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Old 04-27-2014, 08:10 PM   #1
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Starcool scares the neighbors...

Hello, I am new to SMB camping and would like to ask for advice about our 2002 EB with a Starcool III AC. Had a new fan replaced on the underside condenser and now the system will work. It does not cool very well but after reading posts here I guess that this is normal. My concern is two things. First, the outside fan is very loud and will scare off any campers next to us because it sounds like one of those 12v vacuums is constantly running. Second, when the temp inside the van reaches a point where we here the thermostat click off nothing else happens. The drone of the compressor is still present as is the loud whine of the underside condenser fan. I knew the inside blower would stay on but I was expecting the compressor and condenser fan to cycle as needed by the thermostat. Can someone please tell me if this is normal for a Starcool? Thank you for all your help.

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Old 04-30-2014, 09:54 PM   #2
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Re: Starcool scares the neighbors...

Quote:
Originally Posted by mhdiscus
Hello, I am new to SMB camping and would like to ask for advice about our 2002 EB with a Starcool III AC. Had a new fan replaced on the underside condenser and now the system will work. It does not cool very well but after reading posts here I guess that this is normal. My concern is two things. First, the outside fan is very loud and will scare off any campers next to us because it sounds like one of those 12v vacuums is constantly running. Second, when the temp inside the van reaches a point where we here the thermostat click off nothing else happens. The drone of the compressor is still present as is the loud whine of the underside condenser fan. I knew the inside blower would stay on but I was expecting the compressor and condenser fan to cycle as needed by the thermostat. Can someone please tell me if this is normal for a Starcool? Thank you for all your help.
Well I got you're PM it and it looks like there are only a few of us with these things.

Yes, running off shore power, the Starcool is a noisy unit. But not too much more than a generator and a typical window A/C running together. There also should be a fan that kicks on in the front of your rig that pulls air through the stock Ford condenser. The DC fans should pull air through the condensers IIRC. There is a post on this somewhere on the site about the polarity of the fans. I just told my A/C guy to make it right.
It's hard to say about the thermostat because every time I have the AC compressor running the weather is hot. Seems it does cycle but the noise is still quite loud in either mode. 12v vacuum loud? Well that's a perspective difficult to compare. The Espar Hydronic water heater is also noisy.

The temps out of the rear ducts should be slightly warmer than when you run it in the driving mode...at least on mine it is. But overall it's the insulation of the van and the fact that the Starcool has a hard time keeping up with a hot van which causes problems. A few years back one member gave me some advice stating as long as you start the Starcool in the morning, let it run on max, and keep the van in the shade as mush as possible it does OK. I've found this to be true. But expecting 70* temps in 115* weather is probably not gonna happen. It does help to reduce humidity though and in combination with a standard fan it is more palatable than without.
If your ducts are on the warm side there is a check valve that might be not operating or you might just be low on Freon. Have an A/C expert check it. I actually put a tag on the pressure ports stating what amount of Freon is needed. If Ford does any work on the stock system they will steal your Freon! If a A/C expert works on the system, make sure they bring it to the Starcool specs not the Ford specs. And make sure it is the right stuff compatible with your stock A/C cause the Starcool shares the Ford system.



Hope this helps.
Dave
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Old 05-02-2014, 11:26 AM   #3
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Re: Starcool scares the neighbors...

Looking at the schematic the 120 Volt Compressor Motor & the 12 Volt Auxiliary Condenser Motor, and solenoid valve will go on and off based on Thermostat being closed/open. This would all be predicated by the Blower being on, and the 12 ignition being off.



From Left to Right Relay 1 & 4 control 12 Volt Auxiliary Condenser Motor and 120 Compressor Motor. Relay 4 is directly controlled via the thermostat, while relay 1 is controlled via the output of relay 4.

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Old 05-02-2014, 06:57 PM   #4
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Re: Starcool scares the neighbors...

I updated a number of things on my 98 Starcool last spring, including two new fans (I'm the one who mentioned the polarity thing) as well as all new relays under the van. I also added a boosting capacitor, which really helps the system start when on 110. The AC works great when driving, but isn't very good on shore power. My mechanic had no problem evacuating and recharging the system based on SMB specs.
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Old 05-04-2014, 11:45 AM   #5
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Re: Starcool scares the neighbors...

Being the two systems are tied together I would have another shop look it over. It would be costly to put the Ford A/C system back to normal I'd think. I'm still suspicious of the Vacuum sound...like I posted mine only sounds like a standard window A/C, maybe a bit louder. When it cycles off the only thing that stops is the low hum sound of the compressor. Not much difference in noise. Having a secondary A/C while driving was my main reason for going with the Starcool. The poor shore power performance could be more due to lack of insulation... or at least contributes to poorer performance. Not sure how difficult it would be to just remove the AC portion of the Starcool and leave the DC part tied to the Ford stock A/C.
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Old 05-23-2014, 02:08 PM   #6
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Re: Starcool scares the neighbors...

see also-- General- current thread --"is Danhard ac louder than roof a/c"
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Old 05-23-2014, 10:22 PM   #7
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Re: Starcool scares the neighbors...

Quote:
Originally Posted by soaringhawk
see also-- General- current thread --"is Danhard ac louder than roof a/c"
Just to note, even though Danhard made the Starcool, as mentioned the units are completely different.
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