Re: [pvusers] Re: Propane refrigerators (fwd)

[Renewable News Network <rnn@rnn.com>]

Dear pv list nation,

Does this topic have anything remotely to do with pv?

Or, is it thatpv users are somehow more likely to be interested in
propane?  Why's that?  And can anything be made of it/this to help
get us back on track?

Yours truly,
Ross

ps.  i may bring a solar consumer report up under separate head re: the
iSun Radio Shack cell phone recarger.  I don't think so.  Big
disappointment.  2.2 watts  $69.00  not consumer ugly, but I'm
not sure it works, in general, as sold.  It did not appear to charge my
Ericsson/Sony T60 cellphone over last week in a remote off grid situation.
may be just a discrepency between selling points and actual performance.
Maybe I screwed up. there was a neatly hidden 6/12 vdc output switch, and
the multi-meter-measured output was 19.00 vdc, so the quantity of milliamp
just may be insufficient, and not up to the task.  At $40.00 per pv watt,
this could get expensive.  I'll support the retails sales of solar
appliances and devices, but they gotta work.  -ross@rnn.com

On Tue, 21 May 2002, Robert Warren wrote:

>
> From: "Jason J"
> Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 23:41:51 -0700
> To:
> Subject: please help
>
> I found a thread that contained a a message about propane fridges. Maybe
> you can help me. I have a NORCOLD propane fridge. It starts, and cools
> really cold. But when the thremostat clicks off, the flame goes out. It
> either freezes or it's off. What's the deal? The orifice is not
> obstructed...
>
>
>
> Jason,
>
> You may have a burned out thermopile. I have never worked on a
>
> Norcold, but it sounds like one of the newer models with two flames.
>
>  The main flame should be only the size of what you think a normal
>
>  pilot light flame is. The flame will be about the size of your
>
>  index fingernail, mostly blue with only a bit of yellow around
>
> the edges.  The pilot light flame is a little smaller and just
>
> stays on all the time.
>
> The fact that you can light it and get it makes me think that
>
> the thermopile !
> is almost burned out. It may generate just enough
>
> electricity when the main flame is on, but not enough when the
>
>  smaller pilot is lit.  A thermopile is the small sensor thingy
>
>  placed just near the edge of the pilot flame area, and it creates
>
> a tiny millivoltage bit of power, which is enough to hold open
>
>  the little electrical coil that operates the safety valve. You
>
> can get another thermopile at your local Ace hardware or a
>
> refrigeration supply.  Even though you won't be able to match
>
> it exactly, all you really have to do is to match the thread
>
> size where it screws into the gas valve. Be sure there is no
>
> gas supply hooked up when you unscrew anything on this valve.
>
>  The electrical voltage signal is not very much, and they
>
>  don't vary that much anyway. You just have to try to match
>
> the bott!
> om end in shape and thread size. By shape, I mean you
>
>  have to look at where the bottom end contacts the electric
>
> point inside the hole where you unthreaded it. Look at this
>
> with a flashlight. Clean it out with a Q-tip and a tiny touch
>
>  of WD-40.  Screw the new thermopile in without any Teflon
>
> tape, and don’t use any pipe dope, either. Otherwise you
>
>  may insulate the negative side of the electrical connection.
>
>  A thermopile makes electricity from heat across a dielectric
>
>  junction: e.g., 2 dissimilar metals in contact, and electrons
>
> flow from the one with the higher charge to the lower charge
>
>  on the outer electron shell.   The business end of the
>
> thermopile should be just near at outside edge of the flame,
>
>  or slightly above it, but not in the centre, which is the
> hottest spot.
> The other possibility is that your gas valve solenoid is
> getting corroded or the coil itself is weak. You may be
> able to find an entire replacement valve kit from a
> refrigeration catalogue.
> I live in London now, so there isn’t much else I can do
> for you.
> Last, if all else fails, take it to an old time
> refrigeration guy. Sometimes, you have to get help. How much is it worth to have a really cold beer on those hot summer afternoons?
> What will we do if there is another fuel shortage?
> Did you know that there is a pollution free, completely renewable fuel which you can use right now in your own car?
> Don't replace the engine, replace the fuel. Check out my website on making your own fuel:
> http://running_on_alcohol.tripod.com
> Preview my new book, "25 years as a moonshiner"
> by Robert Warren
> robertwarren@mail.com
>
> --
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