Thank you for your instructional video. I've had a 1984 Westfalia van since 2009, and my fridge has never worked. Thanks to you I believe l will try to remove and repair my fridge.
Excellent and Thanks.Just bought an 1981 Wesfalia,same color and galley as yours.Its in the shop being buffed and now I know how to use my fridge.Thanks from Ont.
Hey! THAT's MY VAN, MAN! I took to youtube to figure out this fridge- what a surprise! just picked it up last weekend and had it up to Hinton. The sliding door is painted now but still has the retro carpet in the compartment next to the fridge. Thanks for taking care of her, she's got many more years of cruising the rockies!
No Way! Have fun with him. The people I bought it from had a little boy who name him "Nemo" Another previous owner stuck his head in the drivers side window while wearing a giant cowboy hat! He had a giant, waxed moustache and said"Hey, I used to own this van!"
Thanks for sharing this video. I have been working on a customers Vanagon all winter long doing a long list of projects. My customer has just returned from a day trip into Canada where he purchased a whole stove, sink, refrigerator, cabinet assembly. I have been working on bench testing refrigerator and the LED on the front before I attempt to install it into the vehicle. I have been successful with getting the refrigerator to work on 12 volts DC and 110 volts AC. I set up a BBQ propane tank to run the refrigerator off of. To be honest I really didn't know much about these refrigerators before hand but have learned a ton along the way. I followed your lead with taking the firebox apart and cleaning everything out and making sure to blow out all the lines. When I took the firebox apart I noticed that the thermocouple didn't look like it was in very good condition. The customer had another refrigerator that he said I could use for parts. I replaced the burnt thermocouple and a few other parts that were either broken or missing, I found a downloadable service manual for the refrigerator and a set of lighting instructions. After getting everything back together I tried to fire it up on propane. I tried and tried almost giving up on trying to get the propane to work. Then I found that gas safety valve was leaking (Would not hold a vacuum with a vacuum pump) so I used the one from the other refrigerator. While I had the refrigerator out I took the air pump apart. Good thing I did because the seal was starting to dry rot and crack. I used some Vasoline on the seal to lubricate and help it seal up to pump air. I also lubed the shaft and replaced the air hose with a new rubber hose. In my opinion these are the two last things that I did to get the refrigerator fired up. Now it fires right up and burned for an hour without going out. While I let the pilot light burn I left the door off the refrigerator so it didn't get cold at all during that time. I currently have the refrigerator running on 110 volts over the weekend so it should be nice and cold Monday morning. I will then shut off the 110V and fire up the propane and let it go and see if it maintains the temperature inside now that door has been reinstalled and level out the cabinet assembly. I don't foresee any further propane issues but time will tell. I am very please with my efforts with this project. With the help of your video, service manual, lighting instructions and other internet sources this has been quite a learning experience. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I also hope that my experience will also help others with there refrigerator. Peace Gordon Ellis Jr.
Very nice video. I just followed your lead and cleaned out the fire box. FYI the wire connection to the gas valve you question is correct. Move it to the valve. Also I would recommend you install the modification for the air pump recommended in Bentley and sold through GoWesty.
Awesome video, thanks for filming and posting this. My fridge wouldn't work on gas and the PO couldn't get it to work either so its at least 10 years since it last worked. I found the lower air tube (with the cap) to be full of crud and the igniter to be a bit crusty and a quick blow out of all the hoses and the combustion box with compressed air sorted it. While I was there I also found the 12v fan to be stuffed so replaced it with a PC case fan on a bracket made out of ally angle and also added thermal compound to the thermister. I think I may also add a temperature sensor and fan on the interior fins while its out so it will cool more efficiently and I can also monitor the temperature. I will crack open a cold one in your honour!
This video was instrumental in me getting my VW fridge working on propane after (according to the previous owner) 20 years having never been used on propane, so a big thanks to you for posting. In homage I repeat the final line from this video every time I crack a beer that has been chilled in there.... "THAT'S COLD!". Love it.
I could never do what you did...retired old lady here! However, I was totally interested in what you did...if I ever get to buy me a Westfalia, and the fridge doesn't work, I'll refer to your video AND you! lol you truly are awesome!
great video! Just bought the fridge/sink/stove combo out of a vanagon at the scrap yard for $50.. Going to put it in my 1965 13 window deluxe.. But first, i'll do what you did! :)
I just serviced my Vanagon refrigerator using your instructions, and got it working again. Wanted to say how helpful I found your excellent instructions. Thanks for sharing this.
