Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:41:01 -0700
Reply-To: Bob McMain <RdRunr@ZIANET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bob McMain <RdRunr@ZIANET.COM>
Subject: Re: Frig will not stay lit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>Hello Volks,
>
>Well i'm just back from my first road trip in the new to me 81 Westy.
>About 375 miles round trip and she ran flawlessly.
>
>We left Macon, GA at about 2:30 pm Saturday and headed for Atlanta, GA
>where my wife's folks live. I dropped the sweet wife off at her Mom's
>house and I headed for the North GA mountains for the annual Six Gap
>Century bicycle ride. If you like to ride bicycles and you live within
>driving distance of N. GA you gotta come do this one. Its put on by the
>Dahlonega C of C and its one of the better rides in this neck of the woods.
>But back to the Westy.
>
>I spent Saturday night in the North GA. mountains, did the bicycle ride on
>Sunday and returned home on Sunday. What a great trip, cool weather, great
>bicycling and good fellowship. Only saw one other Westy, a white EuroWesty
> and I unfortnately did not get to talk with the owners.
>
>The only problem is that I could not keep the flame lit on the frig while I
>was driving in the Westy. Worked fine while I was parked but blew out
>every time when I started to drive. What a royal pain in the rear. Is this
>how it works or does the frig need work.
>
>Thanks for any help there might be out there.
>
>Ron Hill
>Macon GA
>81 Westy
Ron, I have owned three vanagon westies now and all the refrig's were
somewhat temperamental. Usually the refrig will work ok on propane when
traveling down the road. However, sometimes it will blow out due to the
vacuum at the outside refrig heat vent, produced by hiway speeds. Your best
bet for consistent refrig cooling while driving down the road is to use the
12V position on the refrig for driving and then light the propane while
parked at the campsite or for extended periods of stopping (like at a mall
or restaurant). It's a bit of a hassle, but can save a lot of frustration.
It may be that the Westfalia folks expected us to operate the refrig this
way in the first place.
BTW, I always plug in to 120V at home the night before a trip and get the
refrig real cold by setting it to the 120V position. Then the alternate use
of 12V & propane, as described above, keeps the refrig & food nice and cool
for my whole trip.
Good luck.
Bob
87 Syncro Westy
91 Trooper
97 CR-V
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