Date:         Sat, 19 Sep 1998 08:38:04 -0800
Reply-To:     Otmar Ebenhoech <Otmar@EVCL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Otmar Ebenhoech <Otmar@EVCL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dometic Refridge pilot lamp indicator not working!
Comments: To: "W. Silva" <wsilva@CAPECOD.NET>, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
In-Reply-To:  <199809191232.IAA22780@mailhost.capecod.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 8:27 AM -0400 9/19/98, W. Silva wrote:
>This is interesting because we have just the opposite problem-the pilot
>generator light will not go out even when the gas is off.  I was told
>yesterday by an RV place that services Dometic and Norcold that the sensor
>that controls the light is open until the flame is in between which
>conducts the millivolts of electricity to light the LED.  They figure that
>in our case, a little piece of rust has fallen from the combustion chamber
>and gotten into the sensor and is constantly conducting the electricity
>needed to light the LED. So conversley, possibly the sensor that is in your
>van may be dirty so that it isn't conducting when the flame is in the
>middle- just a thought.  They tell me to clean mine they have to take the
>combustion chamber apart. Hope this theory helps.

I would have to disagree with the RV place. The thermocouple which provides
the signal which is amlified to run the LED is shorted when cold and makes
about 500mV (negative relative to chassis) when the flame is on. This
-500mv also is used to keep the saftey on (the button you have to hold
until the fridge lighgts). Therefore, if your fridge stays lit them it's
not the thermocouple. Sounds to me like either the wiring or the PCB with
the LEDs on it.

I found on mine that the use and vibration had cracked all the solder
joints holding the LEDs in. I simply removed the panel and re soldered all
the joints, while I was at it I recalibrated the battery indicator so that
it me spec as per the bentley manual, there's a pot on the board and it
adjusts the level at which the LEDs switch.

HTH
 -Otmar-
86 Syncro (front) 82 (rear) Stretch GTI Westfalia. "Power of two"
It runs! 3K miles in 3 weeks.
Several EVs (Electric Vehicles)
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