Date:         Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:50:44 -0700
Reply-To:     Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dometic condensation drain
Comments: To: Rob <becida@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2008061618062831@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hey volks,

I just removed my drain plug and found more 'things' that drifted down over
the weekend.  Am heading to the hardware store now to find some tubing to
connect to the end so I can try the trick another owner uses
(blowing/sucking).

My Dom lit fine Friday night and was down to 29d Saturday morn by the time
we left for Maupin #3 Deschutes River RendezVW.  Neil's trick (air dam)
worked GREAT to keep me flame lit the entire two hours on the road to
Maupin.  I used silver aluminum? tape and only covered the fwd two air
vents.  Now the bad news.  We parked in such a way that even after 1/2 hour
of leveling we still were tilted forward a few degrees which was enough to
prevent the Dom from working for the entire stay.  I could easily light it
(needle goes to green momentarily, for a minute or so, or goes into the max
green then when it does drop it either does so slowly or with momentary
reversals back to the right a little.  Never all the way and never if it
reaches the white.  Once it reaches White it stays there tho' sometimes it
seems to hover in the white as well.  I've got plenty gas for the stove and
used it all weekend and lit it today as well.

I've read the Dom manual (Thanks Neil, again) and Derek's Ref Madness and
the Dom's instructions on the door repeatedly and noticed the 182B Dom
manual's directions differ from the door.  I can't remem which mine is but
think it's not the 182B.  The 182B manual instructs users to press the
safety button for 20 seconds, pump 20 times then the usual.

Do the 182B directions work on other models?  Is it vital to have the drain
plug seated tightly for proper ops?

Does anyone have any feedback given my symptoms.  I think my Dom lights but
then, for some reason goes out.

Thanks!



On Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 3:05 PM, Rob <becida@comcast.net> wrote:

> At  6/4/2008 10:21 AM, Jonathan Poole wrote:
>
>> There has been good discussion on the fridge "drain" and blowing out but
>> it
>> seemed to me that a little clarification would be helpful.
>>
>> Over the years I have regularly used the "drain" on my fridge.  What comes
>> out is never water or moisture but instead ash chunks.  I guess that
>> critters or trash go into the intake from time to time and then get
>> burned.
>> Every few months I remove the cap and lightly tap on the tube which allows
>> the crud to fall out.  Every now and then when I am vacuuming I will
>> remove
>> the cap and put the vacuum hose up to it to suck crud out.  Also I have
>> attached a shop vac to the exhaust on the side of the van which moves a
>> lot
>> of air through the combustion chamber when doing this I usually walk
>> around
>> and open the little drain cap to suck the crud out of the tube.  Anyway I
>> since my experiences have been different and over a long period of time I
>> thought they were worth mentioning.
>>
>> Also over the years when I have seen fridges blow out I have always (my
>> experience here) been able to fix the problem by removing the flue pieces
>> and seal from the side of the van and then cleaning and sealing them
>> lightly
>> with silicone.  I seal the rubber to the body (probably most helpful for
>> keeping water out of the inside of the van) then the flue to the rubber
>> and
>> even put a bit of silicone on the intake/exhaust divider plate.  After
>> doing
>> this the fridge has always stayed lit for me.  I believe though that if
>> this
>> doesn't fix the problem you should try resealing the combustion chamber
>> next
>> and inspecting for damaged or cracked pipes.
>>
>> Jonathan Poole
>> '83 AC Westy
>>
>
> I have an '84 westy and just this morning took the fridge out to
> clean the drain. I could not blow through it or even put something
> into it one inch.
> The combustion box at the back had a fair amount of fine rust in it,
> maybe .25" covering the whole bottom. The drain was clogged with that
> fine rust.
> I used a coat hanger, the shop vac and compressed air to clear out
> the whole 14" of drain line.
> On mine I can now pull the drain plug and insert 14" of coat hanger
> into the drain line.
>
>
>
>
>
> Rob
> becida@comcast.net
> In western WA with an '84 Westy and a summer before me.
>



--
Neil2
'82 Diesel Westy (Duckie)