Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 16:25:28 -0700
Reply-To: Steve <sxs@CONCENTRIC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steve <sxs@CONCENTRIC.NET>
Subject: Re: Dometic-Gas Lighting
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I respectfully believe these two steps are unnecessary:
> Set thermostat to Minimum (not miximum as manual dictates). It has been
> found that too much propane causes a sudden mini-explosion or "poof" that
> actually blows out the flame once you have managed to light it.
>
The gas flow is either all on or all off, it does not have variable flame,
controlled by the thermostat, like a stove-top burner. The mini-poof you
mention is from allowing the combustion chamber to fill with too much gas
before you spark the igniter...thus when you do spark it, you get a little
explosion ... the flame does not liught and you now need to get all those
combustion gases out of there before anything will light/burn.
>
> Push in the air pump about 15 times (without going all the way in to
> "click" the spark)
>
> Hold in the botton that actually lets the gas in and PUMP THE AIR CONTROL 5
> MORE TIMES KEEPING THE GAS BUTTON PUSHED IN THEN PUSH THE ACTUATOR (SPARK)
> IN UNTIL THE FLAME LIGHTS. A maximum of 20 seconds).
>
I NEVER use my pump....haven't used it in 5 years. It's ok to use it, but not
necessarily in the way described above. The sparker (whatever) should be
pushed in five times (five sparks) or so AT THE SAME TIME that you push in the
gas button...not after a delay. It's just like a cigarette lighter...push in
the button and propane starts to come out.... that's when you spark it to
ignite the flame.. If you delay, you fill the combustion chamber up with
propane ... driving out O2 and flooding the system so all you get is a "poof"
explosion. After the "poof," the combustion chamber fills with exhaust gasses
without enough O2 for any subsequent combustion. At this point, pump 100
times or so, use compressed air or drive around to clear out the exhaust gasses
in combustion chamber.
If my fridge does not start in the first five sparks right after pushing in the
button, or if i hold it in too long by accident before sparking and get the
"poof," i know it is not going to start then and there without extraordinay
efforts. So, instead of wasting time, I then either turn it on AC seting for
an hour or so (convection air currents clear out the chamber) or drive with it
on DC for a little bit, and then try. I have never had it NOT start after
doing either of these)
steve
