Date:         Tue, 8 Nov 1994 13:10:03 -0600 (CST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Gerald Skerbitz <gsker@lenti>
Subject:      Re: Propane Fridge Blowing Out

The message is included below:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From wesn@eskimo.com  Tue Nov  8 11:17:56 1994

On Mon, 7 Nov 1994 DerekDrew@aol.com wrote:

> Date: Mon, 7 Nov 94 16:10:52 CST
> From: DerekDrew@aol.com
> To: Multiple recipients of list <vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu>
> Subject: Propane Fridge Blowing Out
> 
> I am sorry to say this, but you definitely are supposed to drive with the
> propane on. 
> 
> Mine blew out while driving and I took it back twice to have it repaired
> cause it went out while driving and Dometic paid the bill. They admitted that
> the fridge is supposed to stay lit while driving and they make the fridge.
> 
> I cannot imagine anything more stupid than using the 12 volt system every
> time you turn the key and then having to keep relighting the fridge every
> time you stop. What a waste of time.
> 
> 
The manual for my '91 Westy is EMPHATIC about not driving with the refer 
on propane, or even having the tank valve on.  Sure, some of this is 
probably liability overkill, but still it makes some sense from a safety 
standpoint;  gas line fittings could work loose, regulators fail, etc. 
due to the motion induced vibration.  Still, I used to routinely leave 
the propane on for short jaunts, and then medium jaunts, and finally, 
what the heck, I'll shut it off tomorrow, if I remember it!  After a few 
months of this, I noticed that the piezoelectric re-lighter would come on 
occasionally when I was "jaunting", and shortly after this I noticed it 
coming on while stationary. Finally, the refer wouldn't stay lit for more 
than a few minutes.  When I took it into the local Dometic service 
center, they diagnosed it as a dirty burner, due to poor fuel mixture.  
Initially, they thought it was due to a failed pressure regulator.  But 
when the regulator checked out fine, they chalked it up to "just one of 
those things".  About six months later, the same thing happened all 
over again.  Brought it back in, same diagnosis:  Mystery fuel mix 
problem causing dirty burner.  Since it was under warranty, I didn't confess 
that I had been driving it with the propane on, but I immediately thought 
"Hmmm, suppose that sloshing propane could be slugging the regulator 
with liquid propane rather than gaseous propane, and MAYBE that's what 
crudded up the burner?  Since warranty was up in two weeks, I decided to 
clean up my act.  Since then I've been pretty good about switching to 
battery;  definitely when it's more than a few minutes, OR when the road 
is rough or winding, and I've had no further problems.  Hardly proof 
positive, but still highly suggestive.  That, coupled with whatever 
incremental safety advantages I might get, is enough to convince me to 
shut of the propane when I'm rolling.  

--------------------------------------------
Wes Neuenschwander
Seattle, WA

(wesn@eskimo.com)