Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 01:06:59 -0500
Reply-To: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
Subject: Re: Success! Re: Westy Fridge Project
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Thanks Karl, but I was trying to be "funny"!
Guess you have to work in the computer business to appreciate my humor!
Cheers!
Marshall
>Marshall,
>
>To see the pilot light, you not only have to have the fridge door open; you
>must also pretty much stick your head inside the fridge. Angle of view is
>critical, and you are better able to determine that angle if your are
>looking at night when the pilot flame is brighter than the ambient light.
>
>Good luck,
>
>Karl Wolz
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Sunday, May 16, 1999 2:15 PM
>Subject: Success! Re: Westy Fridge Project
>
>
>> Hi Volks:
>>
>> Ya Hoo! Got my fridge to work for the first time on propane!
>>
>> Flame indicator light came on, and flue is heating up nicely.
>>
>> Still cannot see pilot lamp through the window, though.
>>
>> I guess I have to have the refeer door open to see it, right?
>>
>> (ha hah - a computer help-desk type question)
>>
>> Ya hoo!- the temp was 72 Farenberg, I'll let ya'll know what it is in an
>> hour.
>>
>> Cheers!
>>
>> Marshall
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Date: Sunday, May 16, 1999 3:03 PM
>> Subject: Re: Westy Fridge Project
>>
>>
>> >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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