Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 20:46:37 -0700
Reply-To: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Subject: Re: fridge fan fuse
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Dave,
I don't see where you posted the year of your van. That's always a good idea
since some of the stuff varies from one year to another and you can be
getting the right advice for the wrong year.
Anyway, this is how I see it for my 90 Westy Syncro:
I tested the stock Dometic fan at 220mv. So if it ran for 24 hours it would
draw your battery down by 5.28 amp hours. If it ran for only 8 hours a day,
it would draw your battery down by 12.32 amp hours over 7 days.
That's probably not enough to kill your starter battery, but it does
shorten its life some. Especially so since starter batteries were not
designed for that kind of load. In addition every time you start your engine
there is poisonous gas emitted from the battery as it charges. On the whole
this fan running day after day in hot climates in not a good thing.
Yes you can just pull the fuse behind the driver's seat. Shouldn't hurt a
thing.
Or you could plug your battery into a trickle charger when you park it for
long periods of time to keep your battery topped off. (This keeps it topped
off from leakage other than your fridge fan too.)
Have fun,
Bill
90 Westy Synco
-----Original Message-----
From: Caston/Payne <happycampers@PICUSNET.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Monday, July 05, 1999 5:01 PM
Subject: fridge fan fuse
Just walked outside to put some stuff in Vinnie and the fridge
thermoswitched fan is running. Don't know for how long but given the temps
here on the east coast it has prolly been running all day!
Any opinion on whether or not it is ok to remove the fuse that powers
(indirectly) the fridge thermoswitched fan? It's 110š (w/heat index) and
I'm wondering if that little fan is running down my battery! I'm traveling
next week and don't want any dead batteries!
Bently indicates that fuse S23 (8A) is indirectly responsible for power.
Where is this fuse?
Is it one of the two behind my drivers seat? Or is it behind the display on
the cabinet?
Will removing it until the heat abates destroy any vital (or not so vital)
components?
Later,
Dave & Sherrie
Williamsburg, VA
zzzzzzzzzz__
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