Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 13:14:40 -0700
Reply-To: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Westy Fridge Project
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
You make a good point. We do need to try to use standardized test
conditions. I tried to spell mine out at the start of this thread. My
fridge has stabilized now at 28 degrees F, while the thermometer inside
the van reads 83 degrees F. This is a 55 degree difference with the temp
setting straight up and not at maximum. The fan is coming on often. I
have mine empty to reduce the number of variables at this point. It
would be interesting to see at what rate a given mass of fluid could be
cooled and to compare this with other Westy units. Maybe we should try
this after everyone gets theirs lit and working.
I just got my other fridge to light for the first time. I used
compressed air to blow out the burn chamber and vent pipes. I removed
the sheet metal cover on the flue vent outside so I could get clear
access to the vent pipes. I also removed the small cap from the burn
chamber condensation drain. This is inside at the bottom left corner of
the fridge, just inside the floor vent. This appeared to be plugged so I
ran a piece of stiff wire into it about 12" to clear it. Then I plugged
the smaller of the outside holes and put a compressed air into the
larger one. The compressed air blew dust and debris out of the drain
hole according to my wife who was inside watching the drain vent. Then I
unplugged the smaller outside hole and applied more air to the larger
hole. More dust and such flew out of it. I then put the air hose into
the smaller outside hole and gave it more air. After this I put the cap
on the drain tube inside and tried once more to light the fridge. It
started up in seconds, so I turned the temp setting to point straight
up. I put a thermometer inside on the top shelf, centered and at the
edge closest to the door. In an hour I will look and see how it is
doing. It should cool some at least as if I listen at the vent while my
wife moves the temp setting back and forth from min. to max. I can hear
the main burner turn on and off. There is a lot of heat coming out of
the flue also. The LED for the pilot is not very easy to see when it is
bright outside. My Syncro Camper Westy Fridge does not have this LED. It
instead has a meter inside of the door at the right of the Fridge
control panel. This meter reacts to the pilot being lit in a
instantaneous fashion and I much prefer it for troubleshooting. The main
drawback to it is that you must open the fridge door to see it. I would
like to have it and the LED so I could tell from the outside that the
pilot was lit.
Mark
Rubatoguy wrote:
>
> It might be interesting for people to post the model of their fridge, and
> the temp inside over time.
> To be useable, you should also note the temp inside the van and do this
> with an empty fridge. (Or with a suitable cooling load - say a 12-pack of
> soda or beer)
>
> One of the problems I have with my fridge is that it rarely gets more than
> a 20-degree differential between the van temp and the refrigerator temp.
>
> Todd
> '88 Westy
>
> Mark Drillock wrote:
>
> > Gentlemen, start your fridges!
> > Today we begin the Westy Fridge project. I hope everyone has been able
> > to locate a suitable thermometer. Mine came from a local supermarket,
> > $4, EKCO Premium Refrigerator & Freezer Thermometer. I placed it on the
> > top shelf, centered, and at the front edge. I turned on my propane at
> > both valves, set the thermostat for MINIMUM, pumped the air pump a
> > couple of times, pushed in the safety button, and pushed the piezo
> > ignitor about 10 times until the pilot lit. Then I set the temp
> > thermostat to straight up. The new thermometer read 68 degrees when I
> > closed the door.
> > I went around to the side and listened at the flue vent. I could easily
> > hear the flames of the combustion chamber and the vent got hot
> > immediately.
> >
> > If you can, light your fridge and lets see how they do. If yours
> > doesn't light, lets find out why and fix it. I have another one in my
> > driveway that I will be taking out to clean and such, so we can do this
> > together if desired.
> >
> > I have a copy of the Vanagon Camper Refrigerator book that I
> > purchased from LIMBO some time ago. It contains info gathered from
> > several sources and includes the Dometic Service Manual, VW Technical
> > Information, and Parts Listings from both of the above.
> >
> > Mark Drillock
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