Date:         Fri, 5 Nov 1999 11:50:39 -0400
Reply-To:     Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Subject:      Fridge buttons - FIXED
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

My 1991 fridge was stuck on AC.  No list members answered my plea for
help, so today I took apart the AC-DC-Propane switch.  This entailed
removing the fridge - or at least sliding it out 6 inches.

Inside the switch there are several pieces of plastic that slide around on each
other.  One of the plastic pieces in my switch had broken which then broke
another piece etc. to the point where the AC button was in the 'in' position
with no way to be pushed 'out' by pushing the DC or Propane switches - as
designed.

I was very careful to label all wires to the switch, and very careful to note the
position of all the the little plastic pieces as I took apart the switch.  I used
super glue to glue the pieces back together and I made some reinforcements
for the piece that initially broke and caused the trouble.

My plastic parts were not well lubricated and I am sure that had something
to do with the breakage.  I put one drop of oil on the moving parts when I
assembled the unit.  It seems to work fine now.

You could lub your switch the next time you have your fridge out, you will
notice that there is a black box (really) into which the AC-DC-Propane
switches go.  There are three rows of rectangular holes in the top of the
black box.  There are wires attached to the rear most (left side of van) two
rows of holes, but the front row of holes have no electrical contacts coming
out of them and no electricals under the holes.  Directly under those (front)
holes is a sliding plastic mechanism that makes any one button stay 'in' and
allows the button to be released by another button.  I would suggest a drop
or two of thin oil be dropped down those 'front' holes.  This should aid in the
plastic sliding around in the designed troughs.

This idea is for a late model fridge and this idea has not had long term
testing, but my switch works fine now.

malcolm s