Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 22:08:16 -0800
Reply-To: Tobin Copley <tcopley@POP.UNIXG.UBC.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.sdsc.edu>
From: Tobin Copley <tcopley@POP.UNIXG.UBC.CA>
Subject: Propex probs (& need manufacturer's phone #)
In-Reply-To: <199712130212.TAA13616@yiff.azaccess.com>
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I'm hoping a fellow propex owner can help me out here.
This IS VW content, as the propex heater in my 76 westy deluxe is not
functioning correctly. I'll describe the problem, and welcome suggestions,
but I also really need a phone number for Propex so that I may call them
for info. I searched the type2 archives for "propex" amd variants of
"Propex AND phone number/address/England/Britain/etc." but was not
successful.
I don't have a phone number or wiring diagram or nuthin' because the shop
that installed it forgot to return the paperwork, and we didn't realize the
stuff was missing until we were 1000 miles further north, and by then
they'd chucked it. Hmph.
The problem:
------------
We recently had a Propex 1600 propane heater installed under the rear seat
of our 76 westy deluxe. We purchased it from Martin Needleman (who's
apparently on the Type2 list) a month or two ago. He'd purchased it in the
first list group purchase last year, and never got around to even pulling
it out of the box. It'd been occupying space in his garage since last
year. We had Martin mail the heater to Michael Wagner's place, since we
were picking up the bus in San Diego. We had the heater installed at an RV
place in San Jose. Like I said, they didn't return the paperwork.
One thing about our heater--and it's been this way from the start--is that
when the heater turns off (either because the thermostat tells it the
interior is warm enough, or the heater is manually turned off) *both* the
"flame" and the blower fan turn off immediately. This strikes me as wrong,
as I would have thought that the fan should run for a bit (with "flame"
off) to cool the heater down. As it is, if the fan is turned on manually
(at the heater control panel), hot air blasts out for a good 30 seconds to
a minute before blowing only cool air.
Recently, it has been turning itself off with increasing frequency. The
panel will still indicate that the system is on, but no fan, no heat. If
one turns the fan on (i.e., "fan" not "heat") manually, hot air will come
out if the system turned itself off only a short time before. If I try
this immediately after a spontaneous shut down *very* hot air comes out.
Perhaps the spontaneous shut downs are an overheating safety feature to
avoid a melt down. But if this is the case, I doubt the overheat feature
is working correctly, since the best sequence in a overheat situation would
be: 1) shut off flame, 2) blow fan until cool. Eberspacher heater work on
this principle.
Since the fan appears to run *only* when the "flame" is on, maybe that is
the problem: the heater can't cool itself without a complete shut
down--since the fan isn't functioning as a cooler, only a heat distributor.
But I'm just guessing, since I don't have a wiring diagram. And even if I
were right, I'm not about to get in there messing with it without a...
well... wiring diagram.
Any experiences, suggestions, propex phone numbers (or emailed wiring
diagrams!) most welcome. Thanks as always for the bandwidth.
Tobin
'76 westy deluxe with ice on the *inside* of the windshield
'97 son Russell who fortunately has a really warm car coat
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tobin T. Copley,MA Research Associate tobin.copley@ubc.ca
Offshore office: Bowen Island, B.C. UBC (M,T,W):(604) 822-6219
B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Bowen Island (R,F):(604) 947-2642
Dept. of Health Care & Epidemiology St. Paul's Hospital:(604) 631-5753
University of British Columbia
http://cfeweb.hivnet.ubc.ca/chrp/
