Date:         Wed, 25 Jun 1997 17:57:05 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David Katsuki <katsuki@bbn.com>
Subject:      Re: A / C   M e l t d o w n   in  C a p e   H a t t e r a s !

Loise,

Don't know what year you have, but I've noticed on our 87 that the wiring
around the relays (mounted on the left rear body at about eye height right
inside rear hatch) gets VERY hot when the AC blower and clutch are on, and
the insulation actually melted a little.   Looked to me that VW had
undersized the wiring.    On our van (a Wolfsburg), you have to remove the
covering panel, but since the panel is spaced out some from the wiring and
AC plumbing, there is probably some air circulation by convection (unless
the bottom is covered by clothes....)
I rerouted the wires to get more air around them and  cleaned one of the
relay socket connections that semeed somewhat dirty, but it still gets hot,
and I could believe that on a hot day with lots of insulation stuff around
that panel and the Ac turned on, things might overheat.      If this is
your problem, I'm not sure what the solution is, other than to replace any
burnt wires with heavier ones, and beef up the relays (they already look
pretty beefy...)

Dave

At 01:47 PM 6/25/97 -0500, Louise Christensen wrote:
>
>
>Greetings Volks, from the Balmy South, where wild orchids bloom and gypsy
winds
>take my Vanagon where they may....
>
>Balmy, --yes balmy is the word since I had the a/c meltdown. Not that it
>worked great anyways, but perhaps you might collectively have some
>sagacious advice.
>
>Here are the symptoms:
>
>While on the "Busses-on-the-Blue-Ridge-to-Cape Hatteras-Trek," I had all
>camping gear and myriad sailing gear stashed in the nooks and crannies of
>the bus; bike on the back; had the front seat facing rear, with gear
>stashed in the passenger door area.
>
>While driving down the Cape Hatteras one-and-only highway, I smelled a
>burning odor, which progressively got stronger. "Mmmm, I wonder if that's
>me, I asked myself...Nah... not *this* bus!...." The smell was now so
>strong that my eyes were burning, my nose was burning, and I couldn't
>breathe.
>
>OK. Time to accept that it IS me. Pulled over and ripped everything out of
>the bus as fast as I could. Boards, sails, tables, wetsuits, camping gear,
>sleeping bags, my favorite fringed silk pillows, booms, masts, the oriental
>rug, mountain bike, cooler, the jumpseat, the guitar, the mandolin, etc.
>Ripped off the engine compartment cover. No flames. No black smoke. No
>white smoke. Mmmm.
>
>In five minutes the parking lot looked like I was having an instant yard
sale.
>
>Still very, very strong smell--but determined that it was eminating from
>the upper a/c area.
>
>Apparently some of the gear up front inadvertently turned on the A/C
>switch, and burned out the motor back there (smothered by gear) and who
>knows what else.
>
>Used the emergency cellular phone that a friend had given me "just in case"
>to call fellow VeeDubbers at the campground for assistance.
>
>My VW Rescue squad, consisting of Sonny Flamer, Bob Busick, and Dave
>arrived in 10 minutes in Sonny's Vanagon.
>
>I dug out the Bentley for the wiring diAgrams, and Sonny pulled out the
>fuse for the AC unit, which (unfortunately, as it was rainy and cold) also
>was the fuse for my Eberspacher auxiliary heater and side mirror adjustment
>switch. Bob and Sonny  removed the face plate covering the a/c unit, but we
>could not see the meltdown area. Dave supervised and made wisecracks about
>carrying too much gear...
>
>
>So can you tell me:
>
>What would you suggest pulling first? I would like to pull the whole a/c
>unit out, but am unsure of the freon/etc. problems I might
>encounter?....How difficult is it to pull out? Can I determine the extent
>of the damage without pulling the unit out? What am I in for here?
>
>Or-- would you suggest biting the bullet and bringing it in for the high
>dollar shop service?
>
>
>And any other suggestions/advice you might have would be greatly appreciated.
>Thanks in advance..
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Louise
>
>
>
>(P.S. My belated "Busses-on-the-Blue-Ridge-to-Cape Hatteras-Trek" Trip
>report is forthcoming (due to my returning from Martha's Vineyard), as I
>met up with two pirates who mutinied and abandoned a sailing vessel,
>..Yes, Strange, but a true story....Not to mention that the wind was
>gusting to *41* knots out there.....Whooooooooooooooooweeeeeeeeee!.)
>
>
>
>