Hey Mick-  There should be no issues with runnning on propane 24-7.  Our
campers are out on rentals almost constantly with the fridges on propane-
and though it is of course advisable to shut them off when refueling
gasoline, I doubt that many of our customers actually do it- and nothing
has exploded yet (knock, knock,...)  There definitely is little to worry
about in driving, except the pilot light being occasionally blown out by a
passing truck.

>OK... now we're getting somewhere... with the aux battery we can keep the
>fridge running even if we stop the bus.  That makes sense.  12 Volt to and
>from, propane at the site (almost no campgrounds here that have 110).
>Actually though, my propane doesn't blow out at speed, but then we never get
>above 65, 70 tops... no freeways here!  Besides you can't drive for more
>than about four hours without being back where you started!
>
>Thanks for the ideas.
>
>Mick Kalber
>Tropical Visions Video, Inc.
>62 Halaulani Place    Hilo, Hawaii  96720
>ph. 808-935-5557    fax 808-935-0066
>hotlava@interpac.net
>www.volcanoscapes.com
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
>Of Bill Davidson
>Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 11:03 AM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: 89 syncro westy backup 12 volt
>
>
>> Mick, you said,
>>
>> <<...12v seems kind of useless anyway if it doesn't work when you're not
>> running and shuts down when you stop and for twenty minutes after you
>> start up again.  What's the point?...>>
>>
>>
>>    No, the 12 volt heater doesn't shut down for 20 minutes after startup.
>>  If selected, it's on as soon as the engine starts up...it's just really
>> ineffectual, unless you make runs like I do...eight or more hours at a
>> time, stopping only for gas and to make and consume a quick sandwich...in
>> February.  Then it works ok...maybe sorta.
>
>Well, not quite right... althought he 12v starts up right away with the
>engine, it takes about 20 or 30 minutes for the chemical reactions in the
>fridge cooling mechanism to get back maximum cooling... thus the stopping
>kills the average temperature inside the fridge... especially on a hot
>day....
>
>actually I find the 12 volt cooling is quite effective... but I have an
>auxiliary battery to keep the fridge running when I stop the engine... no 20
>or 30 minute interruption of cooling that way...
>
>as for running it on propane, it seems that not everyone's unit will stay
>lit at freeway speeds...
>
>Bill
>
>The rest of the year I use
>> propane when driving and 110 volts if available while camping.   Perhaps
>> the Dometic engineers thought a three-way fridge would be a good thing.
>> I don't.
>>
>>    BTW,  when you run the fridge using 12 volt power, the heater runs
>> independently of the thermostat.  That is, it is always on, no matter
>> what the thermostat setting is.
>>
>>         George
>>         '89 Westy, Wernher
>>
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             Imua Camper Company, Hawaii,  http://www.imua-tour.com
         Volkswagen Westfalia camper rentals in the Hawaiian Islands
                               ph/fax-(808)935-6241