What was a mistake or waste of $$$ on your van? - Page 6

edroid · 08-30-2012, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

That's strange; some have posted that the Danhard is a good running unit. At first I was also disappointed with my Starcool (also a Danhard unit) but found if used correctly it does a reasonable job if shore power is available. None of them will work off battery power unless the van is packed with batteries above reason. On shore power it will work if you crank it on early before it gets hot out. I was told it's the same with the newer Danhards. Also I read that the Danhards must be matched with the correct sized inverter and alternator to run while driving. I can't say that's correct being I have the Starcool III but even with the Starcool III I had to install a high amp alternator to pick up the slack. My gripe is it does draw off the house system and that is something which needs to be addressed in the future. But as far as "on the road", I'm sure glad I have the Starcool in this desert like valley I live in.

You got me thinking. Why can my little 2,000 watt Honda generator power the Danhard, but my 2,000 watt house inverter powered by the massive V10 cannot? I have read that the Honda is 2,000 watts at peak, and that continual load is something like 1,650 watts. Is the house inverter not capable of a continual 1,650 wattage?

Scalf77 · 08-31-2012, 09:15 AM

Not sure what inverter you have, but the Danhard system is supposed to run off of the inverter while driving. I would check with sportsmobile, it is possible that you need to have some load sharing settings, ect. I would certainly check with them.

**daveb** · 08-31-2012, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scalf77

Not sure what inverter you have, but the Danhard system is supposed to run off of the inverter while driving. I would check with sportsmobile, it is possible that you need to have some load sharing settings, ect. I would certainly check with them.

I agree with Greg, plus you might want to search out some good posts about the Danhard. In the site search type in Danhard and Greg in Austin as the author. There were issues with certain inverter models that were discussed in several threads he contributed in.

Good luck.

edroid · 08-31-2012, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scalf77

Not sure what inverter you have, but the Danhard system is supposed to run off of the inverter while driving. I would check with sportsmobile, it is possible that you need to have some load sharing settings, ect. I would certainly check with them.

I agree with Greg, plus you might want to search out some good posts about the Danhard. In the site search type in Danhard and Greg in Austin as the author. There were issues with certain inverter models that were discussed in several threads he contributed in.

Good luck.

I checked with the service manager at Sportsmobile this morning and the news is worse than I thought!

Not only will the Danhard not run from the 2,000 watt inverter with the engine running, but he said it will not run from my Honda 2,000 watt generator. He said you need the 3,000 watt generator! I need to give it a try anyway I guess.

So I need to reaffirm that the Danhard was by far the worst mistake I made on the SMB!

Edit: So I just checked some of the posts from "Greg in Austin" and he said that he does run his Danhard from a Honda 2000. . . Assuming we have the same model of Danhard. . .

rob_gendreau · 09-25-2012, 05:08 PM

Hmm.

Maybe the biggest waste was 4WD.

I actually converted after I bought the SMB, so I've had a chance to compare the same van with and without.

I've concluded that some of the stuff that comes with the 4WD IS necessary, however: just not the drive part. Some of the stuff that I mean is:

-Beefier suspension, shocks etc.

-Bigger sway bars, front and rear.

-Body lift.

-Undercarriage skid plates.

-Bigger wheels and tires.

I'm just not sure having drive on the front and rear helps as much as those mods. The low range is definitely a plus, however. But maybe bigger brakes would negate that advantage, at least downhill.

And a locking rear, with the above mods, might get you as many places as a 4WD SMB without the weight and as much cost. Maybe....

Rob

MikewTV · 09-25-2012, 08:22 PM

I have the Danhard in my 2008 SMB. It works well. It works with my triplite inverter while driving for several hours. It works, if batteries are well charged, for about an hour off battery power, no engine. It works off my Honda 2000 generator. Not sure why it is causing you so much trouble or that they would say you need a 3000 generator.

PatO · 09-27-2012, 04:23 PM

6.0L Power Stroke Diesel!

tonyvoudy · 09-27-2012, 07:18 PM

I love three year old threads! I am going to keep it alive by posting things that are (still) a waste even observed over three years ago. Some of these things translate directly over from Ford to Sprinter.

#1 - Biggest waste (not Sportsmobile, more Mercedes) was the "upgraded" Audio 20 head unit. Yeah it has bluetooth and a 6 disk MP3/CD player, BUT, the bluetooth ONLY does phone and there is no plugin for a MP3 / ipod / iphone. WASTE!

#2 - Same as in 2009, the divider curtain behind the drivers seat. I guess if I ever added the front single wide bed it may be useful

#3 - Drivers side swivel seat. I bougt the swivel, but *ahem* my bed/gaucho ended up too close where the seat could not swivel all the way around.

straymonkey · 10-02-2012, 12:28 AM

I'd like to contribute in keeping this thread alive.

1. Generator Compartment. I gave up a compartment for this storage. Turns out most places we go has plug in and we never had to need this compartment and the generator we bought later. The coating they put in the compartment also melted during our summer trips.

2. Aluminess Tire Rack. Not so much useless, but more regret. Later on, I wanted to get the Aluminess Rear bumper (comes with tire rack) and deluxe box. But I was told that they wouldn't take the tire rack back, so if I bought the Rear bumper, I would be wasting this tire rack. My wife wants to have the deluxe box for keeping dirty stuff (bbq, firewood, etc..) outside.

3. Getting the Ford Regular Body. While it works, I find myself always wanting more space. If I had to do it again, I would get the Long Body. Keep the design of the RB and leave the last 2 feet behind open for luggage, chairs, etc... And make it easier to enter from the back. But my wife keeps telling me that if I had gotten the LB in the first place, I would have filled it with cabinets right away.

4. I would have outside vent on the back of the fridge. Keep fridge from heating up the inside. SMB won't drill holes on the wall (for fear of nicking electrical wiring) after it leaves the install.

5. No air conditioner. SMB can't install the Danhard air conditioner after van leaves factory. But after reading threads on this forum, maybe I did the right thing. Now I just have a portable air conditioner in my back rack and we plug it in when we stop.

Love my SMB!

Angel · 10-02-2012, 02:28 PM

Straymonkey,

Checkout photos of my van. Alumness added a storage box for me on my original bumper using a tire rack. I just can not carry more than aprox 75 pounds. I can carry my generator and other bulky stuff in it. I just can not carry gas cans - which I do not want to do anyway. I do have a flat 2 gal gas can behind it, for the generator, though.

Angel