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maverickxv
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2021
Posts: 28
Location: CA
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 Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 4:59 pm Post subject: Dometic Fridge Troubleshooting or technical documentaion |
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The Dometic in my 1981 Westy doesn't seem to light up on Propane, curious if there is any technical documentation or trouble shooting tips, also steps on how to remove it. I am suspecting it is a gas feed issue.
Can anyone point me in the right direction? |
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cmayna
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2014
Posts: 1173
Location: SF Bay area, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 5:48 pm Post subject: Re: Dometic Fridge Troubleshooting or technical documentaion |
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Did you first try to fire it up on AC and then switch over to gas? If so, did it work on AC ?
_________________
'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
Craig |
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 10439
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: Dometic Fridge Troubleshooting or technical documentaion |
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There are slightly different fridge setups over the years and yours looks like it might be the very early type.
The fridge control labels vary and sometimes people don't correctly interpret them.
How about a photo or 2 of the fridge controls with the door open?
As for gas feed, can you light both stove burners at the same time?
Do the flame sizes stay the same decent size whether both are lit or only one?
If the stove works fine then the gas supply is probably good enough to at least light the fridge with the stove off.
Mark
| maverickxv wrote: |
The Dometic in my 1981 Westy doesn't seem to light up on Propane, curious if there is any technical documentation or trouble shooting tips, also steps on how to remove it. I am suspecting it is a gas feed issue.
Can anyone point me in the right direction? |
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harvgwen
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2021
Posts: 308
Location: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
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| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2024 8:57 pm Post subject: Re: Dometic Fridge Troubleshooting or technical documentaion |
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When we first got our van, I needed to remove the fridge and clean out the burner area. It then lit up much easier. I still find it a little finicky to get going though. The biggest issue seems to be being able to see the flame through the viewer. As several here have suggested, I use an old paper towel tube to look through. This seems to get my eye at the right angle, and block out a lot of stray ambient light.
_________________
1986 Westfalia Vanagon, 2.2 Subaru
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4972
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2024 5:50 am Post subject: Re: Dometic Fridge Troubleshooting or technical documentaion |
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| harvgwen wrote: |
| When we first got our van, I needed to remove the fridge and clean out the burner area. It then lit up much easier. I still find it a little finicky to get going though. The biggest issue seems to be being able to see the flame through the viewer. As several here have suggested, I use an old paper towel tube to look through. This seems to get my eye at the right angle, and block out a lot of stray ambient light. |
This was my experience. I found my burner box as well as my intake and exhaust pipes were full of mud wasp hotel. Once I cleared all that dried mud nest out it ran fine on Propane. Cleaning the burner box (and for me the pipes) is a basic first step.
If you search refrigerator in the forum you will find many threads on refrigerator maintenance and issues. Take some time looking through those as many have gone before us. The only modification mine has is the computer muffin fan in place of the original fan on the back of the unit.
BTW the westfalia camper instructions say to light both stove burners first for a bit to purge the propane lines of any air before starting the fridge on Propane.
For me the little light glass in the fridge will have the faintest whitish light when it is running. It almost looks like a little reflection on it.
_________________
Big Time 1988 Vanagon Westy
Release the Krankenwagen! 1966 Sportsmobile Camper
Dr. Kompressor 72 Super Duper
61 Turkis Pile (adopted out)
Last edited by Buggeee on Wed Jun 05, 2024 9:31 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4972
Location: Stuck in Ohio
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jimf909
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 8234
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2024 9:15 am Post subject: Re: Dometic Fridge Troubleshooting or technical documentaion |
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| maverickxv wrote: |
...curious if there is any technical documentation or trouble shooting tips, also steps on how to remove it. I am suspecting it is a gas feed issue.
Can anyone point me in the right direction? |
OP, you're getting a lot of good advice. For more enter:
site:thesamba.com vanagon dometic fridge
into the google and it will return a number of relevant (and some not relevant) threads on maintenance and trouble shooting.
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Athesamba.co...-serp#ip=1
_________________
- Jim
| Butcher wrote: |
| This is the main fault with DIY'ers, they get together on these forums and pat themselves on their backs spreading bad information. |
Guilty as charged.
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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maverickxv
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2021
Posts: 28
Location: CA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 1:30 pm Post subject: Re: Dometic Fridge Troubleshooting or technical documentaion |
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Lot's of great advice, the fridge works when plugged in to 110v, the burners work, I lit the burners and tried to light the fridge but I don't think it's lighting since the needle isn't moving on the gauge. Is there any instructions on how to check the burner box and see if the piezo is firing? Also not sure where th epilot site glass is either. Here is a pic of the control panel
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