Date:         Mon, 09 Dec 1996 18:56:53
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         EXPRES@gnn.com (Ron Salmon)
Subject:      Re: Fridge problems


>Date:	Mon, 9 Dec 1996 16:55:03 -0600
>From:	Matt Michael Lamar <mlamar@trumpet.aix.calpoly.edu>
>Sender:	vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu
>To:	Multiple recipients of list <vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu>
>Subject:	Fridge problems
>
>
>I have a 1979 Westy with a troublesome fridge.  It works when hooked up 
>to house power, but doesn't want to work when switched to battery.  This 
>one only works on electric, so I can't run it any other way.  
>
>Is there anything I can check to see if the fridge is getting power, just 
>not cooling?  General troubleshooting suggestions?  Any hints, comments, 
>or pearls of wisdom are appreciated.
>
>TIA,
>
>Matt

Matt,
Your fridge is actually a DC-only fridge.  Under your sofabed is a power 
transfomer than, when you plug AC into the side of your bus, converts it to 
DC and sends it to the fridge. In other words, your fridge always sees DC, 
even if you're using AC.  So if it works at all (on AC or DC), then your 
fridge itself works.
So why isn't it working on DC?  Well, somehow your aux battery (**you do 
have a 2nd battery, don't you?**) is failing to deliver DC to your fridge 
as effectively as the AC transformer does when you plug your bus in.  So 
the fault could be the battery or any of the wiring up to the fridge (which 
goes through that panel on the inside wall of your bus).  Make sure your 
aux battery is good.  Then hook up a voltmeter to the two active terminals 
on your fridge's electronics (accessable through the left cabinet lid, next 
to the fridge).  Now read it while using AC power and while using battery 
power (remember, set it to DC both times, since what the fridge is actually 
seeing is DC either way).  If in fact you find that voltage (or current, if 
you have an ampmeter you can measure with) is weak or nonexistent when 
using battery power, then pull the control panel on the wall of your Westy 
and see if voltage is getting that far when you set it to the DC setting.  
And keep tracing it, 'til it gets back to the battery.   You're losing 
voltage or current somewhere between the battery and the fridge.  You just 
have to find out where. 
If all else fails, you could call the manufacturer, Dometic, at (800) 
544-4881.  But I don't think they'll be able to help, because I think your 
problem is in your bus's wiring, control panel, or battery, not in the 
fridge itself.
Good luck,
Ron Salmon