Hi Volks:

Well, after about 75 minutes, the temp was about 40 degrees Farenberg, so my
fridge does work, and seems to work well.

I guess I'll know better on a hot day. BTW: I never did hear a fan, FWIW.
Hmmm.

Marshall Ruskin
>
>Ya Hoo! Got my fridge to work for the first time on propane!
>
>Flame indicator light came on, and flue is heating up nicely.
>
>Still cannot see pilot lamp through the window, though.
>
>I guess I have to have the refeer door open to see it, right?
>
>(ha hah - a computer help-desk type question)
>
>Ya hoo!- the temp was 72 Farenberg, I'll let ya'll know what it is in an
>hour.
>
>Cheers!
>
>Marshall
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Date: Sunday, May 16, 1999 3:03 PM
>Subject: Re: Westy Fridge Project
>
>
>>You make a good point. We do need to try to use standardized test
>>conditions. I tried to spell mine out at the start of this thread. My
>>fridge has stabilized now at 28 degrees F, while the thermometer inside
>>the van reads 83 degrees F. This is a 55 degree difference with the temp
>>setting straight up and not at maximum. The fan is coming on often. I
>>have mine empty to reduce the number of variables at this point. It
>>would be interesting to see at what rate a given mass of fluid could be
>>cooled and to compare this with other Westy units. Maybe we should try
>>this after everyone gets theirs lit and working.
>>
>>     I just got my other fridge to light for the first time. I used
>>compressed air to blow out the burn chamber and vent pipes. I removed
>>the sheet metal cover on the flue vent outside so I could get clear
>>access to the vent pipes. I also removed the small cap from the burn
>>chamber condensation drain. This is inside at the bottom left corner of
>>the fridge, just inside the floor vent. This appeared to be plugged so I
>>ran a piece of stiff wire into it about 12" to clear it. Then I plugged
>>the smaller of the outside holes and put a compressed air into the
>>larger one. The compressed air blew dust and debris out of the drain
>>hole according to my wife who was inside watching the drain vent. Then I
>>unplugged the smaller outside hole and applied more air to the larger
>>hole. More dust and such flew out of it. I then put the air hose into
>>the smaller outside hole and gave it more air. After this I put the cap
>>on the drain tube inside and tried once more to light the fridge. It
>>started up in seconds, so I turned the temp setting to point straight
>>up. I put a thermometer inside on the top shelf, centered and at the
>>edge closest to the door. In an hour I will look and see how it is
>>doing. It should cool some at least as if I listen at the vent while my
>>wife moves the temp setting back and forth from min. to max. I can hear
>>the main burner turn on and off. There is a lot of heat coming out of
>>the flue also. The LED for the pilot is not very easy to see when it is
>>bright outside. My Syncro Camper Westy Fridge does not have this LED. It
>>instead has a meter inside of the door at the right of the Fridge
>>control panel. This meter reacts to the pilot being lit in a
>>instantaneous fashion and I much prefer it for troubleshooting. The main
>>drawback to it is that you must open the fridge door to see it. I would
>>like to have it and the LED so I could tell from the outside that the
>>pilot was lit.
>>
>>
>>Mark
>>
>>
>>Rubatoguy wrote:
>>>
>>> It might be interesting for people to post the model of their fridge,
and
>>> the temp inside over time.
>>> To be useable, you should also note the temp inside the van and do this
>>> with an empty fridge. (Or with a suitable cooling load - say a 12-pack
of
>>> soda or beer)
>>>
>>> One of the problems I have with my fridge is that it rarely gets more
>than
>>> a 20-degree differential between the van temp and the refrigerator temp.
>>>
>>> Todd
>>> '88 Westy
>>>
>>> Mark Drillock wrote:
>>>
>>> > Gentlemen, start your fridges!
>>> > Today we begin the Westy Fridge project. I hope everyone has been able
>>> > to locate a suitable thermometer. Mine came from a local supermarket,
>>> > $4, EKCO Premium Refrigerator & Freezer Thermometer. I placed it on
the
>>> > top shelf, centered, and at the front edge. I turned on my propane at
>>> > both valves, set the thermostat for MINIMUM, pumped the air pump a
>>> > couple of times, pushed in the safety button, and pushed the piezo
>>> > ignitor about 10 times until the pilot lit. Then I set the temp
>>> > thermostat to  straight up. The new thermometer read 68 degrees when I
>>> > closed the door.
>>> > I went around to the side and listened at the flue vent. I could
easily
>>> > hear the flames of the combustion chamber and the vent got hot
>>> > immediately.
>>> >
>>> >     If you can, light your fridge and lets see how they do. If yours
>>> > doesn't light, lets find out why and fix it. I have another one in my
>>> > driveway that I will be taking out to clean and such, so we can do
this
>>> > together if desired.
>>> >
>>> >     I have a copy of the Vanagon Camper Refrigerator book that I
>>> > purchased from LIMBO some time ago. It contains info gathered from
>>> > several sources and includes the Dometic Service Manual, VW Technical
>>> > Information, and Parts Listings from both of the above.
>>> >
>>> > Mark Drillock
>>
>