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Date:         Thu, 6 Aug 1998 09:43:55 -0700
Reply-To:     Rich Durant <rich_durant@MENTORG.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Rich Durant <rich_durant@MENTORG.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dometic drain plug removal; 86 Westfalia
Comments: To: Lawrence Johnson <ljohnson@halhinet.on.ca>
Comments: cc: Multiple recipients of list <vanagon@vanagon.com>
In-Reply-To:  <35C901DA.CE92C5EA@halhinet.on.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Larry,

Thanks for the modified lighting procedure. I'm going to try that tonight.

I decided to take out the stove last night in order to get a better look at the drain plug and inspect the combustion chamber.

I don't think the drain plug has ever been removed before, so a little WD 40 and some better leverage and ithe plug turns easily.

The combustion chamber had a couple of bees, a wasp, a couple other bugs I didn't recognize, and about an eight of an inch of reddish sand in it, so it looks like the previous owners didn't use the propane feature of the fridge for a long time.

Since I had it all apart I put an additional fan in back along with an override switch for the little thermoswitch back there. I cleaned up the connection between the thermoswitch and cooling fin it's connected to, and ran the outdoor probe of a Radio Shack Indoor/Outdoor thermometer from behind the sink under the fridge faceplate and into the fridge.

Once I got it all together and reinstalled I still couldn't light it )-: but as I said, I'll be trying the following procedure tonight. It works fine on AC & DC.

Thanks for the help -- Rich Durant 86 Westfalia

At 09:07 PM 8/5/98 -0400, Lawrence Johnson wrote: >Rich, if the fridge has not been used for a long time, it is normal (at least >for me) to have difficulty getting the fridge propane burner to light. The >problem, I believe, is caused by having air in the propane line to the fridge > >Here is a procedure that has always worked for me (eventually): > After turning on the main propane valve on the tank, light one of your >stove top burners and let it burn until the flame is pure blue (no red). > Ok, now turn the stove off and turn the fridge propane valve on (the knob >on the extreme right turned from "O" to "I"). > Turn the temperature setting to MAX. > Press and hold the gas starter valve (the button on the right side of the >air pump) for about 15-20 seconds. The idea here is to let propane into the >combustion chamber and flush out any air in the line. >{%^$#&#} > Unscrew the drain cap at the bottom left hand side of the fridge; attach a >plastic hose to the drain; and blow into the hose as hard and as long as you >can stand (I cheat and use compressed air). Here, you are trying to remove the >excess propane from the combustion chamber) > Turn on the camping indicator light console so that you can watch the "*" >light which will glow when the fridge propane combustion chamber is lit. > Now take hold of the fridge air pump and give it 20 to 30 pumps. Don't push >the pump so far as to cause it to click (see the next step). > Press and hold the gas starter valve and simultaneously press the air pump >all the way in until it clicks. You should see a flash through the hole in the >lower back left corner of the fridge. Continue to hold down the gas starter >valve until the "*" light glows or for a maximum of 15-20 seconds. If you are >lucky and the "*" light starts to glow, release the gas starter valve. If the >glow begins to diminish, push the gas starter valve back in and hold it a while >longer. > If no glow then go back to step {%^$#&#} above. (I have never had this work >the first time and rarely on the second attempt) > If you have success, check the "*" light periodically over the next few >minutes. If it goes out it is usually easy to re-light using the orthodox (see >the book) procedure. (I've only had it go out on me once) > >> I'm trying to remove the cap so that I can get some extra air for combustion >> when lighting the fridge on propane use per the various references in the >> archives. > >I don't know of anyone who has ever suggested leaving the cap off under any >circumstances. > >> When I try to light the fridge I see a yellow flash but I never get a blue >> flame > >Don't worry about not seeing the blue flame, this is reserved for the chosen >few. >Larry >'86 Syncro Westfalia > > Rich Durant Licensing & Installation Products Mentor Graphics Corporation


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