Date:         Thu, 15 May 1997 14:34:57 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Derek Drew <drew@interport.net>
Subject:      Enlarged closet; melted my A/C system!

Last year I enlarged my rear closet in my Westfalia by extending it down to
the level of the rear decklid and also by reducing the amount of space used
by the A/C system and controls that travel up the side of the vehicle back
in there.

Then, the next time I used the A/C the big red wire that feeds the 50 amp
fusebox overheated, melted, and blew that fuse there. 

It has now occurred to me that perhaps VW designed that rear closet on
purpose the way it is now so that the rear A/C area is ventilated, by air
that travels underneath the closet and then up along the edge of the vehicle
behind the closet, near the A/C stuff, and out the top. 

In this case, I have blocked off all ventilation and the overheating will
again happen to me this summer.

I am considering adding ventilation for the A/C area toward the rear of the
closet, by putting a little vent in there, but not sure if I should go to
the trouble.

Does anybody have the opinion that these A/C lines/relays need to be
ventilated? 

I believe that only the very late model Westfalias had the A/C stuff back in
the rear of this closet, and that earlier Vanagons had this stuff in a
different location.

____________________________________
Derek Drew                              New York, NY
drew@interport.net
'90 Syncro Westfalia... 
...seen off-road at http://www.anet-dfw.com/~ddes/vw/drew/index.html