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llilibel03 Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2008 Posts: 767 Location: Redondo Beach California
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:23 pm Post subject: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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I wanted to create a safe place to ask those stupid questions, the answers to which, admittedly, might be found with a few hours of archive searching.
I'll start- do you leave your dometic running on propane unattended when you go for day long or longer hikes? |
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shagginwagon83 Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016 Posts: 3796 Location: VA/TN
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:29 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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Glad this thread was made. I left my domestic fridge unattended for 8-12 hours at a music festival in the 90 degree heat. On the third day I woke up to it making some strange noises so I decided it was time to turn it off.
My question. My latch is broken on my Westy stove top. Is there anywhere that sells replacement latches? _________________ Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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fxr Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014 Posts: 2323 Location: Bay area CA
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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llilibel03 wrote: |
I'll start- do you leave your dometic running on propane unattended when you go for day long or longer hikes? |
I can't think of a good reason why one shouldn't. Back in the day, many household fridges were gas fridges, left on 24/7. _________________ Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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JudoJeff Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2013 Posts: 1179 Location: Near Springfield, MA
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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I've run my fridge on propane for weeks, no big deal. _________________ ________________________________________
1989 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper, Burned up on 7/31/16.
1987 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper, Bostig & Rebuilt, sold
1986 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper, Bostig Sold May 10, 2021
1999 Ford GTRV Westfalia camper (30% bigger Westy layout) |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12115 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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Just leave your van running so you can leave the fridge on 12v. You're welcome. _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:40 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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shagginwagon83 wrote: |
On the third day I woke up to it making some strange noises so I decided it was time to turn it off.
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Could be the fan blades hitting the cooling fins or piping at the back. A good fix is to pull the fridge and replace that fan with one or more better quality muffin fans that do a better job without exposed blades. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
— dhaavers |
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CanStan Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2005 Posts: 1037 Location: Calgary, AB
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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llilibel03 wrote: |
do you leave your dometic running on propane unattended when you go for day long or longer hikes? |
Last year I went on a 7 week road trip with my Westy. I started the fridge on propane the day before I left, and the only time it was shut off over that period was when I had the tank refilled (every 12-13 days). Lots of times we were gone all day and I was never concerned. To be fair though, it was a '90 with the auto-igniter on the fridge, so if the pilot light ever went out, it would relight and not spoil our food. |
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photogdave Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2004 Posts: 3052 Location: Vancouver Island, B.C.
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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I've left my Dometic fridge running for more than a week non-stop many times in multiple vans.
Last time was four days at MogFest. It even made ice in the infamous Sheridan heat, which I was able to put in my water bottle every morning.
_________________ 89 Syncro GL Westfalia 2.1 WBX/WBXaustSS
My Westy Movies:
photogdave On Vimeo
photogdave On YouTube
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 6:11 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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Not only do I leave my fridge on propane all the time, I also drive while it is lit.
Tip, to make ice more quickly while driving, first light the pilot, then switch to alternator. The pilot stays lit unless you turn the gas off, and the driving adds heat to the compressor, making the fridge colder while driving than it would be on gas alone.
the above dual simultaneous mode does not work with the auto igniter models
CanStan wrote: |
with the auto-igniter on the fridge, so if the pilot light ever went out, it would relight and not spoil our food. |
not correct
your pilot light will not flow gas if the thermocouple goes cold
what the auto igniter Will tell you, because it keeps snapping non stop, is that the pilot light IS out and you need to hold the override button to get it lit again
Paulbeard wrote: |
shagginwagon83 wrote: |
On the third day I woke up to it making some strange noises so I decided it was time to turn it off. |
Could be the fan blades hitting the cooling fins or piping at the back. |
true!
the fan at the back of the fridge will come on when it gets hot inside the van, such as when parked in the sun. I agree it makes for a rude awakening if you don't know what the noise is , and that it can be reduced by changing to a different fan, and or repositioning if the blades are making contact..
the fan is still noisy, even when the blades are not hitting anything.. _________________ My Soapboxes: Inflation; Handling; Gearing; Decoupling; Swepco |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7918 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:01 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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Jon_slider wrote: |
what the auto igniter Will tell you, because it keeps snapping non stop, is that the pilot light IS out and you need to hold the override button to get it lit again |
Point of clarification: The '90-'91 Dometics use electric ignition with an auto re-ignite feature (as Dometic calls it). It does, in fact, do its re-ignite job, provided there is adequate propane flow; if there is not, it will sit there and <click, click, click> indefinitely, regardless of your override attempts.
