Date:         Wed, 11 Jun 1997 09:16 -0600 (MDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         BLAINE_BACHMAN%PL-01M3@ccmail.plk.af.mil
Subject:      Dometic Doings

     Thanks to all who have helped so far, especially Kelly Bauman of Delta 
     BC who deftly pointed out that we extremely late-model volksfolks 
     ('90-'91) have a fridge with slightly different controls than the rest 
     of you (and remided me that the operating instructions were on the 
     door).
     
     On the way home last evening, I stopped by Radio Shack and picked up 
     an RV/Auto thermometer (RS# 63-1019 - $15.99), and the "cigarette pack 
     size" 12V muffin fan (RS# 273-243 - $14.99).  Unfortunately, while I 
     was there, I noticed a $29.95 thru-the-glass scanner antenna that I'm 
     just gonna have to go back and buy (for chasing trains, you know).
     
     So, I remember from the "odyssey", the 12V mode on the fridge sorta 
     worked.  Let's try the gas.  Outside valve on; thermostat off; inside 
     valve on; indicator panel switch on; pump 10 times; push gas button; 
     hmmm, no flashing light.  Hold pilot light pushbutton anyway.  
     Nothing.
     
     Try again.  Find a straw and blow in the drain hole; try again.  Oh 
     well, I like to take things apart anyway.  Start the Bentley sequence 
     for removal and find that the 3-prong 12V electrical connection is off 
     (and I didn't do it).  Reconnect and try again; this time the red 
     light flashes.  Goes out when it should, and the green LED on the 
     indicator panel starts to brighten up.  Crank the thermostat up 
     (down?).  Can't hear anything and can't see anything in the "sight 
     glass", but out by the vent I can hear the burning sound.
     
     Hook up the Auto thermometer.  Since the unit has an "inside" and an 
     "outside" sensor and switches between the two, I decide to put the 
     entire thing in the fridge and clip the "outside" sensor on the fins.  
     BTW, The "inside" sensor is built into the display unit.
     
     Half-hour later, and the temp hasn't dropped much.  Decide to hang the 
     unit out the door (so I don't have to keep opening it up) and just 
     monitor the fins.  Another hour and we're only down in the forties (at 
     the fins, mind you - where's 17 degrees? (hope it wasn't Celsius!)).  
     Never hear anything that sounds like a fan fire up, so I'll probably 
     have to remove the thing anyway at some point, check the fan, add the 
     second one, and clean the sight glass (must be soot-caked on the 
     inside).
     
     Question:  Is it enough to add the "matchbook" fan to the inside, or 
     would the bigger one be better (the American Way!)?
     
     Discovery:  The little toggle switch on the indicator console only 
     controls power to the console lights and sensing equipment.
     
     Decision:  While it would be "high tech" to have two thermometers, 
     once I get this working, I'll just worry about monitoring the general 
     air temp in the fridge.
     
     -Blaine