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02-20-2024, 04:43 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 7
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Starcool II Condenser Fan
Hi all,
I picked up a 95 Ford SMB (not sure on the model) late last year and have been working on it ever since. It's only got 66k miles, but sat for 15 years and you know how bad that can be on any vehicle. Especially an RV!
Anywho, I have a Starcool II system that actually seems to work pretty decent for the most part. 12v is great and 110 mode is a little weak, but I've read that's pretty common. Some mickey mouse mechanic worked on this thing at some point, and it looks like they just deleted the Starcool condenser fan when they replaced the radiator.
From what I can tell in the manual, this older model just uses the factory condenser and kicks on a 12v fan when in 12v/110 mode. Is this correct? If so, does anyone have a photo of how the original fan is actually mounted? I assume I can just stick a fan on there and hopefully find the original wires for it. Seems simple enough, but I'm a visual learner and a picture would help me out a bunch. Thanks!
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02-20-2024, 06:43 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,244
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My original fans were mounted with sheet metal screws into the frame of the condenser. When I replaced them, I used some flat stock screwed to the frame and then mounted the fan to it because the fans I found were a different size. There are plenty of fans available online, so pick one that has mounting holes near where you need them. One thing I didn't count on was that the new fans were really loud, so you might see if you can compare the sound level of what ever fans you look at. As for the wires, I can't help you but look for any dead ended wires near the fan location. If you can't find them you can always just run a manual on off switch and wire pair.
__________________
Arctic Traveller
KC6TNI
2001 GTRV
Advanced 4wd
Agile Ride improvement package
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02-20-2024, 07:17 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: North of SanDiego
Posts: 233
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__________________
2003 E-350, 5.4 V8, 2x4, LSD 4.10, WeldTec 6" lift, SMB, Penthouse
2016 Beta 500 RS
2014 KTM 350 EXC-F
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02-20-2024, 07:45 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 746
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Hardwire -- are you meaning the StarCool fan - mounted under the driver door area - facing outward NOT facing to underside of van ? I'd take a photo of mine for you if I can send via iPhone - send me a private message if you want that photo ?
I can hear mine running when I lower the driver window - it does seem loud - but hey - after 22 years it's still working !! Fingers crossed too !
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02-20-2024, 07:53 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,244
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doublevan2
Hardwire -- are you meaning the StarCool fan - mounted under the driver door area - facing outward NOT facing to underside of van ? !
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I'm talking about the fan you want to replace where you can't find the wires. Did I misunderstand what you are trying to do?
__________________
Arctic Traveller
KC6TNI
2001 GTRV
Advanced 4wd
Agile Ride improvement package
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02-21-2024, 05:49 AM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doublevan2
Hardwire -- are you meaning the StarCool fan - mounted under the driver door area - facing outward NOT facing to underside of van ? I'd take a photo of mine for you if I can send via iPhone - send me a private message if you want that photo ?
I can hear mine running when I lower the driver window - it does seem loud - but hey - after 22 years it's still working !! Fingers crossed too !
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From what the drawings in the manual are showing me, there is no separate condenser under the van. I even crawled underneath to verify and couldn't see anything but a compressor, even while tracing the lines. As far as I can tell this system just uses the factory condenser behind the radiator, which still seems a little odd. The only thing that is cooling it at the moment is the engine fan. No electronics fans at all.
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02-21-2024, 05:53 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arctictraveller
My original fans were mounted with sheet metal screws into the frame of the condenser. When I replaced them, I used some flat stock screwed to the frame and then mounted the fan to it because the fans I found were a different size.
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Was that the regular condenser behind the radiator? Or a separate small one mounted elsewhere? It seems everyone else has a smaller one under the van somewhere. I was expecting that on mine too but was surprised when I didn't find one anywhere. Not sure if that's an older starcool thing or someone has monkeyed with it.
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02-21-2024, 06:40 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 746
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Not sure if I have two fans - theres so much stuff crammed into my engine bay ! I have a small condenser fan under driver side door - just haven't had time to get to my van (in storage) to take a photo yet -
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02-21-2024, 10:12 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,244
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doublevan2
Not sure if I have two fans - theres so much stuff crammed into my engine bay !
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There are normally two condensers, the original factory one in front of the radiator and a second one located under the van near the drivers door. The added 12Vdc fans are used since when on shore power, there would be no airflow across the condenser, because the van is not moving.
__________________
Arctic Traveller
KC6TNI
2001 GTRV
Advanced 4wd
Agile Ride improvement package
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Linear Mode
