Date:         Sun, 20 Nov 1994 19:49:07 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         mtooley@indirect.com (Matt Tooley)
Subject:      Westy 3-Way Fridge Questions

Having become the new owner of an '80 Westy I have been trying everything 
out getting it ready for its first trip.  The first thing I discovered after 
filing up the propane tank was that the main valve leaked when you opened 
it.  This required a trip to the RV service place for them burn off the 
propane fuel so that they could then replace the valve and fix the remaining 
leaks in the system. UGH!

Anyway, I got it back and figured now I could try out the propane fridge.  I 
followed the direction carefully in both the owners manual and on the fridge 
itself.  I couldn't get the pilot light to light (or at least the flame 
gauge to show that it was lit).  The fridge seems to work when I plug it in 
to the 110V.  

My questions are:

1.  What do I have to do to get the pilot light to work?

2.  It appears I need to take the fridge out to service it, so is there any 
trick to getting it out or do I simply remove the obvious screws, LP gas 
fitting, and unplug it and then slide it out?

3.  Is there a good manual on these Dometic fridges?  I went to our library 
I didn't have much luck.

My initial hunch is that the ignitor for the pilot light isn't working.  I 
could hear a mechanical click but never saw a flame in the little window in 
the fridge.  My second guess is that the orifice at the end of the gas line 
is clogged and not letting enough gas out.  Third, I guess it could be the 
hand pump wasn't evacuating the line.

The van apparently sat unused for a few years in the Arizona dry heat 
causing many of the rubber fittings to fail.  Still discovering which ones 
don't work.

Any tips on getting the fridge to work would be appreciated.