Sounds like the evaporator fan thermostat, indeed.  These should kick in
at a fairly low temperature - about 130F if I recall properly (I know they
will run even without the fridge on if the van is left in direct sun
light, hot garages, etc.).  A hair dryer should generat more than enough
heat to trip the thermostat.  Try shorting across the t'stat terminals and
see if the fan runs (i.e. bypass the t-stat).  If not, it may be a bad fan
or lack of 12V power to the fan circuit.  Also worth checking that the
t'stat is firmly attached to the condensor fin so that it is sensing the
proper temperature.

Might be worth investing $15-20 in one of those "fancy schmancy" meters
though (e.g. Radio Shack).  Way less $$ than a trip to your friendly
Dometic service vendor - even less than a week's worth of ice...

-Wes

> Date:          Sat, 15 Aug 1998 08:18:27 -0500
> From:          "Roy O." <keepsake@PANGEA.CA>
> Subject:       Suggestions Re: Dometic Fridge

> My Dometic fridge has always cooled wonderfully ever since I purchased my
> 1987 Westfalia new. This summer,the propane side is cooling very poorly.
> A few weeks ago, I removed the fridge, cleaned it, sat it upside down on
> my workbench for two days and re-installed it. The propane side cooled
> great for about a day but that was it. Before I remove it again, I'd like
> to verify the operation of the cooling fan since I don't recall hearing
> it run at all this year. Is there an easy way to force the cooling fan to
> operate while the fridge is still 'in-cabinet'? I've tried applying heat
> directly to the sensor (switch?) using a hand held hair dryer but this
> hasn't worked. Could the sensor be dead? Anyway, keep in mind that I
> don't have fancy-shmancy electrical equipment like ohm meters, etc.
>
> Roy O.
> 1987 Westfalia (till death do us part)
> West St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada
>
>
>

Wes Neuenschwander
Seattle, WA
wesn@eskimo.com