Great video. Thanks for the work and time. Helped me figure out how to make my fridge run on gas without a manual. Previous owner never used it. Also helpful " Vanagon Fridge Syndrome - won't run on LP-Westfalia .org Community". Thanks again.
I got rid of that old fridge as it never gets cold enough and is inefficient. I installed a GoWesty fridge elimination kit for extra storage. I use a portable fridge now.
This is fantastic, man! I've got mine out after damn near two years of owning the van (fridge was low priority) and I'll be burping it over a couple days. Here's to it!
Great video... thanks. Had mine upside down for 24 hours and then burped it. Boom! Life again... Lots of crap in the firebox. Feels great to have it all clean again.
The thing that helps when you roll the fridge isn't the LP or ignition. It is that the ammonia inside gets to circulate. This helps with cooling as there is no circulator pump. The LP is under pressure from your tank and is forced through the line. In fact it has a common operating pressure for common liquid petroleum or LP gas appliance is 10" - 11" of water column (WC) or re-stating this in equivalent measures, that's 27.4 millibars or 2491 - 2739 Pascals or Pa, or about 0.36 - 0.40 psi or about 5.78 to 6.36 ounces of pressure per square inch. Basically the way these work mechanically is you are holding a bypass valve when you hold the smaller button in. This allows LP to flow and by passes the thermocouple. The Thermocouple is the safety feature that insures if the flame goes out that the gas is shut off so the van doesn't fill with LP and create and extreme explosion fire hazard. A thermocouple also known as a "thermoelectrical thermometer", is an electrical device consisting of two dissimilar electrical conductors forming an electrical junction. When heated it produces a small amount of voltage usually less than a AA battery. Still its enough to open the electric valve in your LP control unit allowing LP to flow after being heated if THE FLAME GOES OUT the Thermocouple cools and then that electric signal stops closing the valve. Wala safety feature engaged. My guess is your success is dues to cleaning the pilot and burner itself along with insuring good air flow. These appear to have a sealed fire box probably due to the tight small quarters of the van and so your need to get air into it is crucial. larger home LP refrigerators have an open box ( or more open) and so air flow is less of an issue. Still no Oxygen no flame!! A run down of operation: It works like this: Heat is applied to the ammonia and water solution in the generator. (The heat comes from burning gas, propane or kerosene.) As the mixture reaches the boiling point of ammonia, it flows into the separator. Ammonia gas flows upward into the condenser, dissipates heat and converts back to a liquid. The liquid ammonia makes its way to the evaporator where it mixes with hydrogen gas and evaporates, producing cold temperatures inside the refrigerator's cold box. The ammonia and hydrogen gases flow to the absorber where the water collected in the separator in step No. 2 mixes with the ammonia and hydrogen gases. The ammonia forms a solution with the water and releases the hydrogen gas, which flows back to the evaporator. The ammonia-and-water solution flows toward the generator to repeat the cycle. Chronologically: 1.Generator - creates ammonia gas 2.Separator - separates the ammonia gas from water 3.Condenser - where hot ammonia gas is cooled and condensed to create liquid ammonia 4.Evaporator - where liquid ammonia converts to a gas to create cold temperatures inside the refrigerator 5.Absorber - absorbs the ammonia gas in water. Good home video!!!
Great video, wish I could find a new pump, mine is worn and its a bear to start the 182B on propane. Yes, rotating the frig on floor for a few weeks really does work to loosen the coolant and cool down much faster. A small muffin fan has been installed inside the frig to circulate cold air and the original fan at the rear has been upgraded.
It's easy to get the fridge out once you watch this and the GoWesty video. The trick for me was getting the fridge back in. The exhaust vent is up high so to get it under the stove you have to tip the fridge back (meaning top gets angled backwards into the opening to bring the vent pipes down lower). This gets you in an inch or so but then it's tough to get the bottom onto the wooden rails on each side. After struggling with it for a while I had an idea to make it easier. What I did was use a couple of cans, anything about 3" diameter should do it (like WD40 or starter fluid), as a fulcrum to pivot and roll the fridge. Put a can on each side of the fridge, with the cans oriented like rollers not upright. Once I had it pivoted downwards and got the vent pipes back behind the stove I pivoted the top forwards to lift up the lower back corner of the fridge. Then rolling it on the cans I was able to get the lower back edge over the rails. Pushing it in from there was a breeze as it just rolls right in on the two cans.