As for the original "stupid" question, I run mine on propane non-stop on most trips, after the first day (procedure: AC > run engine, flip to DC > reach camp site, flip to LPG until returning home). _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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CanStan Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2005 Posts: 1037 Location: Calgary, AB
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:14 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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kamzcab86 wrote: |
Jon_slider wrote: |
what the auto igniter Will tell you, because it keeps snapping non stop, is that the pilot light IS out and you need to hold the override button to get it lit again |
Point of clarification: The '90-'91 Dometics use electric ignition with an auto re-ignite feature (as Dometic calls it). It does, in fact, do its re-ignite job, provided there is adequate propane flow; if there is not, it will sit there and <click, click, click> indefinitely, regardless of your override attempts. |
Correct. If you run out of propane completely, the igniter will just keep clicking away. But if, for example, a gust of wind were to blow the pilot out, the thermocouple will still be warm, and the igniter will light it right away. No override needed. I've experienced it a couple times on super windy days with the fridge flue facing into the wind. Every now and again I would hear a single "click" as the pilot reignited. |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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CanStan wrote: |
kamzcab86 wrote: |
Jon_slider wrote: |
what the auto igniter Will tell you, because it keeps snapping non stop, is that the pilot light IS out and you need to hold the override button to get it lit again |
Point of clarification: The '90-'91 Dometics use electric ignition with an auto re-ignite feature (as Dometic calls it). It does, in fact, do its re-ignite job, provided there is adequate propane flow; if there is not, it will sit there and <click, click, click> indefinitely, regardless of your override attempts. |
Correct. If you run out of propane completely, the igniter will just keep clicking away. But if, for example, a gust of wind were to blow the pilot out, the thermocouple will still be warm, and the igniter will light it right away. No override needed. I've experienced it a couple times on super windy days with the fridge flue facing into the wind. Every now and again I would hear a single "click" as the pilot reignited. |
wow, you could blow me down with a feather!
Thanks for the education
I did not know about the re-ignite feature...
I wish my electronic fridge had it.. it would just click away... if I drove with the fridge lit
I could drive fine with the non electronic, and the pilot would stay lit
go figure _________________ My Soapboxes: Inflation; Handling; Gearing; Decoupling; Swepco |
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CanStan Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2005 Posts: 1037 Location: Calgary, AB
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 8:02 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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Go Westy and others sell an aftermarket auto-igniter. I found one on ebay for about $30 I think. There was a post here a while back about someone who successfully retrofitted their early Dometic with one. A worthwhile upgrade I would think. I once had an early fridge pilot blow out, and didn't notice until all the food had spoiled! |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Merian Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014 Posts: 5212 Location: Orygun
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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people have Dometics that work on propane???? _________________ .... |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6544 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:46 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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Define "work." _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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kaalualu Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2011 Posts: 274 Location: Big Island, Hawaii
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:47 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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16 years off grid living, Dometic running the whole time...in a structure. Boats use em too.
Hey, that really was a stupid question, and ya must be lazy too. Hence the title. _________________ '84 Transporter 16" CLK's/LED's/ AT's/Mansi injectors
'86 Wolfey Weekender Westfalia AT's/otherwise stock
Sold-'82 TinTop Diesel |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6544 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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I consider myself to specialize in lazy, with stupid a distant second. _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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SCM Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011 Posts: 3115 Location: Bozeman MT
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:07 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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Another dumb question: do all automatics lack a mechanism to prevent the shifter from being accidentally bumped from "park" into "neutral" when the key is nowhere in the vehicle, or is that just how mine works? _________________ '91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:17 pm Post subject: Re: Official lazy person's stupid question thread |
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would
"Yes!",
be a stupid answer?
I like answering stupid questions.. LOL
that means Im not that smart, right?
on a more serious note
I was taught that
There are no stupid questions, stupid answers otoh...Yes! _________________ My Soapboxes: Inflation; Handling; Gearing; Decoupling; Swepco |
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