In a message dated 15/07/2008 9:41:02 A.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

There is  a process termed as "burping" the Dometic. Basically with the
fridge on the  bench, you turn it upside down for 24 hours or so, then
(of course) turn it  right side up. I'm not clear on the chemical
aspect of absorption fridges,  but I gather that the ammonia etc. may
need a "kick start" to start moving  and/or combining again.

Burping the fridge will not  help to get the propane service working.  The
Chemicals in the cooling  system are just for that - COOLING !  If the propane
service will not fire  up then there's a problem with the propane delivery,
regulation or ignition  !    AND, cooling off the fridge for 12 hours on
electricity to  get it started on propane may work but the reason it helps is that the
heat  produced in the exhaust pipe from the 120 volt heater rises up that
exhaust pipe  causing a convection current that inducts fresh air down the intake
tube and  that fresh air in the combustion chamber is what makes the propane
easier to  light.  So.......the moral of that story is to get fresh air into
the  combustion chamber to get that propane to light up.  And......by fresh air
 I mean with a good charge of oxygen as that is really what the propane
needs to light up.  So....... that's why the air pump is there.  It  does not work
all that well so I and many others have had good success by  inducing air
into the drain tube at the LH front bottom of the fridge.   Remove the cap, blow
air in there from a compressor or with a small diameter  plastic tube using
your hot air for the air source !  Also, to note, if you  have kept the propane
bypass valve pressed in for a long time without the  propane lighting then the
combustion chamber will be flooded with propane as it  tends to lay on the
bottom of the chamber instead of rising up out of the  chamber, so clicking the
piezo many times or blowing in fresh air without  pressing the bypass valve to
expel the excess propane before actually trying to  light the propane will
help clear the combustion chamber thereby allowing a  fresh charge of propane
and air to light up.

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008