The point you make about turning the fridge upside down for 24 hrs, has solved many a problem as it allows the settled chemicals re-mix. One other thing I have always had success with id driving with the toggle switch on the 12 v while driving. Although you have no temperature control on this setting it functions to provide the ridge to operate thus allowing air and neat to work in the system. Once stopped the ridge will light immediately on propane and have temperature control.
Got rid of my fridge and bought a truck fridge, Big upgrade runs on AC or DC and I have a 120 watt portable solar that powers everything when I am camping
Thanks for how-to vid. I've had my fridge ('87 2WD Westy) in and out 3 or 4 times, once to add a replacement rear fan and an interior mini fan (with a switch), and most recently because it was smelling of LP when I ran 'fridge. I ran it off a BBQ bottle like you mentioned and used soap solution all over but never found a leak. I am wondering if the burner box itself can leak un-burnt gas? BTW - I HATE trying to re=attach that dang gas connection behind the fridge during re-install. The most miserable access in the whole van.
@echaverelly It could be that the thermostat valve isn't working... try turning the temp control up and down to see if there is any difference... replace if necessary. I would first try cleaning out the combustion chamber. The jet might be clogged as well, so clean that too... blow out all the lines... my fridge now works at altitude.
A man and lady lobster walk into a bar and sit at a table. The man lobster gets two beers and drinks them on the way back to the lady lobster. He places the empty bottles on the table. The lady lobster says, “ You Shellfish bastard!”
@@7kpulldown A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says "What's with the long face?" Horse replies: "That guy with the Westfalia wouldn't give me a beer, the shellfish bastard."..or something like that Hahahaha
thanks for the Fridge Video. i've got a question for you, where are you located out of? you have a Safeway Bag and Old style Pilsner. i've been try to find some anywhere close to Ohio every since i went to a Festival in Calgary a couple of years ago. I would to get my hands on a Pil Cube 24. ha ha thanks for any info. John
Hello again, I got the frig to run on the propane tank from the grill no problem, but it won't light when I hook it back up ( the burners work fine). I did everything the same as you. Any ideas as to how to get it working? Thanks again for posting.
@7kpulldown Ok, will do. Thanks for the advice. Is there a fan or other audaory signal that the fridge is at least receiving power? Gonna start this tonight!
@echaverelly Thinking more about the yellow flame... You're not getting enough oxygen to the combustion chamber... Pull the fridge out and make sure the exhaust and fresh air intake tubes are clear... seriously, the fridge comes out in 20 minutes or less.
@boojiray I'd pull it out and clean it up before I put any money and parts into it. Make sure you turn it upside down for a day or two because sometimes the refrigerant crystalizes and turning it upside down breaks it up..
Very helpful video. I am planning for the road full time and I am deliberating whether I should keep the fridge or do the elimination kit to create storage. I wonder if it would be cheaper to keep ice in a Yeti or run the propane fridge?! :)
Ice is cheap, Yeti is not, Yeti is a tedious chore, a replacement fridge is most expensive (~$1,000) but most convenient and reliable, storage can be accomplished by a hitch box or rooftop box. Given all this, I would opt to attempt a fix 1st and then replace w/ a new marine unit if the repair didn't work. This will be my quandary soon.
The fridge in my 1984 Vanagon does not work 120 or 12 V. When I try to use it via the LPGas & follow the steps behind the fridge door, but when I press knobs A & B I can see a spark thru the sight hole inside the bottom left corner of the fridge . The flame /pilot won't stay on. The stove burners won't work either.
I have an 87, and my fridge wont work on any setting, period. I tested the outlet to ensure I had city power, and it does...still nothing. I'll pull it and follow your video. Any advice before hand? part suppliers? Thanks
How long did you turn it to burp it? It seemed you were implying just turning it for a few minutes but i've now heard people flipping it for a day, going back, doing that over a week or so. Maybe just "till the gurgling doesn't increase each time?"
