Hi Frank.

I suggested Thomas burp his fridge as in this case it didn't work on
any mode. A known working AC source didn't even work! --- :^) Hence
the burping suggestion.

And Thomas. I too am sitting on the fence regarding "To Dometic or Not
To Dometic". That Italian fridge sounds like the one. If the 182B
Dometic I have on the bench doesn't do any better in terms of
relighting after turning thermostat down, then I'm going with the
Viagra, er Vitrifrigo. Personally, I can't see throwing money into new
parts to keep a Dometic going. I'll put that money to the Vitrifrigo.

BTW, I'm pretty sure you can get the Vitrifrigo in an AC/DC or just DC
setup. If you go with DC only, I think you could use a battery charger
to run it from shore power if needed, and of course one can use solar.

Cheers,

Neil.

On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 2:57 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@aol.com> wrote:
> 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
>