Date:         Thu, 26 Aug 1999 21:41:47 -0700
Reply-To:     Brent Christensen <bpchristensen@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Brent Christensen <bpchristensen@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Refrigerator repair 101 (Long)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Just finished three days of fiddling with my fridge and I wanted to forward
a report to the list, for the benefit of those who are putting off fridge
repairs because it seems too daunting - its not, really!

My problem (as posted last week) was that my fridge was working great on 110
and (more or less) 12v.  the problem was that propane would not cool it
below about 55 degrees or so, regardless of outside temp.  My goal was to
accomplish three things:
1. "Burp" the fridge
2. Check the orifice (jet) that meters the flow of fuel into the combustion
chamber, and look for other tell-tale signs of problems.
3. Replace the NOISY dometic fan unit (it kept me awake while camping last
weekend!)

Pulling the fridge out is a piece of cake in later model Westy (I don't know
about pre-'86).  The nicest thing about doing it is that you get to pull out
all the shelving and clean out the accumulated grime in normally
inaccessible areas.  I highly recommend a cordless screwdriver, though, as
some of the screws are awkward to get at and are long.

Once I pulled out the fridge, I pulled apart the combustion chamber and
found that it looked brand new - no problems that were obvious. I blew out
the little bit of rusty powder accumulated there, and realized something
VERY SIGNIFICANT.  You know that silly pump that you have to jam back and
forth like a madman (madwoman) while lighting your fridge?  Well, it is just
trying to flood the combustion chamber with fresh air.  Wanna know a REAL
EASY WAY to do this instead?  Just blow air into the little drain tube that
comes out under the fridge.  The air will go into the exact same spot - and
you won't even have to work up a sweat.  I'm planning to get a bit of
surgical tubing to carry for just that purpose when I can't get the fridge
to light!

Well, back to the story - So I inverted the fridge overnight, then set about
replacing the fan with a Fridgemate unit that I go at a local RV supply
place.  ($40 US).  It came with a 90 degree thermo switch attached to it,
but I used the stock one instead.  I reversed the polarity to the motor,
then flipped it upside down (honest, it was quieter and blew more air that
way!), then mounted it to the stock location after changing the bend in the
bracket to bring it in tighter to the back of the fridge.  I wired it to the
original thermo switch.

Now the neat stuff:  I bought two tiny black panel-mount switches from Radio
Shack, which I mounted on the fridge face place right where the Dometic
label is (to the right of the gas knob).  They fit perfect, and I figure it
was the best place to drill two 1/2" holes if I wanted to someday return to
"stock".  One of these switches I wired to the original (noisy but working
well) Dometic fan via the same thermo-switch.  Then I mounted it just above
the lower two coils, off-set from the Fridgemate unit by about 1/2".  This
way, I can kick on the extra fan if I am parked in the sun on a hot day, but
then turn it off at night and get some sleep (while the much quieter
Fridgemate handles primary duties).

The second switch is wired to a pair of 12v leads that I dropped into the
fridge through a 1/4" hole drilled through the top left corner.  These leads
are wired to a CPU fan than I zip-tied to the top side of the evaporator
(bottom would get wet from condensation).  It makes a comforting whining
noise like there is an old 486 inside the fridge. <g>  This provides enough
turbulence to move air around inside the fridge, but doesn't hog up *any*
usable space inside.  (I know, I know, you're not supposed to pack the
fridge).

Then I went back to fiddling with the orifice and burner assembly, since I
wasn't satisfied that I had tracked down the problem.  I completely
disassembled the unit, including removing the pilot and piezo igniter, and
pulling out the actual burner.  Inside the burner, I found what must have
been the culprit - the charred, skeletonized remains of a small chitinous
grub or caterpillar!  It was about 1/4" long and about 1/8" in diameter.  It
must have climbed down a vent tube and made a nice comfy home in there until
one day he heard a click-click-click and then Va-Whoom! as he departed for a
new life...

So, I soaked the orifice in alcohol, then blew it out with compressed air
and then buttoned everything back up.  Installation was a breeze.  I have
read several posts from people who say that getting the fridge back in is a
major PITA because of the vent tubes.  In my '89 it was a piece of cake -
slipped right into place by putting fridge in at an angle (tilted slightly
back) then sliding in to clear the underside of the stove, the bringing it
upright while simultaneously pushing back.  The first time I slid it into
place, I went outside, and the screw holes in the vent covers were actually
already lined up!

I had to subsequently pull it out twice more and reinstall it - the third
time I accidentally caught the vent tubes on the underside of the stove and
they got *slightly* bent.  This made it considerably more difficult to line
everything up.  (Required a few times jumping out and running around outside
to check the fit).  The caveat is to be *careful* when sliding it in as to
not change the bend in the vent tubes if at all possible.  This makes for a
much easier installation.  (BTW the second R & R was due to a short caused
by the fan motor terminal contacting the mounting bracket; the third R & R
was due to Chinese food. - I was interrupted by the delivery, and forgot to
put a tin plate in place that covers the junction box at the top of the
fridge - duh!)

All in all, it was one of the more satisfying repairs I have done.  Plenty
of room to work, your hands don't get greasy, and it is really pretty easy!
If any one has questions, please feel free to e-mail me.  The fridge has
been running for about an hour now, so I don't know if I was successful, but
the evaporator is getting cold!

Cheers,

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy "Klaus"
Santa Barbara, CA