a 26 year period, some moisture could be introduced to the propane system and eventually cause enough rust to occlude the pipe. Air could be blown more easily through the line after cleaning, but it is still partially blocked.
>
> We did get the refrigerator to start after these manipulations, and Robert reinstalled it. I let it run overnight, and at ambient temperature this morning of 58 F, the interior of the refrigerator was at 53 F. Not good.
>
> Bus Depot lists an item for the refrigerator called the "gas pipe," with a part number, but no photograph, for $160. That sounds like an inordinately high price. Robert thinks he may have one from an old refrigerator, and will check. I will call Bus Depot and try to determine if the one they have is indeed this propane line.
>
> Ideas?
>
> McNeely
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