Starcool - should I even bother fixing it?

[daveb]

Sorry to hear that; I know even SMB is having a time finding parts. Last time I talked with Danhard they explained to me the guy who built the Starcool system didn't work there any longer and they had very little left as far as parts went. They also wanted to distant themselves from their old product. That's too bad as there are a lot of Starcools still out there. Maybe some bad blood went down...I donno

I'm still not fully sold on Danhard's new stuff but really there is much out there except stuff that goes on top of your van. Where I go it would be ripped off by trees.

Swampy? Put "swampy" in the search and you'll find several threads on those and other solutions.

[xcnick]

I finally got down to the blower and it is not the motor, but the plastic that mounts the motor. A generic blower motor would be easy to find, but the whole housing is probably unique. We will see. In the mean time it is out and I have more space in the van.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4461364/blower-mount.jpg

Lets see if I can put a pic in the post

[xcnick]

I ran through the posts on swampy. Didn't see anyone with an actual install. Maybe I will be the first and have something to contribute. Thirty years ago I had the Turbo Kool in a 16' trailer and was very happy. Of course I am always in the desert. For endless water I plumbed water from the trailer's fresh water tank to fill the Turbo Kool. (It was called something else in those days.) I had a float to open a valve when it got low. The small marine battery would last about 12 hours running the thing. But we don't have a roof vent. Too bad. I see the new owners who call this Turbo Kool live just down the road in Gardnerville.

My first thought is the swampy would fit well under the gaucho. The biggest problem will be to get outside air to the evaporator or what ever they call the spinning plate with water on it.

[daveb]

That is an old design! Nothing like that in my build for sure. You might want to research other designs.

Good luck on your quest.

[ANZAC]

So.... I had a good look at some of the frame mounted Starcool components and they are really rusty and probably shot.

I'm going to remove them to save weight. I think the system is too far gone to repair. If it was just one fan or a wiring problem I would fix it.

I would however like to replace it. Not with a portable. I started checking out marine systems before I figured out they used raw water for the heat exchanger (duh).

There has to be a lower power more modern design compact AC system for RV vans around.

I do NOT want to tie it into the vehicle AC system. I think that is just buying trouble. I don't need to be able to run it when the vehicle is moving.

Anyway, pointers to newer systems appreciated.

[twogone]

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=11118

[ANZAC]

Originally Posted by twogone

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=11118

Following that thread but I said "Not with a portable."

[daveb]

Besides Danhard, Webasto makes unit for heavy equipment. Discount van & truck was another I had researched but don't know anything about them. The one that impressed me is the IceQube & although it's designed for cooling rooms full of electronics I've wondered if it could be adapted to a van.

[ANZAC]

Originally Posted by daveb

Besides Danhard, Webasto makes unit for heavy equipment. Discount van & truck was another I had researched but don't know anything about them. The one that impressed me is the IceQube & although it's designed for cooling rooms full of electronics I've wondered if it could be adapted to a van.

Great links, thanks. I went to the ProAir site...

Check out the
105 Stainless Steel Skirt Mounted Condenser
http://www.proairllc.com/condensers.html

and the 1100 evap, very slim, and already has round outlets so would work with existing vents.
http://www.proairllc.com/rear_mounted_evaporators.html

I guess I'm dense, but you still need a compressor, right? Or is it built into the evap? (the current requirements sure make it look that way. I don't want to tie into the van AC compressor)

If you think about it, anything that works for an ambulance is a good fit for a SMB.

(edit) Ugh, just saw they are designed to tie into vehicle AC, a sort of "rear AC". What we're looking for is a stand-alone 110v AC. So I looked back at their Pro Series 310 110v unit.... interesting.

(edit edit) ...until I read this in the manual: "Note: This 110v unit was designed as a temperature maintenance unit not as a primary heating and cooling system. Using this system out side of its original design parameters is not recommended. For any questions or concerns please contact ProAir at (574) 264-5494"

[daveb]

I think the Danhard also uses the inverter to operate but it's standalone. Unless you tie into the existing system most are simple AC units that require shore power. But those used on cabbed tractors were 12vDC I thought. Being my Starcool still works fine when using the DC end of it, I'm not concerned about down the road travel, what I am wanting is a small vAC unit that keeps the van 20 or so degrees below the outside temp when the vehicle is sitting in the driveway before a trip. The problem with the Starcool is it sucks off battery reserves. Leaving out of town with low batteries is an issue. Makes me want to tear apart one of those rolling units. The IceQube company has an interesting unit but it's high priced, 110 only and doesn't have remote outside ducting. Seems we're in a groove that the industry has left behind.