Date:         Mon, 18 Sep 2017 20:29:36 -0400
Reply-To:     Stephen Eubank <sgeubank@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Eubank <sgeubank@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: First of many questions
In-Reply-To:  <CACvdLxMg-qO+rNEqB-PHy04-evMwLeQNKTNq6-woN9-z=Ry24Q@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Thanks, everyone for all the helpful tips. 

For the curious, some answers:

* It’s an electrolux fridge, plugged into a European 240v outlet under the sink. Which kind of explains why the Dometic manual I found on the web a long time ago was so confusing ...
* There’s a circuit breaker and what I assume is a ground fault interrupt (at least it’s got a button that says “test” on it) outside the cupboard in front of the water tank, just forward of the seat.
* There’s another outlet just above the circuit breaker.
* I assume it powers a battery charger for the auxiliary battery, too. Is that the black box under the bench seat, or is that box part of the catalytic heater?
* I didn’t check the wire gauge, but it makes sense it would be for 240V. Not really looking forward to replacing that, but then it’s only going to the outlets, the circuit breaker, and the battery charger, right?

Looks like I will bite off a smaller project to start with. I mostly wanted an easy way to test the fridge and keep the auxiliary battery charged. For now, I can try running the fridge on propane. (oh, are propane tank connections standard globally, or will I run into the same Euro/US differences there, too?) Any thoughts on the advisability of installing a transformer just inboard of the inlet, or just plugging a transformer into shore power and plugging the van into the transformer?

Especially thanks for the tips on finding and interpreting the various labels on the van.

Stephen
 
> On Sep 18, 2017, at 10:22 AM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> The refrigerator in mine is plugged into a receptacle under the sink.  The
> plug in the cupboard to the left of the refrigerator is next to the circuit
> breaker.
> 
> mcneely
> 
> On Sun, Sep 17, 2017 at 7:04 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> That device in the Cupboard that usually has the fridge plugged into it is
>> a receptacle.
>> (Chuckle)
>> 
>> Dennis
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> Of David McNeely
>> Sent: Sunday, September 17, 2017 5:50 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: First of many questions
>> 
>> Jim, in my 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile there is a 120 V AC plug
>> in the cupboard to the left of the refrigerator.  I have used it (when the
>> shore power was hooked up) to power a drill and other small power tools
>> when working in the cabin.  I thought all VW full campers had this feature.
>> 
>> mcneely
>> 
>> On Sun, Sep 17, 2017 at 2:36 PM, Jim Arnott <jrasite@eoni.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> The gerry.vanagon.com list strips attachments.  If you have pictures
>>> to share, put them on the ‘net somewhere and share the link.
>>> 
>>> Be aware that the European standard is 240 volts service, the USA is
>>> 120 volts. Using the shore power will not be as simple as changing a
>>> plug. You will need to change whatever accessories that are connected
>>> to that circuit to 120 vac THEN change the plug. (Typically the only
>>> thing connected to the shore power circuit is the refrigerator, but I’m
>> not familiar with Jokers.
>>> There may be other stuff.)
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>> 
>>> Jim
>>> 
>>>> On Sep 17, 2017, at 1:24 PM, Stephen Eubank <sgeubank@EARTHLINK.NET>
>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi,
>>>> 
>>>> I’m new on the list, with an ’84 Westfalia Joker waterboxer sold in
>>> Germany and later brought to the US. I’ve owned it for a while now,
>>> but am just now finding room in my life to treat it right. It’s the
>>> only VW I’ve owned, and I’ve never camped in a site with hook-ups, so
>>> I’m a newbie on both the VW and Westfalia aspects, but I’m OK with
>>> basic maintenance of pre-computerized cars and I’m on good terms with
>>> the local “shade tree” VW mechanics. Hard to tell where to start, so
>>> I’m picking small, random annoyances first. Problem is, lots of
>>> solutions I find on the web don’t seem to apply to this model. Some of
>>> it might be after-market modifications (think I’m the 4th owner), but I
>> can’t tell.
>>>> 
>>>> For example, attached photos show the electric power inlet. Note
>>>> * it’s not the same shape as other inlets,
>>>> * the plug is on a pivot, and
>>>> * it looks like some European standard.
>>>> I thought I could just replace the plug with an American one, but it
>>> won’t attach to the pivot, and I don’t see what I would attach it to
>>> if I took the whole pivot off. Is this OEM? Looks like a place for a
>>> hinge on the top - did it originally have a cover? Should I just try
>>> to find an adapter that will fit inside the blue cylinder or is there
>>> some replacement plug I just haven’t seen yet? Is there a replacement
>>> for the whole inlet shaped like this?
>>>> 
>>>> OK, so it’s 4 questions instead of 1, but any and all answers would
>>>> be
>>> appreciated.
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Stephen
>>> 
>>